The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has officially launched the second cohort of the IgniteHer Bootcamp, a transformative initiative focused on promoting gender inclusion and economic empowerment through digital innovation.
Themed “Empowering Women Entrepreneurs for Growth and Innovation,” the bootcamp was launched in partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and brought together women entrepreneurs from across Nigeria, both in person and virtually, for intensive training. The program offers participants valuable skills in digital literacy, innovation management, business development, and investor readiness.
Declaring the program open, NITDA’s Director General, Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE, represented by Dr. Ahmed Tambuwal, Acting Director of Digital Literacy and Capacity Building, emphasized that the IgniteHer initiative is a crucial component of national efforts to reform Nigeria’s economy and promote inclusive digital growth. “Through IgniteHer, we are actualising President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda by expanding women’s access to technology and economic opportunity,” Inuwa stated.
He further explained that the bootcamp supports NITDA’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2.0: 2024–2027), which is designed to foster inclusive innovation, poverty reduction, and youth empowerment across Nigeria.
A core element of the program is its alignment with the National Gender Digital Inclusion Strategy (NGDIS), through which NITDA aims to empower 12.7 million Nigerian women with digital skills by 2027. According to Inuwa, narrowing the digital gender gap has significant economic implications, citing a World Wide Web Foundation report which estimates that Nigeria could unlock $13 billion in GDP growth over the next decade by addressing this gap. “We are not merely imparting skills; we are creating self-reliant entrepreneurs, change-makers, and leaders,” he added, urging the selected participants—chosen from over 12,000 applicants—to embrace the opportunity.
Highlighting the importance of strategic partnerships, the DG praised JICA and the Government of Japan for their enduring collaboration in supporting digital transformation initiatives such as IgniteHer and iHatch, a startup incubation program that offers mentoring and innovation support to early-stage entrepreneurs. “Inclusive innovation is not just an ideal but a critical strategy. Through IgniteHer, we are dismantling barriers and replacing them with pathways to opportunity,” Inuwa concluded.
Speaking at the event, Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Matsunaga Kazuyoshi, reiterated Japan’s commitment to advancing innovation and gender inclusion in Nigeria. He announced that JICA is currently supporting two grant projects worth $30.9 million, aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s startup ecosystem and building a more inclusive innovation hub.
He also highlighted the upcoming Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9), themed “Co-create Innovative Solutions with Africa,” as a continued effort to deepen Japan-Africa collaboration in digital transformation and entrepreneurship.
Lead facilitator of IgniteHer, Hajiya Hafsat Salabi-Dange, described the bootcamp as a catalyst for societal change, stressing that it equips women not only with business tools but also with the means to transform communities and drive national development. “What you will gain here goes beyond business. It is a tool for community upliftment, national growth, and generational impact,” she encouraged, urging participants to remain curious, intentional, and bold.
The IgniteHer Bootcamp stands as a key milestone in NITDA’s commitment to building an inclusive, digitally empowered Nigeria where women are central to innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic progress.
