NITDA targets 70% digital literacy, seeks more investment

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has said Nigeria is yet to achieve its 70 per cent digital literacy target, despite an increase in broadband penetration and internet access across the country.
The agency called for increased investment in digital skills, infrastructure and innovation, warning that the country needed stronger collaboration among government, businesses, academic institutions and international partners to accelerate digital inclusion.
NITDA Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja at the 2026 Digital Nigeria International Conference and Exhibition.

Abdullahi, who was represented by the agency's Director of Special Duties in the Office of the Director-General, Dr Aristotle Onumo, said broadband penetration increased to 57.4 per cent in July 2026 from 48.8 per cent in August 2025.
He added that more than 157 million Nigerians now had access to internet services, while data consumption reached 1.66 million terabytes in July, representing an increase of almost 50 per cent compared with the corresponding period in 2025.

According to him, telecommunications and information services contributed more than N5.2tn to Nigeria's Gross Domestic Product in the second quarter of 2026, growing at more than twice the rate of the broader economy.
Despite the improvements, the NITDA chief said the country still had considerable work to do in equipping citizens with the skills required to participate effectively in the digital economy.
"Our progress is real, but our gaps are visible. Our target as a nation, which is to ensure 70 per cent digital literacy, is yet to be accomplished. We are still in progress," he said.

He said the conference was designed to translate discussions about digital transformation into practical initiatives capable of attracting investments, creating jobs, securing commercial agreements and improving public services.
Abdullahi identified four major components of the event as the Builders' Festival, the main conference, practical masterclasses and the Nigeria Digital Honours Award.

He explained that the Builders' Festival would connect Nigerian technology startups with government agencies and private organisations seeking solutions to operational challenges.
According to him, more than 100 verified challenges had been identified across healthcare, education, agriculture, financial technology, logistics, digital identity and telecommunications.
He said NITDA had matched the identified challenges with pre-qualified Nigerian startups whose products were ready for deployment, rather than businesses presenting only ideas or prototypes.
The initiative is targeting a N3bn investment pipeline through partnerships and memoranda of understanding between startups and participating institutions.
Abdullahi noted that although Nigerian startups attracted close to $635m in funding in the first nine months of 2026, access to customers remained essential to their survival and expansion.
"Capital alone is not enough. Our startups need customers. And the biggest customers in any economy are the institutions," he said.
He added that the conference's masterclasses would offer practical training in product development, marketing, project management and technology, while the Nigeria Digital Honours Award would recognise individuals and organisations contributing to the country's digital development.

Also speaking, the Chargé d'Affaires of the United States Diplomatic Mission in Nigeria, Jimmy Mauldin, called for stronger cooperation between Nigeria and international technology partners to accelerate the country's digital transformation.
Mauldin said Nigeria possessed the talent, entrepreneurial energy and growing technology industry needed to compete globally.
He, however, stressed the importance of pursuing innovation alongside security and combining the development of domestic technological capacity with international partnerships.
He disclosed that the United States had supported a feasibility study by the United States Trade and Development Agency for artificial intelligence-ready data centres in Nigeria.
According to him, investments in modern digital infrastructure, secure technology and international partnerships would strengthen Nigeria's capacity in artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies.
"Real technological sovereignty doesn't mean isolation. It means choosing the best technology in the world while building your own national champions on top of it," he said.
In his remarks, the National President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Jani Ibrahim, said digital transformation was essential to achieving the Federal Government's ambition of building a $1tn economy by 2030.
He said Nigeria's nearly 40 million micro, small and medium enterprises accounted for about 46 per cent of the country's GDP and almost 88 per cent of employment, making their adoption of digital technologies critical to economic growth.
Ibrahim said the partnership between NITDA and NACCIMA would connect technology developers with businesses requiring digital solutions, providing startups with access to customers, contracts and investment opportunities.
He identified business-to-business deal rooms, a 10,000 AI Enterprise Accelerator and digital trust as key areas of collaboration between the organisations.
He explained that the artificial intelligence programme would help businesses deploy technology in areas such as demand forecasting, equipment maintenance, agricultural data analysis, bookkeeping and marketing.
The NACCIMA president urged corporate organisations to patronise Nigerian technology companies and called on investors to support local startups through funding and improved access to markets.
"Do not merely admire Nigerian innovation. Please buy it, and not only do that, fund it," he said.
Ibrahim also stressed that digital transformation should extend to rural businesses, women-owned enterprises, young entrepreneurs and persons with disabilities to ensure that its economic benefits reached all segments of society.
The three-day conference brought together government officials, technology leaders, policymakers, startups, investors and innovators to discuss digital transformation, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and digital public infrastructure.