Telecom
UN Empowers 100 Nigerian Girls with ICT Skills
About 100 Nigerian girls aged between 12 and 25 are participating in the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), coding camp in Niamey.
A statement issued on the UNECA’s website said the training was part of its “Young African Women Connected Coding Camp” initiative.
UNECA said that the training aim was to promote access to Information Communication Technology (ICT) and provide them with good foundation for long-term success in their employment, business creation or further education, and build important partnerships.
Mr Hassane Baraze, Minister of Post and New Information Technologies of Niger, said it was imperative to strengthen vocational training, especially in young girls.
Baraze, who chaired the training, said that it was also important to operationalise the skills required to drive creativity and innovation in the girls.
“Technology skills can lift women from poverty by providing them middle and higher-level jobs.
“It is a stepping stone for high-potential women to higher levels and also reduces the gender gap between men and women,” he said.
The Director of the UNECA Sub-Regional Office for West Africa, Ms Ngone Diop said that in Niger, 70 per cent of the population does not have access to the Internet.
According to Diop, this segment of the population excluded from internet use comprises women, young people and the elderly.
She said, “More than ever, Africa must accelerate digital transformation initiatives by strengthening youth participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Maths (STEAM) activities.
The UNECA’s Director of Technology, Climate Change and Natural Resources, Jean-Paul Adam, said since the launch of this initiative in 2019, ECA had trained more than 20,000 young women and girls.
Adam said that the UNECA had undertaken 239 innovative projects and given 49 awards for the best prototypes designed to solve the socio-economic challenges across the continent.
“This Nigerian girls’ coding camp covers technical areas such as animation, gaming and web development, robotics and the Internet of Things, and 3D printing.
“It also includes generic cognitive processes such as project development, design thinking, and the role of women in STEAM.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the UNECA training is being held in collaboration with the Government of Niger and UN-WOMEN.
The seventh edition of the coding training for young girls in Africa, which commenced on Feb. 20, is scheduled to end on March 1 in Niamey, Niger.
NAN reports that the Minister of Women’s Promotion and Child Protection, Ms Allahoury Zourkaleini, Minister of National Education, Mr Ibrahim Natatou and members of the Parliament were among several guests that attended the programme. (NAN)
Google has launched its Search Live feature globally to over 200 countries, including Nigeria, where AI Mode is available, enabling voice-and-camera conversations in users’ preferred languages.
Powered by the new multilingual Gemini 3.1 Flash Live model, it delivers natural, real-time interactions via the Google app on Android or iOS—tap the Live icon under the Search bar.
Ideal for hands-free help, users can speak queries for audio replies, follow-ups, or web links. Camera integration adds visual context, like troubleshooting a shelving unit, or pairs with Google Lens for real-world chats.
From the app or Lens, Nigerians can now explore, learn, or solve tasks instantly, boosting everyday productivity worldwide.
Clean and reliable power for telecom networks in Ethiopia, Liberia, and Sierra Leone will be expanded following a $45 million investment by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in IPT PowerTech.
The investment targets countries where limited power supply continues to slow digital connectivity and broader economic participation, the institution stated earlier this week.
To enable this expansion, the IFC is providing a $45 million corporate financing package consisting of an A-loan of $27 million and $18 million in blended finance.
The blended portion is sourced from the Canada-IFC Blended Climate Finance Programme and the IDA20 Private Sector Window Blended Finance Facility.
The initiative marks the IFC’s first direct infrastructure engagement in Liberia in a decade and in Sierra Leone in six years.
It will help scale solar- and battery-based power systems that reduce reliance on diesel and support greener, more resilient telecom networks.
By improving the quality and stability of power to telecom towers, the initiative will strengthen mobile coverage and ensure that households, schools, health centres, and small businesses can depend on consistent digital services, said the IFC.
The funding supports the modernisation, operation, and maintenance of 2 235 telecom sites across the three nations. More than 90% of these are located in off-grid or weak-grid locations.
With new solar and battery systems powering these sites, mobile networks will experience fewer outages and improved service quality.
Optimising the energy mix is estimated to reduce power costs for operators by up to 30% in Liberia, 26% in Sierra Leone, and 52% in Ethiopia.
This transition is also expected to cut emissions by more than 10 624 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. Furthermore, the partnership will promote gender inclusion by expanding opportunities for women in technical, operational, and leadership roles within the sector, says the IFC.
This agreement reflects a shared vision for a greener telecom industry and empowers the company to scale its innovative energy platforms, according to Nabil Haddad, CEO of IPT PowerTech Group.
Reliable and affordable power for telecom networks is a cornerstone of Africa’s digital transformation, said Nathalie Kouassi-Akon, IFC regional director for West Africa and the Gulf of Guinea.
Through this partnership, the institution is supporting a scalable, private sector-led solution that enables mobile operators to reach underserved and fragile communities more sustainably, added Kouassi-Akon.
The project advances the World Bank Group and African Development Bank’s Mission 300 initiative, which aims to provide electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030.
Expedier has unveiled “Expedier for Business,” an online pro-banking platform to simplify global payments, multi-currency transactions, and financial operations for expanding companies.
Kingsley Madu
The tool centralizes payments, invoicing, payroll, and treasury into one secure dashboard, tackling challenges like fragmented systems and poor visibility that hinder international scaling.
Kingsley Madu, Co-Founder and CEO of Expedier, said: “African businesses are increasingly global… Expedier for Business was built to simplify how companies manage money across borders while maintaining visibility, control, and compliance.”
Key features include customizable dashboards for payments, invoices, and workflows; support for USD, CAD, GBP, EUR, and more; virtual cards; automated payroll/invoicing; currency swaps; and real-time tracking.
Security measures cover two-factor authentication, KYC/KYB verification, and team access controls.
As cross-border trade and remote work boom in Africa, the platform aids firms dealing with international suppliers, teams, and customers. It is now available for organizations scaling globally.
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