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Partnership aims to bridge the gender digital divide, expand digital literacy for women journalists and strengthen women’s participation in Nigeria’s digital economy and national security ecosystem.
NITDA Deepens Commitment to Inclusive Digital Transformation
In a significant step towards closing Nigeria’s gender digital divide, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has entered into a strategic partnership with the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) to accelerate digital inclusion, strengthen women’s digital skills, and promote greater participation in the country’s digital economy.
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The collaboration also seeks to position women as active contributors to cybersecurity, digital governance and national development while expanding access to technology-driven opportunities across the country.
The partnership was formalised during a courtesy visit by a NAWOJ delegation led by its National President, Comrade Aishatu Ibrahim, to NITDA Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, where the association presented plans for the forthcoming Women in Security (WINSEC) Summit & Awards 2026.
Representing the Director-General, the Director of Stakeholder Management and Partnerships, Dr. Aristotle Onumo, reaffirmed NITDA’s commitment not only to participate in the summit but also to support its successful delivery.
Bridging Nigeria’s Gender Digital Divide
NITDA described women’s inclusion as central to achieving Nigeria’s digital transformation ambitions, noting that sustainable digital growth cannot be realised unless more women acquire digital literacy, cybersecurity knowledge and emerging technology skills.
According to Abdullahi, empowering women digitally aligns with the Agency’s National Gender Inclusive Strategy and broader efforts to ensure equitable participation in Nigeria’s rapidly evolving digital economy.
He praised NAWOJ for creating a platform that promotes peacebuilding, security dialogue and women’s empowerment, describing the initiative as complementary to NITDA’s mission of expanding digital opportunities for underserved groups.
“Inclusivity is the key to everything we do at NITDA. We have deliberately ensured that at least 40 per cent of our programmes address gender inclusion so that women are adequately represented and positioned to benefit from our initiatives,” he said.
Abdullahi added that collaboration with NAWOJ would create additional channels through which NITDA could extend digital literacy programmes beyond journalists to women-led organisations and communities nationwide.
WINSEC 2026 to Promote Technology-Driven Security Dialogue
NAWOJ President, Comrade Aishatu Ibrahim, described the Women in Security (WINSEC) Summit & Awards 2026 as a strategic platform designed to strengthen collaboration among government institutions, security agencies, technology experts, media professionals and development stakeholders.
According to her, the summit will explore how technology, innovation and inclusive leadership can contribute to addressing Nigeria’s emerging security challenges while recognising individuals and institutions making significant contributions to security, governance and innovation.
She commended NITDA’s leadership under Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi for driving Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda through innovative policies and capacity-building initiatives.
“We deeply appreciate NITDA’s visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to building a digitally empowered Nigeria. We look forward to establishing a long-term partnership that will equip women journalists with cutting-edge digital skills while advancing innovation, digital literacy and human capital development,” she said.
Digital Skills for Women Journalists
Beyond supporting the WINSEC Summit, both organisations indicated that discussions would extend to long-term collaboration focused on enhancing the digital competencies of women journalists.
The proposed partnership is expected to facilitate specialised training programmes covering digital journalism, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity awareness, digital safety, media innovation and emerging technologies.
Industry analysts note that strengthening digital skills among journalists is increasingly important as media organisations embrace AI-powered newsrooms, data journalism, digital storytelling and multimedia reporting.
Supporting Nigeria’s Digital Economy Agenda
The collaboration reinforces NITDA’s broader strategy of building an inclusive digital economy through strategic partnerships that promote human capital development.
As Nigeria pursues ambitious digital transformation goals, experts believe women must play a more active role in technology adoption, innovation, entrepreneurship and cybersecurity to unlock the country’s full digital potential.
The partnership also aligns with the Federal Government’s digital economy agenda by promoting digital literacy, expanding access to technology, strengthening cybersecurity awareness and ensuring that women remain active participants in shaping Nigeria’s digital future.
Both organisations expressed optimism that the engagement would culminate in a formal partnership framework with clearly defined programmes aimed at empowering women through technology, improving digital inclusion and fostering sustainable innovation across Nigeria.
Why the Partnership Matters
The NITDA-NAWOJ alliance carries significant implications for Nigeria’s digital development:
- Bridges the gender digital divide by expanding digital literacy opportunities for women.
- Strengthens cybersecurity awareness through targeted engagement with women professionals.
- Empowers women journalists with emerging digital and AI competencies.
- Supports Nigeria’s digital economy agenda through inclusive human capital development.
- Creates wider access to technology programmes for women-led organisations nationwide.
- Promotes collaboration between government, media and technology stakeholders on digital inclusion.
