Nigerians still struggle with basic digital skills

Digital technology is reshaping how economies grow, businesses operate, and individuals work.

However, a significant portion of Nigeria’s population and workforce still struggles with basic digital skills, creating what experts describe as a “silent barrier” to national productivity.

As Nigeria seeks to improve productivity and compete globally, the conversation underscores a central challenge: digital literacy is no longer optional. Without coordinated efforts by individuals, businesses and government, the country risks widening inequality, slower growth and reduced competitiveness in an increasingly digital economy.

Speaking on Business Morning on BusinessDay TV, Oyewole Aanuoluwa, founder of Bezalel Design Academy,  said digital illiteracy in Nigeria extends beyond the inability to code or use advanced software. Instead, it often involves difficulty using everyday tools such as email, collaborative platforms and online forms.

He defined digital illiteracy as “the inability to confidently use certain digital tools”, adding that these tools are now essential for global competitiveness. Without them, he warned, Nigeria risks remaining “localised” and missing international opportunities.

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Productivity and workplace efficiency

Aanuoluwa noted that digital illiteracy forces organisations to depend on outdated manual processes, with clear consequences for cost, speed and productivity.

“Imagine someone has to walk to deliver a memo when that same task can be done in a second by clicking ‘send’,” he said, adding that such practices waste time, inflate costs and place unnecessary pressure on human resources.

Poor digital systems, he noted, also lead to misplaced documents and delays in decision-making. Where records are not properly digitised, tasks may stall until a particular officer returns to the office, whereas digital access allows continuity, remote approvals and faster turnaround times.

In his assessment, organisations that fail to adopt digital tools “spend more to achieve less”, even when cheaper and more efficient alternatives are readily available.

Read also: WAEC rolls out digital certificate services across member states.

Digital gap undermines entrepreneurship, SMEs

Beyond formal employment, he said the digital gap also undermines entrepreneurship and small businesses.

“Anybody doing business who is not online is leaving so much money on the table,” Aanuoluwa said, arguing that a weak digital presence limits market reach and constrains growth.

He also identified poor bookkeeping as a major risk. Businesses that do not adopt digital tools struggle to track market trends, analyse performance and make informed decisions.

Without reliable data, strategic planning becomes largely speculative. By contrast, he said, digital adoption enables firms to “achieve more with less cost” and compete more effectively.

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Aanuoluwa added that digital illiteracy cuts across both public and private sectors, including education and commerce. However, he described the education sector as particularly vulnerable. “Education determines the future,” he said, warning that if students and learners are not trained to use digital tools, “the future is at stake”.

He also highlighted risks in the commercial sector, where routine and recurring tasks demand efficiency and data-driven decision-making.

Businesses that lack digital capability, he suggested, weaken their economic power and erode their competitiveness over time.

Inequality and infrastructure constraints

While acknowledging that Nigeria has made progress in digital adoption, he said the country still has “so much ground to cover” and attributed part of the gap to weak infrastructure, especially inconsistent electricity supply.

He observed that communities with stable power are more likely to develop digital competence, while underserved areas continue to lag. This, he said, widens inequality and limits inclusive growth. Digital illiteracy, in his assessment, disproportionately affects low-income groups and communities with poor infrastructure.

Admitting that many young Nigerians are actively learning digital skills but face frustration due to inadequate infrastructure, he called on the government, private companies and nonprofit organisations to create an enabling environment that supports digital adoption.

“Nigerians are trying,” he said, adding that stronger policy support could help translate individual effort into national gains.

In more advanced economies, he noted, companies often introduce new digital tools by directly training communities.

In Nigeria, by contrast, many professionals are forced to self-learn without structured support.

Upskilling, he argued, is often treated as a cost rather than an investment, making Nigerian businesses not invest sufficiently in digital upskilling.

“Training isn’t an expense. It’s something we must do,” he said. Companies must regularly train and retrain staff if they expect productivity gains.

Risks of inaction amid AI and automation

With artificial intelligence (AI) and automation accelerating, he warned that failure to close the digital skills gap carries serious risks.

First, Nigeria could be excluded from global opportunities. Second, unemployment and underemployment may continue to rise, particularly as digital tools replace certain roles. Third, inadequate digital knowledge increases exposure to cyber risks, scams and data breaches.

“If we are using digital tools and we do not know how to use them well, then we are at risk,” he said.