In a bold move to deepen inclusivity within Nigeria’s digital economy, the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, has called for the deliberate inclusion of over 35 million Nigerians with special needs in national ICT policies and programs.
Speaking during a strategic meeting with the Inclusive Friends Association (IFA), a disability advocacy group led by Executive Director Grace Jerry, Inuwa stressed the need to design NITDA’s initiatives with accessibility at the core. He noted that true digital inclusion could not be achieved while excluding millions of Nigerians living with disabilities.
“There is no way we can achieve 95% digital inclusion if we exclude 35 million Nigerians,” Inuwa said. “We must be intentional in how we design our programs to ensure they reflect and support the needs of people with special needs.”
The DG acknowledged the agency’s past efforts in conducting targeted training for persons with disabilities but assured that future plans would scale such initiatives nationwide. He noted that NITDA’s infrastructure and hiring practices already accommodate people with disabilities, but now the agency would go further by embedding inclusion in national strategies and programming.
Inuwa proposed that representatives from the disability community be integrated into the development of national ICT standards, training curricula, and digital policy frameworks. He emphasized that their involvement would not only ensure proper representation but also accelerate implementation through practical insights and community engagement.
He also floated the idea of integrating special needs advocacy and programming into NYSC tech training programs, women-in-tech cohorts, and upcoming national tech conferences, offering more platforms for participation, skills development, and economic empowerment.
“For us, it’s beyond just training,” he said. “The real goal is empowerment—how we can train people to use IT to expand their businesses and improve their lives.”
Inuwa called for strategic partnerships with disability-focused organisations, urging them to collaborate with NITDA in co-creating solutions that ensure no Nigerian is left behind in the digital age.
Responding, Grace Jerry applauded the agency’s openness and highlighted the significant digital divide among people with disabilities, particularly women in northern Nigeria. She advocated for stronger representation of persons with special needs in the implementation and monitoring of national digital literacy goals, warning that without such action, “millions will be left behind.”
“Digital literacy is fast becoming a foundational skill for employment,” Jerry said. “We must be included—not as an afterthought, but as partners in shaping the future.”
The meeting marks a significant step toward inclusive digital development as Nigeria aims to achieve 95% digital literacy by 2030 under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
Read Also: NITDA Unveils National Cybersecurity Conference 2025 to Bolster Nigeria’s Digital Defence
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