Availability and accessibility of ICT in the rural communities of Nigeria

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this work is to ascertain the information needs of the people of rural Nigeria, to identify the type of information channels available to them and to suggest ways of improving the provisions of information services to the inhabitants of rural communities. Design/methodology/approach The study adopted the descriptive survey research method with the questionnaire as the major instrument. Interviews and observation were also employed. The simple percentage method is used to present and analyse data with appropriate tables. Findings The empirical findings of the research are as follows: about 80 per cent of Nigerians live in rural areas and are predominantly poor farmers and fishermen, of whom about 90 per cent are illiterate in the Western sense. They lack basic information infrastructures such as internet, libraries and information centres, and electricity. The oral tradition is still prevalent and written communication remains elusive because a majority of the populace is still illiterate. Rural dwellers show positive response to the services of information agents such as agricultural extension workers, rural health workers, etc. Research limitations/implications The study covers Bayelsa State which represents the Niger Delta region. Further study is needed on information policy in Nigeria as a whole. Practical implications Electronic media like radio and television are seen as sources of entertainment and often regarded as propaganda materials. Computers, libraries, and information centres are completely absent. The traditional library is not suitable for rural dwellers. Apart from printed materials, which are the stock‐in‐trade of orthodox libraries, rural libraries must include in their stock visual and audio materials. Originality/value The majority of rural dwellers in Nigeria do not have access to new information technology and are thus cut off from the global world. This work creates a greater awareness of the vacuum that exists in the rural areas concerning information communication technologies and will stimulate further discussion.

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