Oluremi Tinubu celebrates 252 women graduates of ICT training program

Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, emphasized the importance of ICT skills in today’s technology-driven world, stating that such skills are essential for achieving success across all fields.

She made the remarks during the closing ceremony of the Women ICT Training and Empowerment Programme, a collaboration between the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

The First Lady described the program as a critical step toward bridging Nigeria’s digital gender gap, highlighting the transformative power of digital literacy.

“These skills are indispensable for driving growth and innovation. In a world powered by technology, they empower women to take control of their lives, contribute to their communities, and seize new opportunities,” she said.

Celebrating the 252 women from various states who completed the intensive digital training, she commended their resilience and determination, stating, “You have shown a hunger for knowledge that will undoubtedly set you on a path of success.”

She also expressed appreciation to NITDA for its role in the initiative. “I thank the Director-General of NITDA, Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, for his commitment to bridging Nigeria’s digital divide. This partnership is aimed at leveraging technology to advance gender equity and national development,” she said.

In his remarks, NITDA’s Director-General, Mallam Kashifu Abdullahi, underscored the importance of digital literacy in Nigeria’s economic growth, noting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to economic diversification. “If we bridge the gender gap, we will empower women and potentially increase our GDP by 20%,” he explained.

Abdullahi highlighted NITDA’s goal of achieving 95% digital literacy by 2030 through its “Digital Literacy for All” initiative, which aims to train 30 million Nigerians, with a focus on women. He shared that this initiative is implemented in collaboration with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

“These young graduates will serve as digital literacy champions in their communities,” he added.

He further announced that a new digital literacy curriculum has been developed in partnership with the Ministry of Education.

“By next year, we will embed digital skills and literacy into our formal education system,” he said, adding that NITDA plans to produce 80 champions from each of the six NYSC streams annually, totaling 17,760 champions. “We aim for each champion to train at least 60 Nigerians each month, potentially reaching over 11 million people every year.”

Reflecting on the societal impact of empowering women, he remarked, “If you empower a man, you empower an individual; if you empower a woman, you empower a society.” He also noted the First Lady’s vision for women and girls to remain at the forefront of technological progress.

Participants in the program were trained in essential skills, including software operations, data management, and digital content creation, equipping them for the demands of the modern digital world.