15,000 women to receive digital entrepreneurship training in Kano

The Centre for Information Technology Development (CITAD) has launched an ambitious programme to train at least 15,000 women in digital literacy, online safety and hygiene as part of efforts to bridge the widening technology gap between Northern Nigeria and other parts of the Country.

The initiative, according to the organisation, is aimed at equipping women and girls with the digital skills required to thrive in a rapidly evolving global economy driven by information and communication technology (ICT).

Isa Garba, who represented CITAD Executive Director Y.Z. Yau at the programme, said Northern Nigeria remains significantly behind in ICT development, a situation he described as a major obstacle to meaningful socio-economic progress.

He noted that the disparity in ICT growth between Kano and Lagos reflects the urgent need for deliberate intervention in the North.

“Businesses dealing with ICT on a single street in Lagos are more than the entire ICT businesses in Kano. While Lagos has advanced significantly in ICT, we are only beginning the journey here. That is why we resolved to train 15,000 women in digital literacy to bridge the digital divide,” he said.

Garba stressed that empowering women with digital knowledge would improve household incomes and create wider economic benefits across communities.

Fatima Babakura, the project manager for the digital literacy training, disclosed that about 5,000 women and girls between the ages of 16 and 40 would specifically receive training in digital entrepreneurship to enable them explore business and income opportunities online.

She added that the programme would also focus on cyber safety and online protection to prepare participants against internet harassment and cyber attacks.

“We want these women to return to their communities and share the knowledge they have acquired. We are also training students on Computer-Based Tests because we discovered that many students fail examinations due to inadequate digital skills,” Babakura said.

Isyaku Garba, Director of ICT at the Kano State Secondary Schools Board (KSSB), said the board had continued to introduce programmes aimed at exposing students to modern ICT knowledge and skills.

He observed that Lagos had attained over 60% ICT infrastructure utilisation as far back as 2006, with many women already benefiting from digital empowerment initiatives.

According to him, women equipped with digital skills can work remotely from their homes, thereby contributing financially to their families and reducing economic pressure on their spouses.