The Executive Director of the Inclusive Friends Association (IFA), Grace Jerry, has called for stronger efforts to close Nigeria’s digital divide, as she addressed a digital literacy training for persons with disabilities organised by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
The programme, held in collaboration with IFA and SIMBED, forms part of NITDA’s Digital Literacy for All initiative, which aims to achieve 95% digital literacy nationwide by 2030.
Ms Jerry praised NITDA’s commitment, describing the training as a significant step towards ensuring that persons with disabilities are not left behind in Nigeria’s digital transformation.
She highlighted the scale of the challenge, citing 2023 research by Tech4Dev conducted across four northern states, which found that 61% of women with disabilities were unable to perform basic computer functions, such as turning a computer on or off.
“This is not just a skills gap,” she said. “It is a barrier to economic empowerment and livelihood.”
Addressing participants, Ms Jerry urged them to take full advantage of the opportunity, stressing that digital skills are now essential for participation in the modern economy.
The training covers a range of topics, including the use of accessibility tools, internet safety, digital protection and basic data skills such as Google Sheets, which organisers say are designed to improve employability and independence.
Ms Jerry also called for sustained collaboration between civil society organisations and government agencies, noting that long-term partnerships would be crucial to dismantling structural barriers faced by persons with disabilities.
She concluded by emphasising that inclusive digital education could unlock the potential of many people who have remained on the margins of economic life for too long.
