E-Business
Accenture Teams with Code.org to Advance Coding Literacy Via ‘Hour of Code’
Accenture is teaming with Code.org to support global participation in Hour of Code, one of the world’s largest educational events, designed to prove anyone can learn the basics of coding, have fun doing it, then continue learning beyond one hour.
Thousands of Accenture employees around the world completed nearly 8,000 Hours of Code during Computer Science Education Week (December 7-13).
This number is expected to grow as Accenture employees commit to an Hour of Code and volunteer to work with teachers and Code.org to help students learn the basics of computer science at local schools and events through fun, game-like online lessons.
Organized by Code.org, the Hour of Code brings together more than 350 partner organizations and tens of millions of students in every country around the world.
The goal of the grassroots movement was to empower every student in every school with the opportunity to learn computer science. By starting early, students will have a foundation for success in any 21st-century career path.
”We are aligned with Code.org’s mission and vision that exposure to coding is important to the success of every student, regardless of what field they choose to pursue,” said Paul Daugherty, Accenture’s chief technology officer. “We must all do more to encourage greater interest in computer science in schools, especially for girls and underrepresented students of color. Armed with coding skills they develop throughout their academic careers, students will be much better prepared to fill key roles in the digital businesses of the future. I am impressed with the passion and energy that our Accenture people are showing in their commitment to this important cause.”
“The need for people with STEM skills has never been greater,” said Roxanne Taylor, Accenture’s chief marketing and communications officer. “By 2020, there will be 1.2 million jobs requiring computer-related skills in the U.S. alone. Yet the pipeline of graduates with technology skills is lacking, especially among women. Code.org is helping to reverse this trend by addressing the issue early in the education cycle. We need to get young people excited about computer science long before they enter college. Hour of Code is an amazing campaign that does just that.”
As part of its collaboration with Code.org, senior Accenture leaders will join with employees in 186 cities across 56 countries to participate in Hour of Code activities including: Paul Daugherty, Accenture Chief Technology Officer, will join Code.org Co-founder and CEO HadiPartovi at Fort Greene Preparatory Academy, Brooklyn, NY, US; Ellyn Shook, Accenture Chief Human Resources Officer, at Oakridge International School, Bangalore, India; Julie Sweet, Accenture Group Chief Executive – North America, at The National Center for Children and Families, Washington, D.C., US and Emma McGuigan, Senior Managing Director, Accenture’s UK and Ireland Technology Group, at STEM organization, London, UK.
Others are Jane Livesey, Managing Director, Accenture’s Australia and New Zealand Technology Lead , at Our Lady of Perpetual Succour School in Sydney, Australia; Marc Carrel-Billiard, Managing Director, Accenture Technology, Global Technology R&D, at Fremont High School in Oakland, California, US.
“Accenture is leading by example in their efforts to support computer science education with a company-wide commitment to help students start learning skills that will prepare them for the best opportunities in any future career path,” said Code.org CEO and Co-founder HadiPartovi. “By not only looking inward into their own organization, Accenture’s support in classrooms and Code.org events around the world will address some of the biggest issues faced by the technology industry, helping make it more diverse, inclusive and available to all people.”
Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations.
Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions – underpinned by the world’s largest delivery network – Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders.
Code.org, on the other hand, is a 501c3 public non-profit dedicated to expanding access to computer science and increasing participation by women and underrepresented students of color. Its vision is that every student in every school should have the opportunity to learn computer science.
After launching in 2013, Code.org organized the Hour of Code campaign – which has introduced over 100 million students to computer science to date – and partnered with 90 public school districts nationwide to expand computer science programs. Code.org is supported by philanthropic donations from corporations, foundations and generous individuals, including Ballmer Family Giving, Google, Infosys Foundation USA, Microsoft, Omidyar Network and others.
Dr Adebowale Adedokun, director-general, Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), has reaffirmed the bureau’s commitment to data protection in Nigeria.
He disclosed this in a statement at the weekend by Zira Nagga, head of Public Relations, BPP, following a courtesy visit by a delegation from the National Data Protection Commission (NDPC).
Adedokun stressed that data protection is vital to Nigeria’s economy and development, particularly in areas such as demography, health, education, and other key sectors.
He emphasised that no country should leave its data unprotected, as it plays a crucial role in future planning and national development.
“Data governs the world. It is essential to technological progress and must be protected for a country or business to be taken seriously,” he said.
Adedokun described the visit, aimed at fostering partnership on data policy implementation and protection, as timely and aligned with national goals.
He said the BPP would collaborate closely with the NDPC to boost data development, capacity building, and enhance the procurement system.
“The BPP will support compliance as part of the ‘Nigeria First’ Policy, although it is not a core procurement eligibility requirement,” he explained.
