The Federal Government has unveiled plans to achieve 95 per cent digital literacy among Nigerians by 2030, with a mid-term milestone of 70 per cent by 2027, as part of efforts to build a digitally empowered public sector and citizenry.
The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, announced this on Tuesday during the Digital Literacy for All (DL4ALL) Training Awards Programme held in Abuja.
Inuwa explained that the DL4ALL initiative was created to equip civil servants with essential digital skills that will enhance service delivery, efficiency, and overall governance. The programme is being implemented in partnership with the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF).
According to him, 54,377 civil servants have enrolled in the programme, representing about 79 per cent participation, while over 40 per cent have completed their training successfully.
He noted that early challenges, including limited access to official email accounts for many civil servants, were resolved through coordinated institutional support.
To encourage active participation and completion, NITDA introduced incentives such as the presentation of laptops to outstanding participants during the awards ceremony. Inuwa emphasized that digital competence not only enhances individual professional relevance but also strengthens national capacity development.
“Digital competence enhances professional relevance and contributes to national capacity development beyond the public service,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, described the awards ceremony as both a recognition platform and a progress review mechanism for building a digitally enabled civil service.
She highlighted that digital skills are now essential for productivity, efficiency, and effective governance.
Walson-Jack revealed that plans are underway to transition ministries and extra-ministerial departments to paperless operations by December 2025, underscoring the importance of continuous upskilling for civil servants.
A total of 35 officers were recognised for exceptional performance under the DL4ALL initiative. The Head of Service urged broader participation across all cadres to strengthen institutional efficiency and accelerate Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda.
The government’s digital literacy target is seen as a strategic move to position Nigeria for improved governance, innovation, and global competitiveness in the digital age.
