Bridging gender digital divide: NITDA unveils inclusion strategy
By Blessing Emmanuel
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs (FMWA), has introduced the National Gender Digital Inclusion Strategy (NGDIS) during the United Nations 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69).
This initiative is designed to close the gender digital gap by equipping women and children with essential digital skills, online security awareness, and economic empowerment opportunities.
Under the theme “Digital Harmony: Advancing Gender Inclusion by Empowering Women and Children for a Secure Digital Future,” the high-profile event reinforced Nigeria’s dedication to ensuring equitable access to digital technology.
Presenting the strategy, Iklima Musa Salihu, Special Assistant to the Director General of NITDA, underscored its alignment with Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 5 and 8. The strategy is aimed at dismantling barriers that hinder women and girls from fully engaging in the digital economy, by broadening access to training, mentorship, and digital infrastructure.
Representing NITDA Director General Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Salihu stressed that the initiative would enhance women’s involvement in Nigeria’s expanding tech sector, focusing on digital literacy, entrepreneurship, online security, and gender-responsive policies.
Key targets of the strategy include: Guaranteeing at least 40 per cent female participation in all national digital training programmes; Providing increased support for female-led startups, including improved access to funding, mentorship, and technical assistance through the Nigeria Startup Act.
Speaking at the event, the Honourable Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman, FSI, stressed the urgent necessity of addressing gender inequalities in digital access.
She revealed that 68 per cent of Nigerian women do not own smartphones, limiting their ability to engage with online services and economic opportunities.
Sulaiman also expressed deep concern over the dangers women encounter in digital spaces, including cyber harassment and gender-based violence online.
Calling for swift implementation of the 2024-2027 NGDIS, she underscored the importance of legal frameworks that encourage digital literacy, online protection, and women’s participation in the tech industry.
She reaffirmed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to ensuring that no woman or child is excluded from Nigeria’s digital evolution.
