Huawei Nigeria has celebrated exceptional female students in its ICT Academy and Women in Tech training programme as part of its activities marking International Women’s Day.
The event, held in Abuja ahead of the global celebration on March 8, brought together key stakeholders, including officials from the Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy; industry leaders; programme beneficiaries; and members of the press.
Themed ‘Cultivating Talent Through ICT Training for a Prosperous Nigeria, ’ the gathering aligned with the 2025 International Women’s Day theme, Accelerate Action, which calls for expedited progress in gender equality and inclusive development.
The ceremony paid tribute to women who have achieved outstanding success in their ICT training, allowing them to share their accomplishments and serve as role models, motivating and empowering the next generation of women in technology.
The ceremony also showcased Huawei’s ongoing commitment to promoting digital inclusivity, closely aligning with Nigeria’s comprehensive national strategy for technological growth and advancement.
According to Eric Chen, Huawei Nigeria Strategy Director, the company has provided capacity building and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) training to over 70,000 Nigerians since 2018.
A detailed breakdown reveals that the beneficiaries comprise over 30,000 students, 35,000 ICT engineers, 240 female entrepreneurs, and more than 3,000 civil servants, showcasing a diverse range of individuals impacted.
Chen emphasized Huawei’s significant role in supporting the present administration’s Three Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme, primarily through its ICT Academy, and reaffirmed the company’s commitment to driving Nigeria’s digital transformation in tandem with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at fostering economic growth and development.
While stressing that the Huawei ICT Academy provides students with an international platform for healthy competition and exchange of ideas, he said Women in Tech Training in partnership with the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, empowers women entrepreneurs with tech and digital skills for economic growth and development.
His words: “We celebrate the achievements of female participants in our ICT Academy and Women in Tech initiative, in collaboration with the First Lady’s office.
“We remain committed to empowering women in ICT and leveraging their potential to boost Nigeria’s digital growth.”
Also speaking, the Director of Policy, Research, and Strategy at the Ministry of Communication, Innovation and Digital Economy, Mrs Comfort Kabirwa, emphasized the crucial need for gender equality in technology.
She urged women to take an active role in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to propel Nigeria’s digital economy forward, recognizing the immense potential for growth and development that women’s participation in ICT can bring.
According to her, by embracing ICT, women can leverage technology to drive innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic progress, ultimately contributing to a more prosperous and digitally inclusive Nigeria.
Kabirwa pointed out that globally, women make up a mere 26 percent of the tech workforce, a statistic that starkly highlights the pressing need for greater diversity and inclusion in the industry.
She emphasized the need for stakeholders to remove obstacles that prevent women from fully participating in the field, noting that by addressing these barriers, stakeholders can create a more inclusive and equitable environment that fosters women’s growth and success.
“As we celebrate the achievements of these remarkable women, we must also recognize the challenges that persist. Women make up only 26 per cent of the global tech workforce, which means there is still a long way to go in bridging the gender gap.
“The Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy is committed to supporting programmes that expose women to digital technologies, such as the National ICT Girls Empowerment Competition Programme and our partnership with Huawei Technologies.
“As leaders, educators, and advocates, we must continue to dismantle barriers that hinder women from thriving in technology. The future of Nigeria’s digital economy depends on the inclusivity of its workforce,” Kabirwa emphasized,” Kabirwa stated.
Dr. Oyin Abiola, Huawei’s Senior Public Relations Manager, underscored the company’s multifaceted approach to empowering individuals in the field of ICT.
Dr Abiola said beyond providing training, Huawei also offers tangible opportunities for outstanding students to apply their skills in real-world settings through employment and internship programmes at the company
The Senior Public Relations Manager emphasized the company’s comprehensive efforts in driving Nigeria’s digital transformation, closely aligning with the government’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the country’s rapidly expanding digital economy.
Previous media reports note that Huawei’s encompasses various initiatives, including the development of local cloud infrastructure, support for key government programmes like the 3 Million Technical Talents (3MTT) initiative, the National Talent Export Programme (NATEP), as well as the upcoming deployment of innovative solutions like the DigiTruck, a mobile ICT classroom designed to enhance digital literacy and provide ICT training in underserved communities.
Recall that on the sidelines of the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 2023, President Tinubu launched the National Talent Export Programme (NATEP) in a bid to shore up Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings.
The unveiling of the programme, which took place at the Microsoft Office in New York, United States of America, targets the creation of 1 million in-demand jobs across Nigeria over a five-year period.
The new initiative seeks to position Nigeria as an export hub for talent outsourcing in Africa following the example of India, Bangladesh, Mexico and the Philippines.
Continuing, Abiola said that by celebrating women who excel in ICT, Huawei aims to inspire others to explore opportunities in the field and remains steadfast in its commitment to fostering an inclusive and diverse digital society.
She said: “We have over 30,000 students in our ICT Academy across 190 universities and have trained over 240 women in our Women in Tech programme. These young women here today were selected for their exceptional performance, and their success stories reaffirm our commitment to nurturing ICT talent in Nigeria”.
Beneficiaries of the programme also shared testimonials on how the training has positively impacted their lives, career prospects and businesses.
For Barr. Elizabeth Achimugu, Founder, Protect the Child Foundation, the Women in Tech training has empowered her with the knowledge to leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) in scaling her organization’s impact, particularly in advocating for children’s welfare.
She encouraged women to wholeheartedly adopt technology and harness its potential to their advantage. Achimugu argued that technology is not a hindrance, but rather a tool designed to facilitate and augment human capabilities, particularly for women.
“With technology, you will achieve much more than you will do with manual labour,” she stated.
Olubukola Taiwo echoed similar sentiments, revealing that the programme enabled her to grasp the fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and effectively integrate it into her business operations, leveraging AI tools to create engaging visual content such as videos, banners, cards, and flyers.
“I had an interaction with Al about the nature of my business (sales of makeup and skincare products). It suggested a broader name and that’s what I’m currently using. I went further in my interactions to ask Al to give a more detailed note about my business, it did and that’s what is on my business page, social media handles fliers and paper bags.
“I also asked Al about gift ideas for my loyal customers, it did give me ideas and from which | picked the less affordable one (a fancy keyholder). And this is what I give to customers as a loyalty gift on their first purchase,” Taiwo said.
On her part, Imafidon Victoria Essoe, a 300-level Cybersecurity undergraduate at Igbinedion University, credited Huawei’s ICT Academy with having a profound impact on her academic and professional pursuits. She said the academy’s provision of valuable certifications at no cost has been particularly instrumental in enhancing her career prospects.
Ogomudia Darlene, a 300-level Software Engineering student at Igbinedion University, described her experience with the programme as an engaging and enriching journey, noting that the training has significantly broadened her technical skills and knowledge.
In the same token, Agwu Amarachi, a 500-level student of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering at the Federal University of Technology Minna, shared that she has acquired valuable technical skills through the programme, which has not only enhanced her academic pursuits but also opened up new career possibilities.
The success stories of the female beneficiaries of Huawei’s ICT Academy and Women in Tech programme serve as a powerful inspiration to others, demonstrating the potential for women to excel in the tech industry and drive digital transformation in Nigeria. As Huawei continues to champion women’s role in shaping Nigeria’s digital future, the company remains committed to fostering a more inclusive and diverse digital society that benefits all Nigerians.
