The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), through its National Digital Literacy Framework (NDLF), has launched the Digital Literacy For All Initiative (DL4ALL) at Nassarawa State University, Keffi, intending to integrate digital literacy into the institution’s curriculum as part of its ongoing efforts to reform the economy for sustained inclusive economic growth and achieve the presidential target of providing 70% of Nigerian citizens with digital literacy and skills by 2027.
This initiative, launched in collaboration with CISCO and Nasarawa State University Keffi (NSUK), aims to ensure that students at every educational level achieve digital literacy before graduation and to support the presidential target of 70% digital literacy amongst its citizens by 2027.
The Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, gave a special speech at the inauguration ceremony and expressed his delight about the ecosystem’s incredible milestone achievement in guaranteeing universal access to digital literacy.
“It is a pivotal moment for our relationship of building the ecosystem in terms of bringing the industry, the academia, and the government to work together,” he noted.
He stated that with Cisco’s support and government-backed frameworks, digitally proficient graduates who will plug seamlessly into the workforce would be produced rather than mere degree holders.
Inuwa claimed that Africa and Nigeria in particular had a huge opportunity to address the talent gap, citing World Economic Forum estimations that indicate a global skill shortfall of 85 million individuals by 2030, potentially leading to 8.5 trillion dollars in unrealised yearly earnings.
Building a workforce with digital skills is crucial to accelerating the nation’s economic growth and development, Inuwa said, highlighting the President’s direction to drive economic transformation through technology and skills development.
“In a world we live in today where digital is a lifestyle, digital literacy is no longer optional, but it is a necessity because we need it to be included in everything we do. Today, to be digitally included economically, and financially, you need to be digitally literate, so you need to have the fluency to navigate the digital world,” he mentioned.
Speaking on the NDLF that gave rise to the DL4ALL effort, the NITDA DG stated that because information technology is so prevalent, the initiative would aid in creating a populace that is tech-savvy and spans all industries.
Enumerating the core competencies of the framework, which are device and software operation, information and data literacy, collaboration and communication, digital content creation, safety, and lastly, problem management, Inuwa asserted that the competencies will allow students to safely and effectively use technology in creating content, managing data, solving problems, and collaborations with students in other universities.
He explained that the launch of the DL4ALL at NSUK aligns with Nigeria’s mission of achieving digital sovereignty and would empower students not just to secure jobs but to create them, particularly through entrepreneurship programmes that encourage students to start businesses before graduation.
While urging the students to embrace technology as a limitless platform that will inspire them to be innovative and fearless, Inuwa said, “I believe with technology, your limitation is your imagination because, with the ubiquitous data we have today, unlimited connectivityand massive processing power, you all can achieve whatsoever you imagine.”
Earlier in her welcome address, the NSUK Vice Chancellor, Prof. Sadaatu Hassan Liman, described the partnership between the university and NITDA as a transformative one that will allow students at the university to leverage the DL4ALL programme to acquire digital skills that will enable them to thrive in the 21st-century global landscape.
She noted that the programme is not only empowering the students but also positioning the university as a regional leader in Information and Communications Technology and emerging technologies.
“This strategic integration of cutting-edge technologies into our academic offerings will open up a lot of opportunities to our students and staff as well, allowing them to develop critical thinking, problem-solving and innovative mindsets required to navigate the rapidly evolving digital world,” she said.
The unveiling of the DL4ALL in NSUK insignia by the event’s dignitaries was the ceremony’s high point.
