The Role of Media in Bridging the Gender Digital Divide in Nigeria

Gender digital divide is a front burner issue in the Nigerian society, especially in its digital economic aspirations. The divide caused by some factors including economic and cultural has seen women in Nigeria continue to lose on the benefits of ICTs. As such, there is a need to bridge the gap or at the least, minimize it. To achieve this, the media being strategic in creating and moulding individual and public opinions as well as strengthening courses have an important role to play. While there is a general dearth of literature on media and gender digital divide in Nigeria, empirical studies are even more conspicuously lacking. To this end,  therefore, this paper attempted to explore the role of the media in bridging the gap. To do this, the researcher employed the qualitative research approach using the in depth interview format. Participants for the study comprised of eight Journalists and media practitioners who were selected using the Purposive sampling technique. The data analysis was carried out using the thematic analysis format and the study concludes that the media through its agenda-setting role, framing influence, and providing a platform for robust engagements will contribute to bridging the gender digital gap in Nigeria.