Govt moves to close gender digital gap

The Federal Government of Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to bridging the gender digital divide with the presentation of the National Gender Digital Inclusion Strategy at the United Nations 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women.

The initiative, led by the National Information Technology Development Agency in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, aims to expand digital access, enhance online safety, and create economic opportunities for women and children.

Speaking at the event in New York, Special Assistant to the Director-General on Strategic Partnerships at NITDA, Iklima Salihu, emphasised the agency’s role in fostering equitable digital access.

“The NGDIS is designed to remove barriers to digital inclusion by expanding access to digital skills training, infrastructure, and mentorship opportunities for women and girls,” Salihu said in a statement on Sunday.

The Director-General of NITDA, represented by his special assistant, Kashifu Abdullahi, described the strategy as a “game-changer” for achieving gender parity in Nigeria’s digital space.

He noted that the framework prioritises digital literacy, entrepreneurship, online safety, and gender-responsive policies to accelerate women’s participation in the country’s growing digital economy.

Developed in alignment with Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals 5 and 8, the NGDIS aims to close the gender gap by equipping women and girls with the necessary digital skills to thrive in an increasingly technology-driven world.

Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, stressed the urgency of addressing gender disparities in digital access, citing alarming statistics.