Telecom
International Women’s Day: Google to train 20,000 women across Africa
Google on Monday announced its commitment to empower 20,000 women in Africa with Entrepreneurship, Workplace Readiness, Leadership and Technology Skills, before the end of the year.
According to the company, the training is in commemoration of the 2020 International Women’s Day celebration.
The first batch of the training dubbed Women Will training tour is aimed at training 5,000 women in 17 cities across Africa including Abeokuta, Abuja, Ado Ekiti, Ibadan, Yaba, Uyo and 5 other cities in Nigeria.
Through this program, Google will empower participating women with Entrepreneurship, Workplace Readiness, Leadership and Technology Skills, starting with an empowerment drive in March and April.
A further 15,000 women on the continent will be trained through community-driven training initiatives via Women Will communities across Sub-saharan Africa.
Speaking about the training, Mojolaoluwa Aderemi Makinde, head, Brand & Reputation, Google SSA, siad “On International Women’s Day in 2019, Google announced the launch of Women Will, Google’s initiative to create opportunities for women, in Africa under the Grow with Google umbrella.
“Since then, we have reached more than 10,000 women across eight countries and 26 communities.
“With 26 chapters across Africa, Women Will has helped create access to networks, skills and opportunities for women across the continent.”
According to a 2012 World Development Report, women account for 40% of the global labour force and are more likely to work in less productive sectors than their male counterparts.
A similar report by UN Women also shows that women are more likely to be unemployed than men.
Based on historical data, 2017 global unemployment rates stood at 5.5% for women relative to 6.2% for men and this is projected to remain unchanged till 2021.
“Empowering women in the economy and closing gender gaps are key to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and sustainable development goals, particularly to achieve gender equality, to promote full and productive employment and decent work for all and reducing inequalities.
“Google remains committed to providing a platform for women to achieve their potential and to grow,” she stated.
She added that: “Since 2016, we have trained young people and SMEs living in Africa via our Digital Skills for Africa program to help them find jobs and grow their businesses.
“Our digital skills training has been offered in 29 countries across Africa, with over 60% of trainees having confirmed recording business growth, starting new businesses, finding jobs or growing in their current jobs.
“To date, we have trained more than 5 million people, 48% of which are women.”
Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has issued a stern warning to content creators filming and sharing videos of unsuspecting citizens on social media, describing such practices as direct violations of citizens’ rights to informational self-determination.
NDPC
The Commission drew attention to individuals capturing pictures and footage of the general public without consent, breaching Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023 (NDP Act).
NDPC specifically flagged a content creator in Lagos State who films unsuspecting passersby at roadsides for a “reality show”. The Commission stressed that processing personal images in this manner demands explicit consent or a justifiable lawful basis under the NDP Act.
Preliminary investigations revealed no public or legitimate interest served by this “wilful invasion of privacy”. Data subjects, the Commission noted, have no reasonable expectation that their images would be captured and broadcast globally by an unknown individual.
National Commissioner/CEO Dr Vincent Olatunji has instructed social media platform owners—including TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and Meta—to intensify enforcement of community guidelines to prevent harm from unlawful and unfair personal data processing.
Platforms failing to act promptly face sanctions under the NDP Act. Individual creators remain personally liable for violations, potentially facing criminal prosecution for infringing citizens’ and data subjects’ privacy rights.
The advisory was signed by Babatunde Bamigboye, Esq. CDPRP, Head of Legal, Enforcement and Regulations.
NDPC emphasised that abuse of rights under the guise of entertainment will not be tolerated, urging compliance to safeguard Nigerians’ data privacy in the digital age.
In celebration of International Women’s Day (IWD) 2026, Techeconomy, a leading business news platform in Nigeria, has unveiled its “100 Women Shaping the Future: Techeconomy Power List 2026,” recognizing exceptional women driving innovation, leadership, and impact across technology and the broader digital economy.
Techeconomy
The annual recognition spotlights women who are transforming industries through entrepreneurship, policy leadership, digital innovation, financial inclusion, media, education, and emerging technologies.
The initiative is part of Techeconomy’s commitment to promoting gender inclusion and highlighting female leadership shaping Africa’s technology ecosystem.
The Techeconomy IWD Power List features a diverse group of women, from corporate executives and startup founders to policymakers, ecosystem builders, and social innovators, whose work continues to influence the future of technology, business, and digital transformation in Nigeria and across Africa.
