From Access to Employment: Addressing the Barriers to Digital Skills Development for Nigerian Girls
Youth-led research under the Girls’ Education and Skills Partnership captures insights from 500+ girls and young women in Nigeria on barriers to digital skills and jobs, and actions needed to unlock their potential.
About
Nigeria’s digital economy is expanding rapidly, bringing new opportunities for employment, entrepreneurship, and education. But for many girls and young women, those opportunities remain out of reach.
This report shares the findings from a Youth Participatory Action Research and Evaluation (YPARE) initiative under UNICEF Generation Unlimited’s Girls’ Education and Skills Partnership (GESP), where young women lead the research and shape the evidence and future dialogue on the topic that matters to them. The study engaged over 500 adolescent girls and young women across Lagos State, Nigeria.
Young women leading the research found that girls’ pathways to digital skills and jobs are shaped by:
- Economic barriers of training, devices, transport, and internet access
- Limited infrastructure, including unreliable electricity and low computer access
- Gender stereotypes that push girls away from digital skills and spaces
- Social media influences awareness, participation, and confidence in digital skills
- Digital skills training boosts employability, confidence, networks, and adaptability
The message is clear: when girls can access inclusive digital learning opportunities, they are better positioned to earn, lead, and thrive in a fast-changing economy. Grounded in youth voices, the report offers practical actions for governments, educators, employers, NGOs and young women themselves to ensure girls are not left behind in the digital future.
