CITAD Seeks Urgent Review of 2023 Digital Economy Plan Over Gender, Environmental Gaps
By Mustapha Salisu
The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has called on the Federal Government to urgently review Nigeria’s 2023 Digital Economy Strategic Plan to address what it described as glaring gender and environmental injustices embedded in the policy.
The call was made during the Centre’s fifth press briefing held on Wednesday in Abuja under the theme, “Unpacking the Gender and Environmental Injustices Hidden in Nigeria’s 2023 Digital Economy Strategic Plan.”
Speaking on behalf of CITAD’s Executive Director, the Project Lead of Greening and Feminist Centering of the National Digital Transformation Agenda, Ms. Fatima Babakura, said the organization supported by the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) is implementing a project aimed at identifying and bridging gender and climate gaps in Nigeria’s digital policies.
She explained that while Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda is widely celebrated as a driver of economic growth and innovation, it fails to adequately consider the social and environmental costs of digital development. “Digital policies are not neutral. When justice considerations are ignored, they often reproduce and deepen existing inequalities” Babakura stated.
According to her, CITAD’s assessment revealed that the current Digital Economy Strategic Plan prioritizes technological expansion and economic efficiency over gender justice and environmental sustainability.
She noted that women and girls are only marginally mentioned in the plan, without clear targets or accountability frameworks to tackle structural barriers limiting their participation in the digital economy.
Babakura warned that the absence of strong gender components could further widen Nigeria’s digital gender divide and exclude millions of women from benefiting from the nation’s digital transformation.
The project lead also highlighted the environmental implications of digital infrastructure expansion, such as increased energy demand, carbon emissions, and electronic waste.
She expressed concern that the strategy does not make provisions for environmental impact assessments, e-waste management systems, or the adoption of renewable energy solutions.
“These omissions expose vulnerable communities to environmental harm and risk turning Nigeria into a dumping ground for electronic waste” she said.
CITAD argued that these gaps contradict Nigeria’s commitments to sustainable development and climate action. The Centre emphasized that a digital economy that ignores environmental sustainability undermines national and global efforts to combat climate change, while one that excludes women cannot deliver equitable development.
In its call to action, CITAD urged the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy to initiate an immediate review of the strategic plan to integrate gender justice and environmental sustainability across all policy pillars.
The organization also called for collaboration with the Federal Ministries of Environment and Women Affairs to ensure digital development aligns with national climate and gender equality goals.
Furthermore, CITAD encouraged civil society organizations, the media, development partners, and the private sector to sustain advocacy for a feminist and green digital future, emphasizing that public scrutiny and collective action are vital for ensuring justice and inclusivity in Nigeria’s digital transformation.
“Nigeria stands at a critical moment. The digital economy can drive inclusive growth only if it is intentionally designed to be gender-responsive and environmentally sustainable. Our message is simple and clear Nigeria’s digital future must be just, inclusive, and green” Babakura concluded.
