News Highlights:
- Girls in ICT Campaign Marks 13 Years of Impact and Growth in Nigeria
- Stakeholders Call for Inclusive Digital Transformation and Greater Support for Girls in Tech
After 13 years of organizing the Girls in ICT Day celebration, a campaign aimed at mentoring young girls to develop interests in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and pursue careers in Information and Communications Technology (ICT), stakeholders at the recently held 13th edition in Lagos have applauded the progress recorded in Nigeria.
While acknowledging the achievements so far, the stakeholders emphasized the need for sustained efforts to encourage more girls to aspire to ICT-related roles. They highlighted this as a vital step in securing the future of young girls and fostering growth across all sectors of the economy.
In her opening remarks, Mrs. Ufuoma Emuophedaro, Convener and CEO of eBusiness Life Communication Limited—organizers of the campaign—remarked that the numerous calls and letters received from past participants are a testament to the positive impact the initiative continues to have on Nigerian girls.
“From this very platform, we have been able to raise a lot of girls. Some of them are already working. I have received a good number of mails from them thanking me for how that helped them change their perceptions, and they are now studying ICT-related causes. The numbers are getting better and it will continue to get better. We will continue to do this campaign to see it getting better,” Mrs. Daro disclosed.
“We cannot gather all the girls in Nigeria in one room, but there is a need to spread the news, even as we are streaming this activity live on YouTube and Instagram.”
Reeling out the figures, she quoted an ITU statistics that showed the progress made, disclosing that since its inception in 2011, there has been 377,000 girls and young women taking up careers in ICT and 11,400 celebrations in over 171 countries. It is not just in Nigeria, but all over the world.
While encouraging the girls to change the stereotype that bequeaths ICT careers to boys, she noted the abysmal statistics that need to change. “While women make up about 47% of the global workforce, they are underrepresented in STEM. Just 3% of students joining ICT courses globally are women.”
This year, the theme, ‘Girls in ICTs: Bridging ALL Divides for an Inclusive Digital Transformation,’ underscores the need not just to participate, but to lead the world in digital transformation.
Mrs. Emuophedaro called on corporate bodies, governments and other stakeholders to create a conducive environment and an inclusive tech space for girls everywhere. She also charged the girls to believe in themselves and take up the challenge.
“Do girls use technology? Yes! But that is not all we want. Apart from using, we want them to create technology. Also no matter what sector you are in, you need to have some in-depth knowledge of technology. “
In her global message Secretary General of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), Doreen Bogdan-Martin noted that ITU is committed to empowering 100 million girls with digital stills and called on partnerships to achieve this.
She stated: “We celebrate the power and potentials of girls and young women as leaders, creators and change-makers in the digital age. 189 fewer women than men are using the internet in 2024. That is too many missed opportunities to learn.”
She encouraged governments and corporate organisations to support the campaign to build a crop of girls of the future.
Also speaking at the event, Vertical Head, High Net-worth Individuals, Globacom, Adeboye Adeniji, noted that Globacom believes in the power of Nigeria’s talents, especially the amazing potentials in young, vibrant, brilliant and beautiful girls.
“We live in a world powered by technology, from the phones we use, to the Apps we love, to the networks that connect us, for example, Globacom. ICT is everywhere. You belong in that world, you are the future, not just as users, but as leaders, creators and innovators,” she encouraged the girls.
She further noted that when girls have the tools, the training and the confidence, there is no limit to what they can achieve. “Whether you dream of becoming a Software Engineer, a Robotic Expert, a cyber-security Analyst, or even the next big tech CEO, everything is possible. Don’t let anyone tell you tech is only for boys. That is simply not true.
“You are smart and smart enough to work in tech, to build your own tech company. You are strong enough, and you have every right to dream as big as you want. So, keep learning, stay curious, ask questions, and never be afraid to try. Because the future of technology isn’t just built in Labs and Boardrooms, it is being built here in classrooms like yours. From all of us in Globacom, we believe in you, we support you, and we can’t wait to see how you change the world.”
In her presentation, Head, Cybersecurity & Compliance Advisory, Digital Encode, Bisola Oladejo, encouraged the girls to stay on top of any career path they may choose, and to research the available options in the field of ICT, as there are so many career paths in ICT.
On why girls matter in ICT, she said they bring uniqueness and colour, making Apps interesting, and noted that ICT is important to girls because it affords and empowers them with skills, opportunities and confidence to thrive in a digital world, breaking gender barriers and unlocking social and economic potentials.
Oladejo, however, noted the root causes of low female participation in ICT to include, limited STEM education in schools; social media distraction; low funding, lack of adequate access to internet and ICT gadgets; gender bias from families; cyber-bullying, among others.
She called on governments to formulate deliberate initiatives that target female inclusivity in ICT, and to partner with NGOs and ease private sector initiatives.
The event saw the girls compete in STEM Quiz competition, Robot programming competition and Students’ Roundtable, winning prices and receiving gifts from the organisers.
Also, Awards were given to two deserving women in ICT – Funmilola Victoria Omojola (ICT Touch Holder Award) and Dr. Nihinlola Mary Fafore (ICT Advocacy Award).
The International Girls in ICT Day is an initiative of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) that seeks to bridge the gender divide in ICT related careers by encouraging girls to build a foundation that will position them in tech-related jobs of the future.