Speaking on the initiative, Joan Aimuengheuwa, the Managing Editor at Techeconomy, noted that the recognition goes beyond celebrating titles, focusing instead on impact, resilience, and the ability to shape the future through innovation and leadership.
According to her, “the women on the list represent different sectors including fintech, banking, healthcare, agriculture, education, communications, and the creative economy, demonstrating the growing role of women in advancing technology-driven development.
The unveiling aligns with the global celebration of International Women’s Day, which highlights the achievements of women and calls for accelerated progress toward gender equality. Across the world, the technology sector continues to push for greater female representation and leadership as part of efforts to build more inclusive digital economies.
Also speaking, Oluwatosin Aloba, the Brand Manager at Techeconomy, said: “Techeconomy IWD 2026 Power List is specially designed to inspire the next generation of female innovators and leaders by showcasing role models who are breaking barriers and redefining possibilities in the technology landscape.
“Techeconomy encouraged industry stakeholders, institutions, and the broader public to celebrate the achievements of these women while continuing to support policies, programs, and investments that expand opportunities for women in technology”, she added.
The full list of the “100 Women Shaping the Future: Techeconomy Power List 2026” is available on the Techeconomy website or visit: https://techeconomy.ng/techeconomy-iwd-2026-power-list-celebrates-100-women-shaping-the-future-of-tech/.
National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), via its Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI), has partnered with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to launch applications for the fifth cohort of the iHatch Startup Incubation Programme, targeting 37 innovation hubs—one per state and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
NITDA
The initiative selects hubs as state-level managers to run incubation programmes, addressing uneven support outside Lagos and Abuja. “Nigeria’s startup ecosystem has grown rapidly, but access remains uneven,” said ONDI National Coordinator Victoria Fabunmi. “iHatch builds stronger hubs, standardises quality, and boosts investment readiness across all regions.”
Amid Africa’s $3.42 billion startup funding in 2025, Nigeria’s innovation clusters in major cities, sidelining rural founders. Selected hubs will incubate five startups each for at least one year, providing structured guidance for growth and funding. Hubs gain operational support, resources, and performance rewards—prioritizing ecosystem leadership over cash grants.
Eligibility and Timeline
Eligible hubs must:
Operate for at least one year with local engagement.
Possess infrastructure for incubation activities.
Applications close March 16 at ondi.nitda.gov.ng/#/ihatch.
Fabunmi emphasized: “By equipping hubs with tools, curriculum, and oversight, iHatch ensures consistent outcomes for founders everywhere,” tackling geographic gaps to scale local innovation.
CBN Orders Banks to Restrict Access to Banking Services for Loan Defaulters
NLNG Advances Media Excellence with Change Your Story Workshop
Interswitch Advocates Trust-Driven Infrastructure as Cornerstones of Africa’s Cross-Border Capital Future
Why JustMarkets Is a Strong Choice for Gold Trading
UBA Business Series Celebrates ‘Gen.W: The Evolved Woman’ in Push for Female Empowerment
Kaspersky Discovers New Phishing Campaign Exploiting Google Tasks Notifications to Steal Corporate Credentials
esentry 2025 Report Shows Healthcare, Financial Services and Telecoms as Staging Grounds for Increased Cyberattacks in Africa
AfDB, UNDP Launch $10Bn AI Initiative for Africa
Pheelz Shares His Journey on Glo-Sponsored African Voices
Mutual Benefits Assurance Settles ₦5.9bn Claims in January 2026
General News1 day agoCourt Freezes Bank Accounts of Petrocam, Founder over Alleged N9Bn Zenith Bank Debt
E-Business2 days agoFG Moves to Strengthen Children’s Online Safety
General News1 day agoFCCPC Says Telcos, Energy Firms Lead Consumer Complaints in Nigeria
E-Financial2 days agoCBN Directs Banks to Activate Anti-Money Laundering Systems
Telecom1 day agoTecheconomy Unveils IWD 2026 Power List Celebrating 100 Women Shaping the Future
Telecom2 days agoCanal+ Unveils €100m Rescue Plan to Revive MultiChoice after Subscriber Slump
E-Business2 days agoHow Africa Can Turn the AI Wave into Inclusive Growth
E-Business2 days agoNigeria’s Non-Oil Exports Hit N12.36trn in 2025 – NBS