News Highlights:
- Empowering Women Through Technology
- Collaboration for Digital Inclusion
As part of ongoing efforts to enhance education, healthcare, and social investment through digital innovation and inclusive access to technology, the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, has emphasized the vital role of gender inclusion in digital literacy programmes across Nigeria.
Inuwa made this assertion while delivering a goodwill message at the inauguration of Quality Education and Girl Child Initiatives (Luminah 2030), an event organized by the Federal Ministry of Education at the Federal Secretariat Complex, according to a report by Digital TimesNG.
Luminah 2030 seeks to foster an inclusive, equitable, and high-quality education system in Nigeria, and forms a key pillar of the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI) for Renewed Hope, which prioritizes six crucial areas: STEM-M (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medical Sciences), TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training), Out-of-School Children, Girl Child Education, Data and Digitalization, and Education Quality Assurance.
With a strong focus on addressing the challenge of out-of-school children, the Luminah Girl Child Initiative, in conjunction with the broader Quality Education and Learning Outcomes Program, is dedicated to empowering young girls through education and reshaping Nigeria’s educational landscape.
Empowering Women Through Technology
Highlighting the importance of women’s empowerment in driving national progress, Inuwa underscored education’s transformative role in society, and stressed NITDA’s commitment to bridging the gender gap in STEM and technology-related fields.
“When you educate a man, you educate an individual, but when you educate a woman, you educate a nation,” he stated.
He further revealed that women make up less than 20% of the STEM workforce, with Nigeria reflecting a similar disparity. Achieving gender balance in the tech sector, he noted, would significantly contribute to wealth creation and economic prosperity.
“Nigeria’s female population is nearly equal to its male population. If we exclude 50% of our people from key opportunities, it would be disastrous for us as a nation,” he warned.
Collaboration for Digital Inclusion
Inuwa highlighted NITDA’s collaboration with the Ministries of Education and Women Affairs to implement gender-inclusive digital programmes, stating that under the leadership of the Minister of Education, efforts are underway to embed digital skills and literacy into the national curriculum, spanning primary to tertiary education.
Beyond formal education, NITDA has also extended digital inclusion programmes to the informal sector. The agency has partnered with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to train women in markets, religious centres, and motor parks on digital literacy.
These initiatives, Inuwa said, align with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision of diversifying Nigeria’s economy through intensive digital training, and stated that the ultimate goal is to contribute towards making Nigeria a one-trillion-dollar economy by leveraging digital skills and inclusion.
“Our goal is clear, our resolve is stronger than ever, and through collaboration with the Ministries of Education, Women Affairs, and our own agency, we will successfully integrate digital skills and literacy into all aspects of learning and economic empowerment,” he affirmed.
Commitment to Quality Education
As part of the event, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, inaugurated five committees under the Quality Education and Learning Outcomes Programme and an additional five committees under Luminah 2030.
He urged committee members to approach their roles with dedication, professionalism, and a strong sense of purpose.
The event was attended by top government officials, including Imaan Sulaiman Ibrahim, Minister of Women Affairs; Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, Minister of State for Education, and other distinguished guests and stakeholders in Nigeria’s education and technology sectors.
This initiative reinforces the government’s commitment to harnessing technology for education and gender inclusion, paving the way for a more equitable and prosperous future.
