5 Digital Habits Nigerians Must Build Now
By Fatimah Yusuf Usman,
Every year, we make resolutions we quietly abandon by February — drink more water, save more money, rest more. But as Nigeria pushes deeper into the digital age, perhaps the resolutions that matter most are not personal habits alone, but how we learn, work, protect ourselves online, and show up for one another in a technology-driven world.
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has outlined a set of core digital resolutions for Nigerians — not as lofty policy language, but as practical habits that, if adopted widely, could reshape how we participate in the digital economy. At their core, these resolutions are not about gadgets or apps; they are about people, preparedness, and progress.
At first glance, they may seem simple. But look closely, and they speak directly to how we live and survive in an increasingly online world.
1. Level Up Your Skills: The Era of the Lifelong Learner
NITDA’s first resolution urges Nigerians to commit to learning at least one new digital skill — whether it’s digital marketing, data analysis, AI basics, or cybersecurity awareness. This isn’t about everyone becoming a software engineer. It’s about relevance.
The workplace is changing faster than our education systems can keep up. Jobs are evolving, some are disappearing, and new ones are emerging almost overnight. In this reality, certificates alone are no longer enough. The future belongs to those willing to learn, unlearn, and relearn.
We already see this around us. Nigerians sell clothes, skincare products, food, and handmade items strictly online — no physical shop, no showroom. Through Instagram, WhatsApp, TikTok, and simple ads, phones have become storefronts and social media has become a marketplace.
Digital skills are no longer optional add-ons; they are foundational. Even basic data analysis or content skills can transform how work is done and decisions are made.
Personally, this resolution resonates with me. I recently took it upon myself to learn graphic design — not to change careers, but to strengthen how I communicate ideas digitally. Today, digital skills cut across industries. This year, expanding my skill set isn’t a goal; it’s a necessity.
2. Practice Cyber-Hygiene: Safety Is a Digital Responsibility
If 2026 must be anything, it should be Nigeria’s safest year online.
From phishing scams and identity theft to hacked social media accounts and financial fraud, cybercrime is no longer abstract — it is personal. NITDA’s emphasis on cyber-hygiene is a reminder that digital safety begins with individual responsibility.
Enabling Two-Factor Authentication (2FA), creating strong passwords, verifying links before clicking, and staying alert to suspicious messages are small actions with massive impact. Many cyberattacks succeed not because systems are weak, but because users are unaware.
If we’re honest, many of us have poor cyber habits — myself included. Weak passwords. Same password across multiple platforms. Clicking links without thinking. Accepting cookies and terms without reading a word.
I only truly understood the importance of cyber-hygiene after two of my Instagram accounts were hacked in 2018. That experience forced me to enable 2FA, strengthen my passwords, and become more cautious online.
Every ignored security prompt is a potential entry point. Poor cyber-hygiene doesn’t announce itself — it waits quietly until damage is done.
3. Support Local Innovation: Grow What Grows You
Nigeria has no shortage of innovation. From fintech and logistics to health-tech, edtech, and creative digital services, Nigerians are building solutions for Nigerian problems.
Yet many of us default to foreign platforms without considering local alternatives. NITDA’s call to support at least one Nigerian-made app or tech service is about more than patriotism; it’s about economic growth.
When we use local products, we create jobs, strengthen ecosystems, and encourage innovation rooted in our realities. Supporting Nigerian tech is not charity — it’s investment.
This extends beyond apps. Many Nigerians now rely on local personal shoppers, tailors, artisans, and small businesses instead of importing services. When we choose local, growth becomes circular: what we support grows us in return.
4. Be a Digital Mentor: Progress Should Be Shared
Digital inclusion is not achieved by infrastructure alone; it is achieved through people.
While some Nigerians are fluent online, many others are struggling — unable to navigate basic tools, access opportunities, or protect themselves digitally. Helping one person become digitally literate may seem small, but its ripple effect is powerful.
For me, digital mentorship starts at home. My parents — especially my father, who is in his 60s — tend to believe much of what they see online. In an era of AI-generated images, deepfakes, and manipulated content, that trust can be dangerous.
I’ve seen cases where innocent photos were altered using AI into explicit images without consent. Teaching older generations how to distinguish between reality, misinformation, and AI-generated content is no longer optional.
Digital mentorship today is not just about using a phone — it’s about teaching discernment, caution, and critical thinking online.
5. Think Digital-First: Innovation as a Default Mindset
The final resolution challenges our habits: before doing things the old way, ask — can this be done more efficiently with technology?
From paperwork and payments to communication and service delivery, digital tools reduce friction, save time, and improve transparency. Thinking digital-first does not mean abandoning human connection; it means optimizing processes so humans can focus on what truly matters.
NITDA’s Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa, often emphasizes that technology — including AI — is not here to replace humans, but to make our work easier and more efficient.
Innovation should not be an afterthought. It should be our default setting.
These resolutions are not just for policymakers or “tech people.” They are for everyone who lives, works, and dreams in Nigeria.
Nigeria’s digital future will not be shaped by policy alone, but by everyday choices — how we learn, protect ourselves, support one another, and choose innovation over inertia.
The question is not whether technology will change our lives — it already has.
The real question is whether we will grow with it, or be left reacting to it.
*Fatimah Yusuf Usman writes from PRNigeria Centre, Abuja. She can be reached via: [email protected]*
