By Fatima Bello
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has reiterated its commitment to advancing digital inclusion for women by exploring a strategic partnership with the National Association of Women in Colleges of Education (WICE) to strengthen digital literacy, entrepreneurship and technology-driven capacity development across Colleges of Education in Nigeria.
The commitment was made by the Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, during a courtesy visit by a delegation of WICE to the Agency’s Corporate Headquarters in Abuja.
Speaking during the meeting, Inuwa said NITDA’s approach to partnerships is focused on building sustainable programmes that deliver measurable impact rather than providing one-off support for events. He noted that the Agency is ready to work with WICE in designing initiatives that will empower women educators and students with practical digital and entrepreneurial skills.
He revealed that NITDA has already developed digital literacy curricula and training packages for Colleges of Education and other tertiary institutions, adding that the Agency is now focused on supporting institutions to effectively implement the programmes nationwide.
According to him, collaborating with WICE provides an opportunity to develop targeted interventions for women in Colleges of Education, particularly through specialised Information Technology training that will strengthen their professional capacity and prepare them to drive digital transformation within the education sector.
The DG stressed that gender inclusion remains central to NITDA’s programmes, describing teachers as critical agents of change whose digital empowerment would have a ripple effect on families, communities and future generations.
Highlighting the Agency’s women-focused initiatives, Inuwa referenced the IgniteHer Bootcamp for Women Entrepreneurs, which equips participants with digital literacy, digital marketing and business development skills. He suggested that aspects of the programme could be adapted for teachers, enabling them to mentor young girls while promoting innovation and entrepreneurship.
He also highlighted the need to increase female participation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), expressing concern over the low representation of women in emerging fields such as Artificial Intelligence, Data Science and Analytics. He urged WICE to intensify advocacy that encourages more girls to pursue technology careers and take advantage of opportunities within Nigeria’s growing digital economy.
Inuwa further invited members of the Association to participate in the women-focused sessions of the forthcoming Digital Nigeria Conference and encouraged students in Colleges of Education to leverage NITDA’s startup support programmes.
Earlier, the North-West Zonal Coordinator of WICE, Zainab Inuwa Adamu, appealed to the NITDA Director General to serve as Patron of the Association’s forthcoming National Conference scheduled to hold at the Federal College of Education (Technical), Bichi, Kano State.
She explained that the conference venue was selected in recognition of the Association’s founding mother, Professor Jamila Shuara, whose academic career began at the institution.
Adamu noted that WICE, established more than three decades ago, was founded to promote the welfare and professional development of women in Colleges of Education while also championing community service initiatives that support vulnerable girls, mentor adolescents and provide vocational and life skills.
She proposed a nationwide digital empowerment partnership between WICE and NITDA that could be launched during the National Conference before being extended to Colleges of Education across the country.
According to her, the collaboration would combine WICE’s grassroots network with NITDA’s digital transformation initiatives to equip women educators and students with relevant digital competencies, while supporting Nigeria’s broader agenda of inclusive technological and socio-economic development.