He suggested a hybrid training model to help build strong capacity in data protection, privacy awareness, and policy understanding.
According to him, a dynamic training approach will reduce logistics costs and improve public confidence in data safety and privacy.
Dr Vincent Olatunji, CEO, and national commissioner, NDPC, praised Adedokun and the BPP for supporting data protection initiatives.
He said the partnership supports President Bola Tinubu’s vision and will strengthen data privacy across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
“The collaboration will create awareness and train BPP staff to ensure a firm grasp of data protection principles and policies,” he stated.
Olatunji said the NDPC would establish a working group to finalise a Memorandum of Understanding beneficial to both institutions.
He added that President Tinubu signed the NDPC into law on 12 June 2023 to uphold citizens’ rights and protect national and business data.
Olatunji also noted that strict legal measures were in place to enforce data protection and ensure full compliance nationwide.
Both agencies agreed to form a team to sign the MoU and focus on capacity building and data management in procurement and beyond.
President Bola Tinubu said that his administration has initiated a project to install fibre optic cables across the country, aimed at enhancing the socio-economic development of Nigeria.
His plans were contained in a speech he delivered at a joint session of the National Assembly in commemoration of Democracy Day on Thursday, June 12.
He said the fibre optic layout is part of other projects being embarked on.
“In addition, we have embarked on an ambitious project to lay fibre optic cables across the nation, a transformative step toward bridging the digital divide and fostering greater connectivity.
“This initiative promises not only to enhance the speed and reliability of internet access but also to revolutionise how businesses operate, how students learn, and how communities stay connected,” Tinubu stated.
He maintained that by extending this critical infrastructure, his government is empowering entrepreneurs, enabling digital education, and providing the tools for our youth to compete in a globalised world.
In a most recent report on Internet connectivity, The ICIR pointed out how Nigeria has faced setbacks in its deployment of fibre optic cables and needs a transformation.
The challenges revolve around vandalism, inadequate coordination between road construction and telecom infrastructure, and varying right-of-way (RoW) charges across states.
Among industry experts, these issues impact network outages, increase repair costs, and hinder broadband expansion efforts.
It has also further threatened the digital economy, leading to slower Internet speeds, dropped calls, and unreliable connectivity among others.
African startups raised more than $345 million across 65 deals in May, more than double the amount raised in the same period of last year, according to a report by Briter, a research and business intelligence firm.
The report disclosed that both the number of deals and participating companies declined, confirming a growing trend of fewer companies raising funds in larger sizes.
It said fintech attracted the highest share of funding in May, accounting for 34 percent of the total, while cleantech followed closely, driven by a debt deal from Sun King. The company raised $80 million (in local currency) to expand clean energy access in Nigeria.
“Equity remains the primary instrument in terms of total value. There’s no doubt about it; in fact, equity deals with disclosed amounts captured more than half of the total funding volume in May.
“However, debt financing is increasingly proving its weight. Although it accounted for only 8 percent of all deals, it represented 32 percent of the total funding, highlighting the typically larger size of debt transactions. With the rise of specialised vehicles targeting early-stage businesses, debt is becoming an increasingly important part of Africa’s innovation funding landscape,” it said.
Briter’s report added that grants continued to play a vital role in early-stage support, especially in the education technology (EdTech) sector. The Mastercard Foundation led the pack in grant activity, funding a new cohort of EdTech innovators in Nigeria and Kenya. Each selected startup is set to receive $100,000 in grant funding, in addition to mentorship and business development support.
Multilaterals also made a strong showing in May, it said. The Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), a World Bank Group member, issued a $179.6 million guarantee to CleanTech firm KOKO Networks. The support will help scale its clean energy solutions across Kenya.
“This deal not only demonstrates growing international confidence in African climate ventures but also signals a promising pathway for other asset-intensive startups in clean cooking, agriculture, and renewable energy,” the report said.
From a geographic perspective, Egypt emerged as the continent’s fundraising powerhouse for the month, contributing 51 percent of all funding raised. The country recorded 12 deals across equity, debt, and bond instruments. Notably, FinTech platform MNT-Halan raised $50 million through a bond issuance, further illustrating the diversification of capital-raising mechanisms in the region.
Outside Egypt, funding was distributed across Africa’s three other key markets, which are Egypt, Nigeria, and Kenya, with limited activity recorded in countries such as Ghana, Tunisia, Morocco, and Uganda, each registering between one and three deals.
In terms of exits, the African tech landscape continues to mature. Three companies—Baobab+, Qardy, and Shopa—were acquired in May, bringing the total number of exits this year to 22. This already surpasses last year’s count for the same period. Qardy was acquired by Catalyst Partners Middle East (CPME) in a disclosed deal valued at $23 million, the report added.
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