Assessing The Role of ICT Facilities in Community Digital Literacy in Southwestern Nigeria

Abstract

The study assesses the availability and adequacy of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) facilities and their influence on community digital literacy in selected Community Resource Centres in Southwestern Nigeria. The aim is to evaluate the provision of ICT facilities and determine their contribution to digital skills development, learning, research, communication, and knowledge sharing. The study adopted a mixed-method research design and a multistage sampling technique to select six Community Resource Centres across Southwestern Nigeria. Data were collected from 257 community users and analysed using descriptive statistics, percentage analysis, and Net Agreement Index (NAI). Findings reveal that power supply systems recorded the highest availability (65.0%), followed by water supply systems (59.1%) and computers (57.6%), while multimedia projectors recorded the lowest availability (37.0%). Regarding adequacy, 58.4% of respondents rated the ICT facilities as inadequate or very inadequate, compared with 21.8% who considered them adequate or very adequate. The influence of ICT facilities on digital literacy was generally negative, with NAI values ranging from -26.1% for access to computers to -37.0% for ICT training programmes. The findings indicate that the availability of ICT facilities does not necessarily translate into effective digital literacy development due to limitations in adequacy, accessibility, functionality, and training. The study recommends improved ICT infrastructure, reliable internet and power supply, adequate digital resources, and continuous digital skills training in Community Resource Centres.