Digital divide in Nigeria

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The digital divide is a term used to describe the disadvantage in access to information which people without access to ICT suffer. [1] Nigeria's digital divide refers to the inequality of Nigerian individuals, groups, or organizations with regard to access to Information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure or to the internet for daily activities. [2] The digital divide has been attributed to many factors among which is the high cost of computer equipment, lack of ICT skill and poor knowledge of available search engines. [3] Lack of access to ICT makes it difficult for people to access information. The benefits of having access to ICT are numerous. ICT has the potential to promote other sectors of the economy such as agriculture, education, health, bank, defence etc. In times of emergency, ICT becomes an indispensable tool for overcoming the barriers of time and distance.[ citation needed ] Education, lack of electrical infrastructure, income, urban drift, [4] and a variety of other social and political factors contribute to Nigeria's growing digital divide. [2]

Contents

Access to the internet 2021 Art and Feminism Wikipedia edit-a-thon at Nnamdi Azikiwe Library, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.jpg
Access to the internet

Efforts are currently being made to reduce the digital divide in Nigeria including collaboration between government agencies and technology corporations like Google, Cchub, Andela, StarBridge Africa, Microsoft and Intel, [5] using libraries as E-learning (theory) facilities, [6] and proposing governmental policies such as salary enhancement and social security. [2]

Causes of digital divide

Economy

Nigeria is Africa's most populous country at 186 million people and sporting an urban vs. rural distribution of 48.3% to 51.7% respectively. [2] Despite its large supply of natural resources and being the second largest oil producer in the world, [2] the Gross domestic product of Nigeria is 1,400 USD per person. [5] Bribery and embezzlement of governmental funds from previous Nigerian leaders cost the Nigerian people the ability to afford access to the latest educational achievements. [2]

Illiteracy

One-third of Nigeria's populace lack basic literacy, [5] with the proportion of literate to illiterate Nigerians largely dependent on settlement and gender. [2] The table below shows that Nigerians within urban areas are more likely to be literate than those in rural areas and that men are more likely to be literate than women.

In the country, 40% of women who did not own a mobile phone identify illiteracy as a key barrier to ownership, compared to only 22% of men. Only 45% of women (against 62% of men) are aware of mobile Internet, precluding Internet use for over half of the population. [7] [8]

Literacy rates between male and female Nigerians in rural and urban communities. [2]

...MalesFemales
Urban75%59%
Rural51%34%

Effects

Robbed of inclusive educational system

An inclusive society is a society in which every person has an equal opportunity to engage in societal dialogue no matter the social class, wealth, education, etc. A person without an education cannot effectively contribute to the modern world. Education teaches skills, ethics, and values which are required to lead a responsible citizen. Education also distinguishes from ignorance and allows a person to face challenges of the modern world. [2] There are many benefits to an inclusive educational system, such as all children form a sense of belonging in their community, encourages parents to participate in their child's education, and allows children to accept individual differences, among children their age. [9]

Youth instability

Nigeria's youth population has also been significantly affected by the digital divide. Instability has risen among the Nigerian youth as they are overwhelmed by the capabilities and power of ICTs. Illiteracy rates for young men and women are also very high in the rural and urban settlements. Countries with a lot of uneducated youths, like Nigeria, face the risk of restiveness and instability which stalls development and economic development. [2]

Solutions

E-learning

E-learning is a method of stimulating education, learning through the merging of internet and electronic medias, and is one of systems the Nigerian government are using to bridge the educational gap caused by the digital divide. [2] E-learning makes use of existing information and communications technology infrastructure and available resources lowering a country's economic and financial strain. [4] [6] E-learning also has the added benefits of providing users consistent content and being readily available. Participants of E-learning are also able to work at their own pace, which improves information retention as the program gives immediate feed-back. [2] [4] [6]

Computers for All Nigerians Initiative (CANi)

The Computers for All Nigerians Initiative (CANi) is a program focused on enhancing Nigeria's economic and social foundation by supplying access to personal computers (PCs) and internet to its citizens. The program is a result of a joint effort between Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Science and Technology (FMST) and its National Information Technology and Development Agency (NITDA) with local banks and PC producers, as well as private technology companies like Intel and Microsoft. [5] In order to avoid supplying CANi Entrants with expensive or poor-quality personal computers, CANi utilizes the aid of government provided subsidies and tax waivers; as well as support from technological companies to develop and produce affordable ICTs.

