In a significant move toward bridging the digital divide, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has successfully concluded a specialized two-day digital literacy training for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).
The program, held in Abuja under the agency’s Digital Literacy for All (DL4ALL) initiative, equipped 50 participants with essential digital skills, reinforcing the government’s commitment to ensuring that physical challenges are not barriers to economic opportunity.
Addressing the participants, the Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, emphasized that accessibility is not an afterthought but a core pillar of Nigeria’s digital transformation. He argued that the primary hurdle for PWDs is often not a lack of talent, but the prevalence of inaccessible digital infrastructure.
“Platforms that do not support assistive technologies, non-captioned content, and inaccessible websites effectively shut people out,” Inuwa stated. He further noted that when these barriers are removed, PWDs transition from being perceived as dependents to becoming “innovators, entrepreneurs, and professionals who contribute meaningfully across sectors.”
The initiative aligns directly with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which views social and digital inclusivity as a critical driver for national development.
The training is part of a much larger, ambitious framework. Under NITDA’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2.0), the agency is aggressively pursuing a target of 70% digital literacy by 2027 and 95% by 2030.
The DL4ALL initiative operates through three strategic pillars:
- Informal Sector Track: Has already reached over 480,000 Nigerians across 30 states since September 2024.
- Education Sector Track: Focused on integrating digital competencies into formal learning institutions.
- Workforce Readiness Track: Designed to upskill professionals in both the public and private sectors.
The success of the 2-day workshop was attributed to a collaborative effort between the government and civil society. Inuwa lauded the Inclusive Friends Association (IFA) and SIMBED for their roles in delivering the curriculum.
Mr. Daniel Onunkwo, CEO of SIMBED, described the training as a significant step toward closing the digital inclusion gap, while Grace Jerry, Executive Director of IFA (represented by Tracy Agbamu), commended NITDA’s intentional leadership. She urged the 50 graduates to become “digital inclusion advocates” within their respective communities, ensuring the knowledge spreads far beyond the classroom.
By focusing on practical skills and assistive technology, NITDA is shifting the narrative on disability in Nigeria. The DL4ALL program serves as a proof of concept: with intentional training and equal opportunity, every Nigerian, regardless of physical ability, can help script the nation’s digital future.