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NASENI to Raise Number of Female Engineers in Nigeria Over the Next 5 Years
Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu, executive vice chairman/chief executive officer (EVC/CEO) of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) said the Agency would double the number of female Engineers in Nigeria over the next five years.
L- R: Coordinating Director, Planning and Business Development NASENI, Mrs. Nonyem Onyechi; Chairman Presidential Implementation Committee on Technology Transfer, Dr. Mohammed Dahiru; Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, Mrs. Nko Esuabana; President, Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Mrs. Margaret Aina Oguntala; Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Mr Khalil Suleiman Halilu and Chairman, Senate Committee on NASENI, Sen. Ezenwa Francis Onyewuchi during the launch of the DELT-Her programme in commemoration of the International Women’s Day at NASENI HQs Abuja on Friday, 8th March, 2024.
The EVC/CEO made this pledge today Friday at NASENI Headquarters, Abuja during the official launch of “Developing Engineering Leaders Through Her” (DELT-Her), an event which also coincided with the global commemoration of International Women’s Day (IWD).
Delt-Her, according to Mr. Halilu is an initiative, a subset of Delta-2 programme, floated to close the gender gap in engineering practice in the country, inspire next generation of female engineers, provide financing support for new ideas and projects, translating them into viable businesses, and ultimately to strengthen the entire engineering ecosystem.
Mr. Halilu said, “DELT-Her is what I call an opportunity platform”, through which girls and young women can pitch and present their exciting and groundbreaking engineering ideas, for funding by NASENI, through our collaboration with the Presidential Implementation Committee on Technology Transfer (PICTT).
Speaking further on the project, he said, DELT-Her “seeks to correct the in balance in practice and enterprise development, by focusing attention and funding on young women, and very importantly, creating and cultivating public awareness around the need to train and mentor more women into the engineering professions.
According to him, what this should ideally mean is that women should make up half of all professional spaces in the country but, for now, this is far from reality. “The global average for female representation in engineering is 28 per cent. In Nigeria, it is only five percent, only one in 20 Nigerian engineers is a woman. This awareness component of the work is one that we will take very seriously, working through schools, and storytelling campaigns.
“We intend to, through DELT-HER, double the number of female engineers in Nigeria over the next five years. This will mean working extensively at the level of secondary education, which is where young girls make the vital decisions regarding choice of professional field”, he affirmed.
Earlier in his welcome address, Chairman, PICTT, Dr. Mohammed Dahiru stated that, “The Committee, through continuous support of NASENI is determined to fund innovative and commercially viable ideas in engineering and technology-oriented proposals by women. Therefore, today’s launch of call for proposals from young women marks the beginning of a chain of events which are expected to lead to engineering start-up companies owned and run by women.”
In her key note address, the President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Engr. Margaret Aina Oguntala said DELT-HER initiative sought to address the challenges of practice by the female gender, and to unlock the full potentials of women in engineering.
Other goodwill messages at the event included the chairman, Senate Committee on NASENI, Senator Ezenwa Francis Onyewuchi who pledged his support for Women in engineering and science sector to ensure that they are given their rightful position in society.
Others who gave goodwill messages include the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Citizenship and Leadership, Rinsola Abiola and Chairman, Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria(APWEN), Engr. Mrs. Katume Giwa. The event was graced by students from Government Secondary School, Dasara, Kuje, Abuja.
A new non-profit advocacy group, the National Affordable Connectivity Advocacy Network (NACAN), has launched initiatives aimed at addressing broadband affordability challenges and promoting policy reforms for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria.
Broadband
The launch coincided with the 2026 edition of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD), themed: “Digital lifelines: Strengthening resilience in a connected world.”
NACAN said its primary objective is to bridge digital access gaps affecting Nigerian SMEs by reducing broadband costs, advocating regulatory reforms and improving digital capacity for small businesses.
As part of its rollout plans, the organisation unveiled the Southern Connectivity Voucher Pilot, a programme designed to provide subsidised data vouchers to small businesses in major commercial centres in southern Nigeria.
According to the group, the intervention is expected to reduce internet-related operational costs for businesses and improve digital access.
NACAN also announced plans to host the Niger Delta Digital Lifelines Roundtable in Port Harcourt, bringing together state ICT commissioners, internet service providers, telecom stakeholders and civil society groups.
The forum is expected to focus on strengthening resilient last-mile broadband infrastructure across underserved communities.
Speaking at the launch, National Coordinator of NACAN, Uchechukwu Emmanuel Ugochukwu, said internet access had become critical infrastructure for Nigerian businesses.
“In the current economic climate, internet access is no longer a luxury for Nigerian businesses; it is an infrastructure lifeline.
“We are debuting to ensure that high data costs and weak network reliability do not permanently exclude Nigerian SMEs from the global digital economy,” he said.
The organisation also unveiled a policy advocacy agenda targeting reforms on Right-of-Way charges and measures to reduce frequent network outages affecting businesses.
To deepen stakeholder engagement, NACAN said it is collaborating with industry groups including the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA), the Niger Delta Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NDCCIMA), and the APC ICT Directorate, alongside private sector partners.
