News
NITDA Commits to Empowerment of Women
Kashifu Inuwa, the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has reaffirmed the agency’s unwavering commitment to collaborating and empowering women to bridge the digital gender gap in Nigeria.
Inuwa expressed this during a meeting with a delegation from TECHWOMEN, led by Ms. Binta Mustapha, at the Agency’s Corporate Headquarters in Abuja.
While noting the role of promoting digital inclusion among women from diverse backgrounds in national development, Inuwa said empowering women aligns with one of NITDA’s core pillars “Fostering Digital Literacy and Cultivating Talent” as outlined in the Agency’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan 2.0.
Recognising the increasing global demand for a workforce proficient in both basic digital literacy and advanced technological skills, the NITDA Boss disclosed ongoing efforts to develop a National Digital Gender Inclusion Strategy aimed at addressing the historical dominance of men in previously launched initiatives.
He added that there is need for a minimum of 40% women representation across all NITDA initiatives to create a conducive environment for women to thrive in the technology sector.
Inuwa further shared NITDA’s commitment to supporting women, citing collaborative efforts with the World Bank to provide digital literacy training for women.
He also mentioned initiatives such as the 3 Million Technical Talent programme, emphasising the importance of women’s participation and the agency’s partnerships with global tech giants like Google, Microsoft, Coursera, and others to build talent and enhance access to digital job opportunities.
He said, “The idea is to build talent and get access to jobs. We are working with different partners both local and international on how this can be propagated and even incorporate it in our mentor curriculum.
The Director General emphasized the broader goal of these initiatives – building talent and facilitating job access. He revealed ongoing partnerships with both local and international organizations to propagate these efforts and integrate them into mentorship curricula.
Earlier in her remarks, Ms. Binta Mustapha stated that their organisation mentor women in various fields to provide them with the knowledge and ideas they need to make positive contributions to the growth of the nation.
“The opportunities given to women has aid in bridging the gender gap, providing them with the platform to showcase their talents and innovative ideas towards solution findings bringing about ideas and knowledge sharing.
“More women participation is needed in the tech world so as to contribute their own quota to the growth of the nation through job creations and attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI),” she added.
News
Legit.ng, Shade of Life Foundation Partner to Advance Autism Awareness in Nigeria
Legit.ng recently joined forces with the Shade of Life Foundation to become a voice of autism, and drive advocacy for improved media support during Autism Awareness Month.
Conversations around media support exploration was led by Joseph Omotayo, head of Department for Human Interest Stories at Legit.ng, and Dr. Eziafakaku Nwokolo, founder and CEO of the Shade of Life Foundation,
This partnership is a response to the concerns raised by organizations like the Shade of Life Foundation about the level of support received from the media in discussing autism as a disability.
While other disabilities may receive attention, autism, with its critical developmental implications often lacks adequate representation in mainstream media.
Recognizing the importance of addressing these concerns, Legit.ng took proactive steps by integrating itself into the essence of autism awareness.
It facilitated a one-hour workshop with Dr. Nwokolo, the founder of the foundation, to deepen our understanding of autism, its various spectrums, and the language boundaries associated with it.
Other steps we took in advocating autism awareness in the media, can be seen in our attached press release.
Legit.ng believes that by amplifying the voices of autism and advocating for better media representation, we can contribute to creating a more inclusive and accepting society for all.
News
As Nigeria Struggle, Tanzania Turns off Power Plants Due to Excess Supply
While 85 per cent of Nigeria is in darkness, Tanzania, an African country has shut down five hydroelectric stations in a bid to reduce excess electricity in the national grid.
Kassim Majaliwa, prime minister, Tanzania, has said the main plant, Mwalimu Nyerere Hydroelectric Station, alone generated enough electricity to power major cities, including Dar es Salaam, the country’s commercial hub.
It is the first time Tanzania, which suffers chronic power shortages, has closed hydroelectric stations due to excess production.
“We have turned off all these stations because the demand is low and the electricity production is too much, we have no allocation now,” an official from state-run power company, Tanesco, said.
The 2,115MW Julius Nyerere Hydropower Dam is said to be almost filled with water following heavy rains that started early this year.
Meanwhile, while the country has an installed capacity of 1,938MW and the grid installed capacity of 1,899MW, Nigeria which has an installed capacity of 13,000MW is struggling to electrify 85 per cent of its electricity consumers.
News
President Tinubu Appoints Jim Ovia as Student Loan Fund Chairman
President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Jim Ovia, renowned banker and businessman, as the Chairman, Board of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.
Ovia’s appointment is contained in a State House statement titled, ‘President Tinubu appoints Jim Ovia as Chairman of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund,’ and issued on Friday by Ajuri Ngelale, special adviser to the President, Media & Publicity.
The statement noted that “Ovia is the founder of one of Nigeria’s leading banks and a respected business leader, with a surfeit of efforts and benefaction towards nurturing and empowering young Nigerians.
“He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School and holds a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Louisiana.”
The National Student Loan Programme is a pivotal intervention that seeks to guarantee sustainable higher education and functional skill development for all Nigerian students and youths.
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund, the implementing institution of this innovation, demands excellence and Nigerians of the finest professional ilk to guide and manage.
“The President believes Mr. Ovia will bring his immense wealth of experience and professional stature to this role to advance the all-important vision of ensuring that no Nigerian student suffers a capricious end to their pursuit of higher education over a lack of funds,” the statement partly read.
Ovia’s appointment will also ensure “that Nigerian youths, irrespective of who they are, have access to higher education and skills that will make them productive members of society and core contributors to the knowledge-based global economy of this century.”
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