NITDA to promote women’s participation in digital economy

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is currently drafting the National Digital Equality Strategy for Women (NDESW) to ensure equitable access and opportunities in the digital environment, empowering women to fully participate in the digital economy.

The Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, disclosed this in Jos, Plateau State, on Wednesday at the stakeholders’ meeting tagged ” Engagement and ICT ecosystem development on creating opportunities, breaking boundaries towards digitalization, and entrepreneurial evolution.”

He mentioned that the National Digital Skills Strategy (NDSS) is also a strategic roadmap that will aid digital literacy and talent development in Nigeria.

The Director-General, who was represented by the Zonal Director of NTDA, Mr. Babajide Ajayi, stated that as the nation navigates digitalization and entrepreneurial evolution, NITDA stands as a beacon of guidance, adding that it is also committed to providing an enabling environment, a framework of support, and a platform for collaboration that empowers all stakeholders to be catalysts of change.

Abdulahi added that NITDA viewed the meeting as a veritable platform to pool knowledge, experience, and expertise, to co-create solutions, articulate strategies, and extend its services to all stakeholders, especially at the grassroots.

To encourage innovation and entrepreneurship, the Director-General further pointed out that NITDA has established the Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI) and the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR).

“These Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) have supported startups, including technology incubation, acceleration programs, and training for students. The innovation ecosystem in Nigeria has attracted significant investments and produced multiple successful startups, including unicorns.

“Creating opportunities demands a multi-stakeholder approach. We must continue to foster an environment where creativity flourishes, risk is cushioned by support, and innovation is rewarded.

“Our digital landscape is bursting with ideas waiting to be transformed into impactful solutions. As we engage in conversations and partnerships today, let us remember that each connection forged, each idea shared, and each resource pooled is a step towards unlocking these opportunities,” he said.

The Director-General said breaking boundaries is not a solitary endeavour as it requires collaboration among government, the private sector, academia, and others in society.

In his address, the Commissioner of Science, Technology and Innovation, Plateau State, Professor Goselle Over Nanjul, admonished participants to open up their minds to new challenges, break the boundaries of their networking and leverage IT tools to create opportunities for themselves and Plateau State.

Nanjul disclosed that the state Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation has set up incentives to encourage inventors and innovators in the area of science and technology, adding that the approach is to bring the dream to full potential by 2024, when the state intends to organize a week-long program tagged ‘Plateau State Research and Innovation Week’.

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