NITDA Empowers Nigerian Women in AI, Digital Economy
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NITDA Empowers Nigerian Women in AI, Digital Economy
By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is spearheading a transformative drive to empower Nigerian women in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital economy.
NITDA’s Director General, Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, reiterated the agency’s commitment to inclusivity at the “Innovate Her 25” conference, themed “Women in AI: Unlocking Resilience, Fostering Innovation and Leadership.”
Inuwa highlighted Nigeria’s AI Strategy, which embeds inclusivity as a core objective, mandating that at least 40% of programmes directly benefit women and underserved groups.
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The agency has also developed a Gender Inclusion Strategy to guide interventions in areas such as training and infrastructure.
NITDA has diverse capacity-building initiatives spanning AI, cloud computing, and cybersecurity.
Inuwa said the agency works with partners to train thousands of women across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones and encourages proposals for bespoke programmes that cater to specific community needs.
INCNews247 reoprts that NITDA’s “Digital Literacy for All Initiative” aims to equip 70% of Nigerians with digital literacy by 2027.
The agency plans to train over 30 million Nigerians, with a dedicated focus on underserved communities and public servants.
NITDA is championing mentorship for women in technology through initiatives like Women Innovate.
The agency welcomes collaboration with the Nigerian Women in Information Technology (NIWIT) to design structured mentorship programmes and is open to formalising partnerships through Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs).
The session concluded with a call to action, urging women-focused organisations to leverage NITDA’s open-door policy and unite in advancing digital inclusion across Nigeria.
