The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has confirmed that the Federal Government has integrated digital literacy into the national education curriculum at all levels.
Kashifu Abdullahi, Director‑General of NITDA, revealed this at the Grand Finale of the Tech4Dev Digital for All Challenge 2.0, held in Abuja.
He was represented by Aristotle Onumo, NITDA’s Director of Stakeholder Management.
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Abdullahi said including digital literacy in primary, secondary and tertiary education is part of the government’s plan to reach 95 percent digital literacy among Nigerians by 2030. A nearer‑term goal is to train and empower at least 30 million citizens by 2027.
“Digital literacy has now been integrated into the curriculum at primary, secondary and tertiary levels. At Nasarawa State University, for example, it is embedded in the General Studies programme, with students receiving Cisco certification by the end of their first year,” he said.
The initiative is being carried out in partnership with the National Youth Service Corps, the Ministry of Education and other stakeholders.
Abdullahi added that corps members are trained as Digital Literacy Champions and deployed across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas to teach digital skills to citizens.
He also said digital competence is now required for civil servants, especially in promotion examinations, as part of efforts to improve public service delivery.
Abdullahi praised Tech4Dev for aligning with NITDA’s mandate and called the partnership essential for achieving nationwide digital inclusion.
“Digital literacy is essential for innovation, job creation and economic competitiveness,” he said.
Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, said digital literacy is a key driver of employability and economic growth. She urged young people to make use of available digital skills programmes.
Idongesit Udoh, adviser for the programme, said it had advanced access, skills and trust—three pillars of a digital economy.
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“This initiative has created opportunities not just for young people but also for civil servants and future leaders,” Udoh said.
Oladiwura Oladepo, co‑founder of Tech4Dev, said the second edition of the Digital for All Challenge reached over one million Nigerians through training, assessments and competitions.
The programme included participants in the K–12 category, youth (basic and intermediate), and civil servants.
Winners from all six geopolitical zones were awarded cash prizes. Miracle Michael won the top prize of ₦15 million; Chinedu Arisa, ₦12.5 million; Ismail Adam, ₦10 million; and Uluchi Chibueze, ₦7.5 million.