Updating public spaces

With qualified personnel on-hand and already existing ICT infrastructure, Nigerian libraries can utilize their resources to serve as e-learning centers. Previously, libraries were more focused towards collecting information than making it accessible. [6] Presently, efforts have been made to upload their print resources to electronic databases. Making these resources, along with ICTs publicly available to the Nigerian people will help enable innovation in managerial and operational processes within libraries. [6] Plans are also being implemented for classes on Information literacy to be taught within these public spaces enabling Nigerians with the critical thinking skills required to locate, process, and effectively use information they find. [10] [11] However, operating and maintaining e-learning facilities and the subsequent ICTs require a steady energy supply to run effectively. [2]

Social security

Social security is used to help lower the poverty level; it provides those people below the poverty line with the basic necessities, such as food to help their family survive. Social security would give assistance to people by decreasing their fear of acquiring basic necessities and start focusing on closing the digital divide gap. [2]

Salary enhancement

Salary enhancement is the improvement of salaries for rural workers; this would help close the digital divide gap in rural areas. Salary enhancement would give people an incentive to work harder and gain knowledge about technology. Salary enhancement would also give workers more money to spend on technology; therefore, closing the digital divide gap even more. Salary enhancement would also cause a change in the population of urban and rural areas. [2]

See also

Sources

Definition of Free Cultural Works logo notext.svg  This article incorporates text from a free content work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0( license statement/permission ). Text taken from Gender-responsive digitalization: A critical component of the COVID-19 response in Africa​ , FAO, FAO.

Related Research Articles

The digital divide is the unequal access to digital technology, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, and the internet. The digital divide creates a division and inequality around access to information and resources. In the Information Age in which information and communication technologies (ICTs) have eclipsed manufacturing technologies as the basis for world economies and social connectivity, people without access to the Internet and other ICTs are at a socio-economic disadvantage, for they are unable or less able to find and apply for jobs, shop and learn.

The global digital divide describes global disparities, primarily between developed and developing countries, in regards to access to computing and information resources such as the Internet and the opportunities derived from such access.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Information and communications technology</span> Extensional term for information technology

Information and communications technology (ICT) is an extensional term for information technology (IT) that stresses the role of unified communications and the integration of telecommunications and computers, as well as necessary enterprise software, middleware, storage and audiovisual, that enable users to access, store, transmit, understand and manipulate information.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Education in South Africa</span> Overview of education in South Africa

Education in South Africa is governed by two national departments, namely the Department of Basic Education (DBE), which is responsible for primary and secondary schools, and the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), which is responsible for tertiary education and vocational training. Prior to 2009, both departments were represented in a single Department of Education. Among sub-Saharan African countries, South Africa has one of the highest literacy rates. According to The World Factbook - Central Intelligence Agency as of 2019, 95% of the population age 15 and over can read and write in South Africa were respectively literate.

Digital literacy is an individual's ability to find, evaluate, and communicate information using typing or digital media platforms. It is a combination of both technical and cognitive abilities in using information and communication technologies to create, evaluate, and share information.

The knowledge divide is the gap between those who can find, create, manage, process, and disseminate information or knowledge, and those who are impaired in this process. According to a 2005 UNESCO World Report, the rise in the 21st century of a global information society has resulted in the emergence of knowledge as a valuable resource, increasingly determining who has access to power and profit. The rapid dissemination of information on a potentially global scale as a result of new information media and the globally uneven ability to assimilate knowledge and information has resulted in potentially expanding gaps in knowledge between individuals and nations. The digital divide is an extension of the knowledge divide, dividing people who have access to the internet and those who do not. The knowledge divide also represents the inequalities of knowledge among different identities, including but not limited to race, economic status, and gender.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transliteracy</span> Ability to use diverse techniques to collaborate across different social groups

Transliteracy is "a fluidity of movement across a range of technologies, media and contexts". It is an ability to use diverse techniques to collaborate across different social groups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Information and media literacy</span> Overview of information and media literacy

Information and media literacy (IML) enables people to show and make informed judgments as users of information and media, as well as to become skillful creators and producers of information and media messages. IML is a combination of information literacy and media literacy. The transformative nature of IML includes creative works and creating new knowledge; to publish and collaborate responsibly requires ethical, cultural and social understanding.

