For over a decade, the Girls in ICT Day celebration has become a beacon of hope and transformation for young girls across Nigeria. Now in its 13th year, the recent event held in Lagos once again ignited enthusiasm, vision, and purpose, as students from 10 secondary schools gathered alongside ICT industry leaders to celebrate progress and push for greater inclusion.
Organized by eBusiness Life Communication Limited, this year’s theme — “Girls in ICTs: Bridging ALL Divides for an Inclusive Digital Transformation” — emphasized the need to move beyond access and participation, to leadership and innovation.
In her opening remarks, Mrs. Ufuoma Emuophedaro, CEO of eBusiness Life and convener of the initiative, highlighted the campaign’s growing impact. “We’ve raised a generation of girls who now see themselves in tech,” she said, referencing heartfelt messages from past participants who are now studying and building careers in ICT.
From robotics and coding competitions to STEM quizzes and roundtable dialogues, the event empowered young girls to engage with technology not just as users but as creators and leaders. It also served as a platform to highlight the stark reality: only 3% of students enrolling in ICT courses globally are female, despite women making up nearly 47% of the global workforce.
Speakers including Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), and Adeboye Adeniji of Globacom, issued strong calls to action, urging governments and corporate bodies to close the digital gender gap by investing in skills, infrastructure, and opportunities for girls.
“There are 189 million fewer women than men online in 2024,” said Bogdan-Martin. “That’s 189 million missed opportunities to learn, innovate and lead.”
Echoing this sentiment, Bisola Oladejo, Head of Cybersecurity & Compliance Advisory at Digital Encode, encouraged girls to embrace ICT, stressing that the digital space is vast and full of possibilities—from app development to cybersecurity to artificial intelligence. She also highlighted challenges like limited STEM education, cyberbullying, and gender bias, calling for stronger policy support and collaboration with NGOs and the private sector.
The event culminated in a celebration of female excellence with awards given to Funmilola Victoria Omojola (ICT Touch Holder Award) and Dr. Nihinlola Mary Fafore (ICT Advocacy Award), both recognized for their exceptional contributions to the industry.
With 377,000 girls and young women impacted globally since the campaign’s inception and over 11,000 Girls in ICT Day celebrations held in 171 countries, Nigeria’s ongoing commitment to the initiative continues to inspire. The message was clear: the future of tech is female, and it begins now.
