TECHDIGEST – The Women’s Technology Empowerment Centre (W.TEC), Lagos trained no fewer than 1,820 women and girls on technology programmes in 2021.

W.TEC is a Nigerian non-profit organization focused on encouraging girls and women to pursue technology careers.
The centre’s Communication Officer, Yemi Odutola, who disclosed this in Lagos, said that the training of women and girls was done through the centre’s technology after school clubs, camps and other programmes.

He noted that the centre was able to train those numbers of girls through the various training programmes held last year.

“Last year, we successfully launched our in-person ‘MakeHerspace’ training for participants in Nasarawa, Bauchi and Abuja after the passing of the second wave of the pandemic in Nigeria.

“During these classes, a total of 887 girls and women were trained on electronics and renewable energy panel projects at 12 centers across the three states. This successful phase of  MakeHerspace was targeted at two groups which were ages 10 to 17 and 18 to 25,” Odutola said.

He said that the MakeHerspace project which was done with the support, of Google, was a technology initiative that taught young women to create engineering-based solutions to solve problems in their communities and provide information about career options.

The communication officer said that the NGO also organized an after-school computer programme for girls in public secondary schools in 2021, called ‘W.TEC Academy’.

He noted that the W.TEC academy, which was done in Lagos and Kwara State, was targeted for girls between ages 11 to 17 years.

Odutola said that 361 girls in 14 schools benefitted from the programme in Kwara while 232 girls in nine schools under Lagos State Ministry of Education District IV were empowered.

“The academy sessions have helped the girls to deepen their skills through hands-on science and technology projects, programming classes, career talks and engagement with Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) professionals.

“The W.TEC Academy programme in Kwara State was sponsored by Oracle while the one in Lagos was supported by the Lagos State Science Research and Innovation Council (LASRIC)’’, he said.

Odutola said that to promote sustainable and financial empowerment for female entrepreneurs, the NGO organised ‘SHE CAN with ICT” for aspiring women between the ages 18 to 35 years.

The communication offer said W.TEC’s major goal was to equip 300 aspiring or existing female entrepreneurs with technology skills and knowledge to improve their business productivity and profitability.

Speaking on the centre’s plan for 2022, he said that W. TEC Academy programme in Kwara State continues this year for the 2021/2022 session.

He said that  the programme has reached 361 secondary school girls out of the estimate to reach 1050, adding that this year the programme is projected to reach 689 of them.

“W. TEC Academy Lagos programme continues this year with an estimated reach of 120 secondary school girls in addition to the 232 last year to wrap up the ongoing cycle by June in 2022.

“SHE CAN with ICT’’ programme in Lagos continues this year with an estimated reach of 100 women entrepreneurs in addition to the 338 reached so far to wrap up the ongoing cycle by February in 2022.

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TECH DIGEST – Mr Yemi Odutola, Head, Communications, Women Technology Empowerment Centre (WTEC) has urged Federal Government to formulate laws and policies that would boost the development of local technology hubs in the country.

Odutola said this while speaking with the newsmen in Lagos on Sunday.

He said that government needed to create enabling environment to pave way for the establishment of more technology hubs in Nigeria.

He said that payment of lower taxes by technical outfits would also boost the sector.

“Also the government needs to intensify its efforts by ensuring the inclusion of ICT in every school’s curriculum and this is essential because to boost technology in the country, it has to be driven from the education sector.

“The Federal Government should look into building more infrastructure in the technology space to attract critical investors,” he said.

Speaking on how government could key into youths that were talented in ICT, he advised the government to accept local content policy wholly by purchasing home-made software instead of importing foreign ones to enhance technology production in the country.

On the level of ICT development in his area, the IT expert said: “At Sabo Yaba, Lagos, it is still very poor. The interest is there but the cost of devices and internet is a big discouragement.

“Also the exposure to people here is still low too. I believe that with more awareness on the importance of technology more residents will key into it.’’
Speaking on how government could attain its dream of digital economy by 2030, Awe said the government should work more deliberately with stakeholders in the technology sector.

Awe, also the Chief Executive Officer of Jidaw Systems Ltd., said working deliberately with key industry players would help establish strategic partnerships, initiatives, investment programmes and incentives to achieve practical results.

“It is also vital that the government should promote a culture that appreciates technology and innovative practices in the society, governance, education, critical sectors and the economy.

“Nigeria must foster and embrace a culture of digital innovation focused on developing, deploying digital technologies to add and create new values in all sectors of the society, ” he said.

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