Nigeria has taken a significant step toward closing the gender digital divide with the launch of the National Gender Digital Inclusion Strategy (NGDIS) at the United Nations 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69). This initiative, presented by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs (FMWA), is aimed at expanding access to digital opportunities for women and children. Themed “Digital Harmony: Advancing Gender Inclusion by Empowering Women and Children for a Secure Digital Future,” the high-level event reinforced Nigeria’s commitment to ensuring equal participation in the digital space.
At the event, Iklima Musa Salihu, Special Assistant to the NITDA Director General on Strategic Partnerships, introduced the strategy, emphasizing its alignment with Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She stated that the NGDIS is designed to remove barriers that hinder women from fully engaging in the digital economy by providing access to digital skills training, infrastructure, and mentorship. Representing the Director General of NITDA, she described the framework as a transformative plan that prioritizes digital literacy, entrepreneurship, and online safety while fostering policies that support women’s participation in Nigeria’s expanding tech ecosystem.
The Honourable Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman, FSI, addressed the urgent need to tackle gender disparities in digital access, pointing to alarming statistics that highlight the extent of the digital divide in Nigeria. She revealed that 68% of Nigerian women do not own smartphones, making it difficult for them to access online resources, financial opportunities, and essential digital services. Beyond limited access, she stressed that women and children face significant online risks such as cyber harassment, digital gender-based violence, and exclusion from the tech-driven economy. She called for immediate action to implement the NGDIS (2024-2027) and urged stakeholders to support legal frameworks that promote digital literacy, cybersecurity awareness, and safer online spaces for women and children.
The NGDIS is built on five core pillars that focus on increasing women’s participation in the digital economy. One of its key objectives is ensuring that at least 40% of participants in national digital training programs are women. Recognizing the importance of supporting female-led startups, the strategy also promotes access to funding, mentorship, and technical assistance, leveraging the Nigeria Startup Act to boost financial and institutional backing for women in tech. Additionally, the strategy prioritizes cybersecurity awareness, particularly in response to reports that 58% of young women globally experience online harassment.
As Nigeria continues to embrace the Fourth Industrial Revolution, NITDA and its partners are making deliberate efforts to position women and girls as active participants and leaders in the digital transformation. The NGDIS serves as a comprehensive blueprint for bridging the gender digital divide, fostering entrepreneurship, and strengthening online safety. The session at CSW69 concluded with a resounding call to action, urging government agencies, private sector players, and civil society organizations to work together in ensuring a more inclusive digital future for Nigerian women and children.
