Kashifu Inuwa, the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), expressed concern on Monday about the low level of participation by women entrepreneurs in technology innovation and development. He pledged to leave no stone unturned in mainstreaming women tech entrepreneurs into the nation’s digital innovation and technology development.
Inuwa made these remarks at the commencement of the Female Tech Founders Training program at the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics in Abuja. Represented by Amina Magaji, the Acting Director of Digital Literacy and Capacity Development at NITDA, Inuwa noted that over 7,000 Women Tech Founders had registered to participate in the training program within two weeks.
Magaji stated that the program, conducted in collaboration with NITDA, aligns with the Federal Government’s eight pillars aimed at enhancing women’s participation in technology innovation, acquisition, and development. She emphasized the transformative nature of the program, with an overwhelming response from women across all 36 states.
The program’s objective is to advance women in technology, providing platforms for networking and resource pooling to enhance their businesses. Magaji explained that it goes beyond training, focusing on creating wealth and employment opportunities in the technology industry through the full participation of women technology entrepreneurs.
Over the next two weeks, the program aims to identify and showcase innovative tech-based ideas and solutions developed by Nigerian females. It seeks to promote and support these ventures, contributing to closing gender gaps within the tech ecosystem. The commitment extends to promoting digital job creation for females, aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which emphasizes investment in the digital economy and women empowerment. Participants will be empowered to share their knowledge for the benefit of the country upon completing the program.
