As Nigeria advances in its quest for a digital economy, millions of people living in rural communities remain excluded from the benefits of technology, widening the nation’s digital divide.
Despite significant progress in internet penetration and mobile connectivity, large parts of rural Nigeria still struggle with poor network coverage, unreliable electricity, and limited access to digital devices. Experts warn that this exclusion threatens to deepen economic inequality and slow national development.
According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), more than 40 percent of Nigerians live in rural areas, yet only a fraction have reliable access to the internet. While urban centers like Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt enjoy high-speed connectivity and digital services, villages in states such as Taraba, Zamfara, and Ebonyi continue to rely on outdated communication infrastructure.
Dr. Amina Yusuf, a digital inclusion advocate, told reporters that the lack of digital access in rural areas is leaving millions behind.
Technology is now central to education, business, and healthcare. But in many rural communities, children can’t attend online classes, farmers can’t access market prices, and local entrepreneurs can’t sell their goods online. This digital divide is creating a new form of inequality,” she said.
The federal government has launched several initiatives aimed at bridging this gap, including the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) and the Broadband Plan (2020–2025), which targets 70 percent broadband penetration by 2025. However, implementation challenges, inadequate funding, and weak infrastructure continue to hamper progress.
Telecommunication companies also cite the high cost of deploying broadband infrastructure in remote areas as a major barrier. Poor road networks, insecurity, and the absence of electricity make it expensive to install and maintain equipment in rural communities.
A local teacher in Gombe State, Musa Ibrahim, shared his frustration:
We hear about online learning and e-government services, but they are not meant for us. Sometimes, we have to climb hills just to get mobile signals. The digital world feels very far away from our daily lives.”
Experts are calling for stronger partnerships between the government, private sector, and development agencies to extend digital access to underserved areas. They argue that without deliberate efforts, the gap between urban and rural Nigeria will continue to widen.
Digital inclusion must be treated as a development priority,” said ICT consultant, Chika Okafor. “Access to the internet is no longer a luxury — it is a necessity for growth, innovation, and equal opportunity.”
As Nigeria pushes toward a technology-driven future, the challenge remains ensuring that no one is left behind — especially the millions in rural communities still waiting to be connected to the digital world.
