The Federal Government has identified teachers as central to Nigeria’s digital transformation, underscoring the need to equip educators with the skills required to drive the country’s technology-driven future.
The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, highlighted the critical role of teachers during a stakeholders’ dialogue organised by the Development of Educational Action Network Initiative in Abuja.
The event focused on ‘Nigeria’s Current Digital Landscape: Our Reality and Its Practical Connection to Education’.
Speaking through Dr Aristotle Onumo, NITDA’s Director of Stakeholder Management and Partnerships, Inuwa noted that the rapid expansion of the digital economy is reshaping classrooms and redefining teachers’ roles.
“Teachers are no longer just instructors; they are guides who help students identify credible information, avoid harmful online content, and develop responsible digital behaviour,” he said.
Inuwa stressed that educators must foster critical thinking while equipping students with practical digital skills to thrive in an increasingly technology-driven society. He reaffirmed NITDA’s commitment to promoting digital literacy nationwide through initiatives such as the Digital Literacy for All programme and partnerships with schools to strengthen teachers’ capacities.
Nigeria aims to reach 70 per cent digital literacy by 2027 as part of broader efforts to build a knowledge-driven economy powered by innovation and technology, Inuwa said.
Executive Director of the DEAN Initiative, Semiye Michael, said the workshop was designed to align teachers’ skills with the realities of the digital economy. “We need to strengthen teachers’ competence and provide them with access to the necessary digital infrastructure,” Michael said, adding that insights from the session would inform policy development for education and technology initiatives.
The dialogue brought together key stakeholders from the Federal Ministry of Education, Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited, and private sector experts, emphasising a collaborative approach to equipping Nigeria’s educators for the digital age.
