Digital Divide in a New Generation: Assessing ICT Access, Skills, and Attitudes Towards E-Learning Among Pioneer Nursing Students at Abdulrashid Dankoli College of Nursing Sciences Northern Nigeria

For nursing students in Northern Nigeria, access to digital tools and the skills to use them often determine whether e-learning becomes an opportunity or an obstacle. This combination of aspiration and constraint shapes what equitable digital integration requires. Objective: This study examined ICT access, digital literacy, and e-learning readiness among pioneer nursing students at a newly established college. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted with all 35 pioneer National Diploma nursing students enrolled in the 2025/2026 academic session at Abdulrashid Dankoli College of Nursing Sciences, Kaduna, Nigeria. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire measuring ICT access, digital literacy (8 items, α = 0.87), and attitudes based on the Technology Acceptance Model (10 items, α = 0.91). Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis tests, and Spearman's rho. Qualitative open-ended responses were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2021). Smartphone ownership was near-universal (94.3%), but laptop ownership was critically low (14.3%). Data cost was the primary barrier (57.1%). Digital literacy was highest for evaluating online health information (median = 4.0/5) and lowest for spreadsheet use (median = 2.0/5). A significant digital skills gradient existed by residence type (H(2) = 6.84, p = 0.033) and prior digital exposure (U = 52.5, p = 0.002, r = 0.51). Laptop owners scored significantly higher than smartphone-only users (U = 15.5, p = 0.004, r = 0.49). Despite skills gaps, students demonstrated high Perceived Usefulness of e-learning (median = 4.2/5). Qualitative analysis generated three themes: precarious connectivity, aspiration amid adversity, and institutional responsibility. Pioneer nursing students exhibit a mobile-first access pattern with significant second-level digital divide challenges. Targeted institutional interventions including campus Wi-Fi, subsidized data, device loan schemes, and foundational digital skills training are urgently needed to ensure inclusive digital transformation from the institution's inception.