‘Weak digital public infrastructure hinders service delivery’

Weak digital public infrastructure has been identified as a significant factor that hampers the government’s ability to effectively and equitably deliver services to its citizens.

This remark was made by the Programme Director for Media and good governance at the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Abigail Larbi, at media engagement, themed: “The status of digital public infrastructure in Nigeria: progress, challenges and prospect”, held in Abuja.

She disclosed that to increase digital literacy in Africa, the group has organised a series of media fellowships for journalists to improve awareness on digital literacy across the continent.

Larbi said in continuation of the Foundation’s efforts towards increasing awareness on digital knowledge, a media fellowship on digital infrastructure will come up in June next year and would accommodate about 30 journalists from Nigeria.

In his remark, the national President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Chris Isiguzo, asked for positive use of digital knowledge to guarantee rights of citizens.

Represented by the NUJ National secretary, Achike Chude warned the government against using laws to gag the press under the pretext of state security.

On their part, panel discussants at the forum from various media houses identified serious gaps in understanding the significance of digital opportunities by most Nigerians.

They, therefore, called for more awareness on the benefits.