NITDA, Cal-Maji Partner to Bridge Rural Digital Gap Across Nigeria

Director of Digital Development Services, Mr. Oladejo Olawunmi, presents a copy of NITDA’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2.0) to the Executive Director of Cal-Maji Foundation as a symbol of the Agency’s commitment to collaborative digital development.

"Partnerships with grassroots organisations remain central to NITDA’s vision of building an inclusive digital economy." Inuwa

.... Says “It is always gratifying to receive feedback from communities that have benefited from our interventions. Many of these projects were implemented years ago, and it is rewarding to know they are still creating opportunities."

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has intensified efforts to deepen digital inclusion across Nigeria, pledging stronger collaboration with community-based organisations to ensure underserved communities are not left behind in the country’s digital transformation drive.

Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, gave the assurance during a courtesy visit by the Executive Director of Cal-Maji Foundation, Mrs. Faith Ayuba, to the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.

Represented by the Director of Digital Development Services, Mr. Oluwunmi Oladejo, Inuwa said partnerships with grassroots organisations remain central to NITDA’s vision of building an inclusive digital economy.

“It is always gratifying to receive feedback from communities that have benefited from our interventions. Many of these projects were implemented years ago, and it is rewarding to know they are still creating opportunities,” he said.

The NITDA boss explained that the agency is monitoring the performance of its intervention centres nationwide while deploying emerging technologies to expand digital learning and virtual capacity-building.

He noted that the National Digital Literacy Framework is designed to equip children, students, artisans, farmers and professionals with the skills required to thrive in an increasingly technology-driven economy.

Inuwa also disclosed that NITDA would consider training community-based instructors to sustain digital literacy programmes at the grassroots level, urging the foundation to submit a formal request supported with evidence of activities at its centre.

He, however, acknowledged that maintaining internet connectivity across intervention centres nationwide remains a major funding challenge requiring innovative solutions and collaboration.

Mr. Olawunmi, Director, Digital Development Services and the Executive Director of Cal-Maji Foundation, alongside members of their respective delegations, pose for a group photograph following a strategic engagement on advancing digital literacy, capacity building, and digital inclusion for women, youth, and underserved communities.

Earlier, Mrs. Ayuba commended NITDA for supporting credible initiatives based on impact rather than personal connections.

She revealed that the agency’s Knowledge Access Centre established at the foundation’s community school in a border community in Kogi State has transformed learning by providing students and residents with access to computers, internet services and digital education.

“The ICT centre became an equaliser. Young people who ordinarily would never have had access to computers or the internet suddenly had the opportunity to acquire digital knowledge. We came back simply to say thank you because this partnership has changed lives,” she said.

According to her, more than 1,000 children have benefited from the foundation’s educational programmes, while several students have leveraged the digital resources provided through the centre to pursue higher education.

Ayuba appealed for deeper collaboration through the training of community instructors, upgrading of computer systems and increased access to NITDA’s digital capacity-building initiatives, stressing that rural communities must not be excluded from opportunities in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and other emerging technologies.

Both organisations reaffirmed their commitment to expanding digital opportunities, empowering underserved communities and strengthening partnerships that support Nigeria’s inclusive digital economy agenda.