NACAN described itself as a non-profit initiative focused on promoting digital equity for Nigerian SMEs through advocacy for affordable, reliable and secure broadband infrastructure.
The group said its long-term goal is to support the integration of local businesses into the formal digital economy and stimulate inclusive economic growth.
Galaxy Backbone Limited (GBB) has said that sustained collaboration among African countries remains central to the continent’s drive toward digital transformation.
The organisation stressed that building secure, interoperable and inclusive digital systems across Africa cannot be achieved in isolation, calling for stronger regional partnerships to accelerate innovation and shared infrastructure development.
The position was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the Head of Corporate Communications at Galaxy Backbone, Chidi Okpala.
As it prepares to host a major delegation of policymakers, technology leaders and development partners in Abuja, GBB said the engagement would further highlight the importance of cross-border cooperation in shaping Africa’s digital future.
Okpala explained that the initiative is designed to provide both dialogue and practical exposure to Nigeria’s digital infrastructure ecosystem.
According to him, the visit will allow delegates to better understand how shared ICT systems are supporting governance and service delivery in the country.
“This engagement will provide an opportunity for African stakeholders to not only discuss policy frameworks but also see firsthand how digital public infrastructure is being deployed to improve efficiency, connectivity and innovation in the public sector,” Okpala said.
He added that GBB’s hosting role reflects its growing importance in advancing digital governance and infrastructure development across the continent.
“Galaxy Backbone is increasingly positioned as a key enabler of trusted digital infrastructure, and this engagement reinforces that role within Nigeria and beyond,” he noted.
Speaking ahead of the programme, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Galaxy Backbone, Professor Ibrahim Adeyanju, said the future of Africa’s digital economy depends on the ability of countries to work together in building resilient systems.
“No single country can achieve the level of transformation required on its own. We must share knowledge, align strategies, and invest in systems that can serve the entire continent,” Adeyanju said.
According to the statement, the engagement will feature a continental dialogue themed “Building Africa’s Digital Foundations Together,” bringing together stakeholders from 11 African countries in Abuja.
The programme is being organised in partnership with Co-Develop, Smart Africa, and MicroSave Consulting, with discussions expected to focus on Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), digital identity systems, secure connectivity, interoperability frameworks, and inclusive digital ecosystems.
GBB said delegates will also undertake a guided tour of its infrastructure and facilities in Abuja, where they will be exposed to Nigeria’s digital transformation journey and the systems supporting cloud services, cybersecurity, government connectivity, and digital platforms.
The company noted that the tour is intended to demonstrate how shared ICT infrastructure is strengthening governance and enabling more efficient public service delivery.
Participants are expected to explore practical pathways for accelerating the deployment of digital public infrastructure to support economic growth and institutional reforms across Africa.
GBB maintained that the initiative also confirms Nigeria’s position as a regional hub for digital innovation and infrastructure development, while deepening cooperation among African nations.
MTN Nigeria reinforced its commitment to supporting African storytelling and emerging creative talent at the 12th Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA), held on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Eko Hotels & Suites.
MTN Nigeria
Hosted by Bovi Ugboma and Nomzamo Mbatha, the star-studded event brought together some of the biggest names in African film, television, and entertainment for a night celebrating creativity, culture, and cinematic excellence.
As part of its participation at the Awards Night, MTN Nigeria sponsored the Best Short Film category, one of the standout moments of the evening aimed at recognising and rewarding emerging filmmakers shaping the future of African storytelling.
The award was presented by the General Manager, Enterprise Sales, MTN Nigeria, Febisola Oyeleye, alongside actor Jide Oyegbile.
The winning film, Hussaini, by filmmakers Orire Nwani and Josh Olaoluwa, earned both the prestigious AMVCA recognition and a ₦5 million cash prize sponsored by MTN Nigeria.
Speaking during the presentation of the cash prize to the winners, Chief Marketing Officer, MTN Nigeria, Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, reiterated MTN’s commitment to youth empowerment and supporting the creative industry through platforms that spotlight emerging talent.
According to her, the brand remains intentional about supporting young Nigerians who continue to push boundaries through creativity and storytelling. “At MTN, one of the things that we are so committed to is youth empowerment.
We believe that the youth of Nigeria are actually the future of the country. When we see young people being productive and coming out tops in what they do, it speaks to their commitment and ability to move beyond boundaries.
One of the ways we support the creative industry is through the short film category, and we are delighted to see deserving winners who are obviously on their way to great things,” she said.
The filmmakers behind Hussaini also celebrated the win, with one of the creators describing it as a defining moment after multiple nominations in the category.
“This is our last nomination in this category, and I’m excited we finally have it,” he said. “Next year, we are coming for Best Feature Film.”
Beyond the Awards Night, MTN’s presence throughout the AMVCA week extended to initiatives such as Young Filmmakers Day and the #MTNFilmChallenge, both designed to spotlight emerging talent and create opportunities for young creatives to tell authentic Nigerian and African stories through film and digital content.
With its continued investment in platforms that celebrate creativity and empower young storytellers, MTN Nigeria once again highlighted the important role partnerships can play in shaping the future of Africa’s entertainment industry.
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