Over the past decade, there has been an increase in the use of information and communications technologies (ICTs) in China. As the largest developing country in the world, China faces a severe digital divide, which exists not only between mainland China and the developed countries, but also among its own regions and social groups.

Computer technology for developing areas is a field focused on using technology to improve the quality of life and support economic development in regions with limited access to resources and infrastructure. This area of research seeks to address the digital divide, which refers to the gap between those who have access to technology and those who do not, and the resulting inequalities in education, healthcare, and economic opportunities.

The digital divide in the United States refers to inequalities between individuals, households, and other groups of different demographic and socioeconomic levels in access to information and communication technologies ("ICTs") and in the knowledge and skills needed to effectively use the information gained from connecting.

The digital divide is described as the characterization of the gap between individuals or countries that have access to technology and individuals or countries that do not. This also includes, but is not limited to: access to computers, internet, and information literacy. General contributions to the digital divide are geography and next generational users. Next generational users are more involved with using devices that can connect to the internet, while the geography factor focuses more on how an individual's location put them at an advantage or disadvantage to compete with the digital age. However, only a handful on people and communities are being represented. Underdeveloped geographical locations, like certain regions of the continent of Africa serves as one of the underrepresented minorities. In particular, South Africa faces many developmental problems that make it one of the more complex societies in the world to map the digital divide in. The country is divided by ethnic inequality and discrepancies in the level of development between different sectors. These obstacles result in disparities in access to information and communications technology (ICT). This disparity is commonly known as the digital divide. There has been another major contributor, namely, Telkom and its monopolistic hold on the progress of ICT in South Africa. South Africa faces unique challenges in addressing the digital divide, including ethnic inequality, disparities in development levels between different sectors, and a historically monopolistic telecommunications industry. Efforts to bridge the digital divide in South Africa involve a combination of government initiatives, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), non-profit organizations (NPOs), and public-private partnerships, all working towards increasing access to technology, promoting digital literacy, and enhancing digital skills among the population.

Educational technology in sub-Saharan Africa refers to the promotion, development and use of information and communication technologies (ICT), m-learning, media, and other technological tools to improve aspects of education in sub-Saharan Africa. Since the 1960s, various information and communication technologies have aroused strong interest in sub-Saharan Africa as a way of increasing access to education, and enhancing its quality and fairness.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Digital divide in Germany</span> Overview of the role of the digital divide in Germany

The digital divide in Germany, the second most populous state and leading economic powerhouse in Europe, refers to the ever-growing gap between members of society without computer or Internet access and those with access. There are several factors contributing to the digital divide in Germany, including age, gender, family structure, education, ethnicity, and motivation. With a large market of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in Germany, there are still areas that don't have access to high-speed internet. Internet access in Germany is more available in big cities compared to rural communities. The German government has taken initiative to increase internet access through the rural communities by adding free internet access throughout the communities, as well as, increase internet education in schools.

The digital divide in Malaysia refers to the gap between people who have access to certain technologies within the country of Malaysia. The presence of the digital divide is due to several factors that include age, location, and wealth, all of which can contribute to the gap in availability of information communication technology (ICT). Malaysia is not a fully developed country, which has led some researchers to express concern that the limited access to ICT may cause the country to fall even further behind in the progress of worldwide technology if this issue is not addressed and mended.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Digital divide by continent, area and country</span>

The digital divide is an economic and social inequality with regard to access to, use of, or impact of information and communication technologies (ICT). Factors causing the divide can vary depending on the country and culture, as can the potential solutions for minimizing or closing the divide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Digital divide in Thailand</span> Overview of the role of the digital divide in Thailand

The digital divide in Thailand refers to the economic, educational, and social inequalities between the Thai people who have access to information and communications technology (ICT) and those who do not. Thailand is a developing country within Southeast Asia, and is currently confronted with this problem. There are a number of factors that determine the digital divide within a country, including income, choice of technologies and socioeconomic factors. ICT development and mobile penetration are strongly correlated with economic growth and social benefits.

The digital divide in France refers to inequalities between individuals, households, and other groups of different demographic and socioeconomic levels in France in access to information and communication technologies ("ICTs") and in the knowledge and skills needed to effectively use the information gained from connecting.

