Digital Skills Acquisition and Human Development Outcomes among Youth in Ogun State, Nigeria

Digital skills are increasingly viewed as critical capabilities for improving young people’s education, employability, access to services, participation, and overall well-being. Yet, evidence at the subnational level in Nigeria remains limited, particularly on how digital skills translate into multidimensional human development outcomes. This study examined the relationship between digital skills acquisition and human development outcomes among youth in Ogun State, Nigeria, using a cross-sectional survey design. Data were collected from youth residents across selected locations in the state and analysed using descriptive statistics, measurement model assessment, and structural equation modelling. Digital skills were operationalised across competence domains (information/data literacy, ommunication/collaboration, content creation, safety, and problem solving), while human development outcomes were measured as a multidimensional construct covering learning/education functioning, employability/livelihood functioning, access to services and information, civic/social participation, and subjective well-being/agency. The results indicate that digital skills acquisition is positively associated with human development outcomes and that the relationship operates strongly through digital opportunities, confirming a significant mediation pathway. Domain-level patterns suggest that content creation and safety are comparatively weaker skill areas, which may limit higher-value digital participation and resilience. Residence-based differences indicate that rural youth experience lower digital opportunities and outcomes, suggesting the importance of conversion constraints such as affordability and access quality. The study concludes that digital-skills interventions in Ogun State should be designed as capability-expanding systems that combine competence development with affordable access, opportunity pathways, and safety/critical literacy to improve human development outcomes for youth.