In a tech-obsessed world where digital literacy is the new oxygen, what happens to the millions who are excluded not by choice but by design?
That’s the uncomfortable question the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, is boldly confronting.
At the heart of Nigeria’s bid to become a global tech talent powerhouse, the DG has issued a clarion call: Nigeria’s digital future must be disability-inclusive or it isn’t a future at all.
Speaking during a strategic meeting with the Inclusive Friends Association, a disability rights group led by Grace Jerry, Inuwa didn’t mince words:
“There’s no way we can achieve 95% digital inclusion if we exclude 35 million Nigerians.”
In a policy environment where buzzwords often outshine bold action, this stands out not just as a symbolic gesture, but as a strategic pivot that could redefine what tech equity means in Nigeria.
Nigeria is racing toward 95% digital literacy by 2030, a key priority under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
But with over 35 million citizens living with disabilities, many of whom are women and youth, the digital divide isn’t just a tech issue. It’s an economic, social, and moral one.
And the numbers speak for themselves.
. 1 in 6 Nigerians has a form of disability.
. Over 70% remain excluded from digital skill-building programs.
. Less than 10% of national tech policy committees have disability representation.
Inuwa’s approach is to shift from charity to capability, from compliance to co-creation and from training to transformation.
Inuwa announced plans to intentionally embed disability inclusion into NITDA’s core strategies, not just as an afterthought, but as a central design principle.
This includes:
. Disability representation on national ICT policy committees.
. Integrating disability-focused modules into NYSC tech programmes.
. Customising digital literacy programmes for women and youth with disabilities.
. Leveraging platforms like national tech conferences for visibility and inclusion.
But this isn’t about ticking boxes. As Inuwa puts it, “It’s beyond just training. The real goal is empowerment—how we can help people use IT to grow their businesses and improve their lives.”
The Power of Presence
Grace Jerry, who leads the Inclusive Friends Association, stressed the urgency.
“Digital literacy is becoming a foundational skill for employment. Without deliberate inclusion, millions will be left behind.”
She particularly highlighted the widening gender and regional gaps, especially among women with disabilities in northern Nigeria, many of whom face a triple threat of economic, educational, and technological exclusion.
A New Tech Ethos for Nigeria
What’s emerging here is more than just an inclusive policy shift. It’s a new tech ethos, one that refuses to leave ability behind in the rush for advancement.
It’s about designing a Nigeria where:
A blind developer doesn’t need a favour, just access.
A deaf woman can build a startup without barriers.
A child with mobility challenges can learn to code from home, online, with dignity.
Digital inclusion isn’t a footnote to development. It is development.
Inuwa has called for deeper partnerships with disability groups to co-create inclusive solutions and ensure representation in future policymaking.
“Let’s make sure everyone, regardless of ability, is equipped to use IT,” he stated.
The agency’s renewed pledge signals a promising shift from inspiration to implementation.
