The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has launched the National Digital Literacy Framework (NDLF) to achieve 95 percent digital literacy by 2030, aligning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision of creating over one million jobs for youths in the digital economy sector.
The framework’s goal is to provide a clear and consistent definition of digital literacy as well as to develop a national curriculum for digital literacy capacity building training to ensure that everyone, regardless of background or location, has the opportunity to learn the digital skills needed to succeed in the twenty-first century economy.
Kashifu Inuwa, Director General of NITDA, stated during the launch at the Digital Economy Complex, Mbora in Abuja, that the framework will lay the groundwork for a review of curriculum from kindergarten to universities.
He stated that one of the Framework’s aims is Universal Access, which means that every Nigerian should have access to digital literacy and will also help the country enhance the capabilities of its youth. The second goal, according to the DG, is Skill Development, which will aid in the development of local digital offerings.
Inuwa also stressed the need for Nigeria to strategically position itself to fill 85 million talent deficits gaps with 8.5T USD unrealised annual value, which Korn Ferry projected that the world would experience by the year 2030.
He stated that more work will be done, as NITDA has already completed the IT Skills Gap Assessment and is currently working on the digital talent strategy that will aid in the development of the talent pipeline; not only training people, but also connecting them with jobs, either local or global, in order for them to be a part of the global value chain.
