DIGITAL SOCIAL WORK IN NIGERIA: A CONCEPTUAL ANALYSIS OF ADOPTION, CHALLENGES AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Keywords:
Digital Social Work, Social Work Practice, Technology Adoption, Nigeria, ICT in Social ServicesAbstract
Digital social work is the use of information and communication technologies to deliver social services, support vulnerable populations and enhance professional practice. However, Nigeria is yet to systematically integrate these tools into mainstream practice despite high mobile phone penetration. This conceptual study, grounded in Diffusion of Innovations Theory and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, synthesizes existing literature to assess adoption, challenges and future directions. Evidence shows Nigeria is in an early-adoption stage, with initiatives like UNICEF's Digital Villages programme (reaching over 80,000 children) demonstrating proof of concept. However, efforts remain fragmented and donor-dependent. Key barriers include poor infrastructure, low digital literacy, curriculum gaps in social work education, unreliable electricity, data privacy concerns and gender-disparities in device access. The digital divide risks excluding the most vulnerable. Realizing digital social work's potential requires deliberate intervention: developing a national policy framework, integrating digital competencies into social work curricula, investing in rural connectivity and establishing ethical standards. This paper contributes to emerging discourse on technology-mediated social work in the Global South.References
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