Bridging the digital divide: a comparative study of digital literacy and access in rural communities in China and Nigeria

Although the advent of social media, Internet and the information communication technologies (ICTs) has received global enthusiasm, it has no doubt added another texture of gap in social disparity, particularly in the context of access and digital literacy. The issue is that access, affordability and dexterity in the use of these digital technologies are largely determined by class, exposure, location and other intervening dynamics in each country. Digital divide poses a challenge in many parts of the world, particularly among rural communities where people lack access to the right technologies. Thus, digital divide, seen in this paper as the inequality in access to digital technologies and the internet between different countries, communities and groups, is still a serious issue in parts of China and Nigeria and indeed, elsewhere particularly in the rural areas made more difficult due to their remote geographical locations, infrastructural deficits, and poor standard of living among the dwellers. This paper, therefore, compares digital literacy and access in rural Africa (Nigeria) and Asia (China) with a focus on infrastructure, policy frameworks, and interventions. The study employed a qualitative design to explore the lived experiences of these rural community dwellers to examine the challenges in bridging the gap. Findings suggest that Nigeria has more material access barriers than their Chinese counterparts, particularly among the older populations. The Nigerian realities are grimmer and worse when measuring this digital inequality. This could be linked to policy responses and standard of living in both countries which differ markedly. The findings also call for cultural and linguistic-sensitive digital literacy campaigns and interventions to boost digital inclusion, especially among the older rural dwellers, who look secluded from digital trends that would have bettered their lives.