MainOne joins global effort for women in ICT

MainOne, provider of innovative telecom services and network solutions for  businesses in West Africa has lent its voice to the global campaign  urging girls and young women to consider careers in the growing  information and communications technology (ICT) sector during the  International Girls in ICT Day which was hosted by E-Business Life  Communications Limited last Thursday April 28, 2016.

Jumoke  Akande, Marketing Manager at MainOne, noted that there is currently a  gender disparity in ICT jobs and urged girls and women to pursue  ICT-related careers.

“We believe that improving the number of  girls in ICT careers creates a more balanced and inclusive society.

Therefore, it is important that we encourage girls to expand their  horizons, to empower and enable them overcome whatever limiting mindsets and fears they might have regarding pursuing careers in ICT,” Akande  said.

She further emphasised MainOne’s support of initiatives  aimed to encourage technology careers for Nigerian girls, saying; “At  MainOne, our goal is to provide girls of all ages with support,
mentorship and the motivation to pursue ICT-driven careers, eventually  becoming active role models themselves to the next generation of girls.
Our CEO, Funke Opeke, is an ITU female role model and believes this  cycle is necessary to create better opportunities for our girls and  revert the gender imbalance in Technology.”

In her comments,  Ufuoma Emuophedaro, Chief Executive Officer of eBusiness Life  Communications, appreciated MainOne for its efforts in expediting  digital literary and called on other stakeholders to join hands to  further invest in girls and young women by supporting the Girls in ICT  campaign and empowering them, giving them the confidence to pursue ICT  studies and careers.

The Girls in ICT Day, celebrated every year on the fourth Thursday in April, is an awareness-raising initiative designed to promote studies and careers in technology to a new  generation of girls and young women with an interest in becoming ICT  enthusiasts.

The theme for this year’s celebration was  “Expanding Horizons and Changing Attitudes” and it was sponsored by  different individuals and organisations including MainOne. The event was
attended by the representative of the Minister of Communications,  representatives from IT companies and other industry stakeholders.