Digital inclusion involves the activities necessary to ensure equitable access to and use of information and communication technologies for participation in social and economic life including for education, social services, health, social and community participation. Digital inclusion includes access to affordable broadband Internet services, Internet-enabled devices, access to digital literacy training, quality technical support, and applications and online content designed to enable and encourage self-sufficiency, participation, and collaboration. Related concepts include digital divide, digital exclusion and digital inequality however digital inclusion focuses more on the strategies, policies and programs required to address the digital divide.

Gender digital divide is defined as gender biases coded into technology products, technology sector and digital skills education.

References

  1. ↑ Cullen, Rowena. "67th IFLA Council and General Conference August 16-25, 2001" (PDF).
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Nwegbu, Mercy U. (Ph.D). "The Impact of Digital Divide on E-learning in Nigeria" (PDF). aistonline.org. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  3. ↑ Omolara, Tayo (2016). "Impact of the digital divide on computer use and internet access on the poor in Nigeria" (PDF). Journal of Education and Learning. 5 (1).
  4. 1 2 3 McLean, Pamela. "Human Networks Bridging the Digital Divide in Rural Nigeria". Public Sphere Project. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Intel Corporation (2007). Bridging the Digital Divide in Nigeria Archived 2017-09-21 at the Wayback Machine . (PDF). White Paper. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Nkanu, W.O. "Digital Divide: Bridging the Gap through ICT in Nigerian Libraries". The University Library Cross River University of Technology Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  7. ↑ The Digitalisation of African Agriculture Report 2018–2019 . Wageningen: Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA). 2019.
  8. ↑ Gender-responsive digitalization: A critical component of the COVID-19 response in Africa. Accra: FAO. 2021. doi:10.4060/cb5055en. ISBN   978-92-5-134540-5. S2CID   243180955.
  9. ↑ "Inclusive Education and its Benefits". NBACL. Retrieved 2017-12-01.
  10. ↑ Baro, Emmanuel E.; Zuokemefa, Timi (2011-01-01). "Information literacy programmes in Nigeria: a survey of 36 university libraries". New Library World. 112 (11/12): 549–565. doi:10.1108/03074801111190428. ISSN   0307-4803.
  11. ↑ "IFLA -- Publications from IFLA". www.ifla.org. Retrieved 2020-05-27.

Reading list

  1. ↑ Mutsvairo, Bruce; Ragnedda, Massimo, eds. (2019-05-20). Mapping Digital Divide in Africa: A Mediated Analysis. Amsterdam University Press. doi:10.2307/j.ctvh4zj72.7. ISBN   978-90-485-3822-5. JSTOR   j.ctvh4zj72. S2CID   243541358.
  2. ↑ Mutsvairo, Bruce; Ragnedda, Massimo, eds. (2019-05-20). Mapping Digital Divide in Africa: A Mediated Analysis. Amsterdam University Press. doi:10.2307/j.ctvh4zj72.15. ISBN   978-90-485-3822-5. JSTOR   j.ctvh4zj72. S2CID   241709640.
  3. ↑ Aduwa-Ogiegbaen, Samuel Ereyi; Iyamu, Ede Okhion Sunday (2005). "Using Information and Communication Technology in Secondary Schools in Nigeria: Problems and Prospects". Journal of Educational Technology & Society. 8 (1): 104–112. ISSN   1176-3647. JSTOR   jeductechsoci.8.1.104.
  4. ↑ Law and modern states. Foundation Consulting and Legal Protection of Citizens. 2014. doi:10.14420/ru.2014.2.
  5. ↑ Ajayi, Lasisi (June 2015). "Critical Multimodal Literacy". Journal of Literacy Research. 47 (2): 216–244. doi: 10.1177/1086296x15618478 . ISSN   1086-296X.
  6. ↑ Okunola, Olaseni Muritala; Rowley, Jennifer; Johnson, Frances (2017-04-01). "The multi-dimensional digital divide: Perspectives from an e-government portal in Nigeria". Government Information Quarterly. 34 (2): 329–339. doi:10.1016/j.giq.2017.02.002. ISSN   0740-624X.
  7. ↑ Buys, Piet; Dasgupta, Susmita; Thomas, Timothy S.; Wheeler, David (2009-09-01). "Determinants of a Digital Divide in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Spatial Econometric Analysis of Cell Phone Coverage". World Development. 37 (9): 1494–1505. doi:10.1016/j.worlddev.2009.01.011. hdl: 10986/6436 . ISSN   0305-750X. S2CID   36135639.
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