GOVERNMENT DIGITAL LITERACY PROGRAMMES AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF INDIGENOUS SOFTWARE APPLICATION IN NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examined Government-National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA)
digital literacy programmes and the development of indigenous software applications as a strategic
pathway for open and distance learning (ODL) institutions in Nigeria. The study was anchored on
Technology Acceptance Theory and the Diffusion of Innovation Theory. A survey research design
complemented by documentary analysis was adopted. The target population comprised 4,762
participants drawn from ODL administrators, academic staff, learning-management support staff,
instructional designers, software developers, and digitally trained learners. Using the Krejcie and
Morgan sample size approach, a sample of 357 was determined, while 314 completed questionnaires
were returned and analysed. Data were collected with a structured five-point Likert questionnaire and
analysed using descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression at the 5% level of significance. The
findings indicated that digital literacy training, government policy support, and NITDA strategic
partnerships had positive and statistically significant effects on indigenous software application
development for ODL institutions. The model explained 62.4% of the variance in indigenous software
application development, indicating that coordinated literacy, policy and partnership interventions can
improve local application design, adoption, accessibility and sustainability. The study concluded that
NITDA-led digital literacy programmes provide a practical foundation for strengthening local software
capacity in Nigerian ODL institutions. It recommended deeper integration of digital literacy curricula,
structured innovation grants, university-industry software laboratories, and national standards for
accessible ODL platforms. The contribution of the study lies in linking national digital literacy policy
to indigenous software production, thereby extending debates on digital transformation beyond user
competence to local technological capability and educational sovereignty.