Information Needs and Response to ICTs by the Aged in Nigeria: A Conceptual Perspective

Abstract

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have now become part of our day-to-day living and existence and have revolutionized many aspects of life. While young people have easily adapted to the use of these tools because of some obvious reasons such as user-friendliness, simplicity, and ease of use among others. However, the aged in developing nations are still left far behind in the mastery of how to use these ICT gadgets. Consequently, these innovations have brought about a digital divide for the aged. This paper, with Nigeria in view, harnesses the diverse information needs of the aged in developing nations in relation to the challenges that have hindered the aged from fully benefitting from the use of these evolving technologies. The methodology adopted in this paper is the review of literature and documentary materials to find out the information needs of the elderly in Nigeria vis-a-vis the numerous challenges they face in the use of ICTs. The paper discovered that the information needs of the elderly are predicated on critical needs such as access to health care, information about retirement benefits and savings, and navigating diverse domestic challenges among others. Also, the aged most commonly use ICTs such as mobile phones, radio, television, and autoteller machines among others because they are convenient and easy to manipulate. However, some ICTs that are considered complex such as the internet, computers, and video conferencing were rarely used because of the absence or deficiency of social facilities such as power and internet connectivity. The paper, therefore concludes that conscious effort should be made by the government through the initiation of intervening policies that prioritize the welfare of the aged.