The Inclusive Friends Association (IFA), a disability rights-focused civil society organisation, has criticised Nigeria’s National Digital Literacy Framework (NDLF) for failing to address the needs of persons with disabilities (PWDs), particularly women and girls.
At a consultative forum in Abuja on Tuesday, IFA warned that without explicit provisions for disability inclusion, the NDLF could further marginalise PWDs in an increasingly digital society.
Grace Jerry, IFA’s executive director, expressed concern over the framework’s lack of concrete measures to ensure equitable access, stating, “The NDLF barely acknowledges PWDs. We need a truly inclusive policy.”
Participants at the forum highlighted the absence of consultations with disability groups during the policy’s development and the lack of dedicated funding for disability-inclusive digital literacy initiatives.
The forum’s attendees, including various disability advocacy groups, called for urgent revisions to the framework, a dedicated budget for inclusive programs, and stronger collaboration between government agencies and stakeholders to ensure digital literacy initiatives benefit all Nigerians.
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