A Technology Policy Advisor, Mr Jide Awe says challenges in digital literacy, infrastructure investment, and policy implementation hindered Nigeria’s digital transformation journey.
Awe, who is also the Founder of Jidaw.com Ltd., made the assertion in an interview on Monday in Lagos.
He emphasised that these challenges persisted in spite of the nation’s ambitious strides towards a robust digital economy.
“We need to address the digital skills gap and ensure our citizens have access to quality digital infrastructure.
“Digital literacy is key to unlocking the potential of our digital economy,” Awe noted.
He said that digital literacy rates struggled to keep pace with growing digital adoption, leading to critical skill shortages, particularly in advanced areas such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, data analytics, and network engineering.
Awe said the few that were digitally skilled were travelling overseas for greener pastures.
“The ‘Japa’ trend or brain drain, is a direct threat to the industry’s long-term sustainability,” he said.
Speaking on the telecommunications sector, Awe said the industry, which was a vital component of digital growth, faced escalating operational costs.
According to him, the costs are from high energy prices and multiple taxation, limiting operators’ capacity to improve service quality.
Awe said that insufficient internet access also hindered widespread digital adoption, which was compounded by persistent gender inequality in some areas, where women lacked access to digital infrastructure and training.
He, however, noted that in spite of the challenges, Nigeria showcased remarkable progress, including the adoption of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite technology to deliver high-speed internet to government agencies, businesses, and rural communities.
“The financial technology sector has also experienced substantial growth, with solutions enhancing loan approvals, enabling seamless local and international payments, and integrating services into mobile applications,” Awe noted.
He also noted that the education sector grew in terms of using technology in offering remote learning opportunities through programmes such as Microsoft skills which provides training in AI, cloud computing, and cybersecurity.
“Gradually, in the agriculture sector, technology has connected farmers with suppliers and buyers through digital platforms, using precision farming tools like IoT devices and satellite imagery to optimise yields,” he said.
Awe emphasised that in spite of the government’s efforts in technology expansion, bridging the gap to reach rural communities remained a challenge.
“The ultimate goal of innovation is to improve the quality of life for all citizens,” Awe reiterated.
Awe noted that a collaborative effort was needed to increase initiatives for broadband penetration and digitalisation of public services.
NAN
