CITAD urges stakeholders to bridge digital divide

The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has called on all stakeholders in the country to reflect on the huge challenge of digital divide and technology marginalization in Nigeria.

CITAD urged the government at all levels to ensure that internet Policies are aimed at solving the digital problems the country is facing today.

The spokesperson, Ms. Salma Abdulwaheed, made the call at a press briefing during the ‘World International Telecommunication and Information Society Day’, on Friday in Abuja.

She said: While the world is moving to bridge the standardization gap with programmes aim to facilitate the efficient participation of developing countries in Information Technology Union’s standards-making process, we in Nigeria are far left behind in terms of accessibility, availability and penetration levels of the internet and its usage.

“This is even worse when it comes to access and use of the internet by women and girls who face many obstacles related to culture, level education and gender norms etc.

“Therefore, if the country will continue to move in this direction, without developing quick and effective, pragmatic approach towards solving the problems around access to information and the internet through creation of a robust mechanism of bridging the digital divide, the country will remain under developed and  thus, our economic and other social problems will further increase.

“Government should ensure that citizens have fair access to data free of monopoly of the internet service providers,” she said.

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