Nigeria is taking decisive steps to strengthen its digital economy, with the National Information Technology Development Agency announcing plans to train 50 million citizens and raise the country’s digital literacy rate to 70 percent by 2027. The initiative is expected to build a workforce capable of driving innovation, enhancing productivity, and improving the nation’s competitiveness in the global digital economy.
The programme, which targets education, public service, and the informal economy, combines curriculum development, teacher training, civil servant capacity building, and community-based initiatives to ensure broad coverage. The Director-General of NITDA disclosed the plan during the closing session of the Digital Nigeria International Conference and Exhibition in Abuja, themed “Innovation for a Sustainable Digital Future: Accelerating Growth and Inclusion.”
He explained that a baseline digital literacy level of 50 percent in 2024 will rise to 70 percent by 2027 through the training of 50 million Nigerians. In the education sector, a curriculum approved by the President is being rolled out, with teachers nationwide being trained to deliver digital literacy from kindergarten through tertiary institutions. More than 30,000 civil servants are already enrolled on NITDA’s digital literacy platform, and several states have adopted the framework to train their workers.
To reach the informal sector, NITDA is partnering with the National Youth Service Corps to deploy digital champions across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Each champion is expected to train 600 people annually, enabling the initiative to reach over 10 million Nigerians every year and more than 30 million in three years. The education sector alone aims to train 15 million students, with an additional 5 million across the workforce.
The NITDA Director-General emphasized the need to prioritize investments in digital infrastructure, similar to investments in roads, railways, and airports, noting that in today’s service-based economy, digital capability is critical to national growth and competitiveness.
