Abuja: The First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, has called upon the 300 participants of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) and Huawei ‘Women in Tech’ training programme to apply their newly acquired skills to foster positive transformation in their communities. The appeal was made during the closing ceremony of the Women in Tech training programme for female entrepreneurs, held in Abuja on Thursday.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the training programme is a digital empowerment initiative by the RHI in collaboration with Huawei Technologies Company. It is designed to equip female entrepreneurs with practical technological skills to enhance their businesses, enabling them to actively participate in the digital economy and become champions of digital transformation in their communities.
Mrs. Tinubu emphasized the importance of continuous learning and adaptation to technological changes. She encouraged the participants to use their skills to address real-world issues in their communities, stressing that true innovation should improve lives. She also urged the women to support each other and mentor others, particularly young girls and women who may feel technology is not for them.
The initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which aims to promote inclusive growth and digital empowerment across Nigeria by accelerating economic diversification through industrialization and digitization. The First Lady highlighted that women equipped with the right tools and knowledge become agents of change in their families, communities, and the nation.
The Women in Tech training programme, conducted between April and October 2024, successfully equipped 300 women with essential digital skills. The participants, drawn from various sectors such as agriculture, fashion, catering, retail, event management, and technology services, represented the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.
Mr. Chris Lu, Managing Director of Huawei Technologies, commended the partnership with RHI, noting that empowering women with digital skills is crucial for national progress and that when women rise, nations thrive. He described the programme as more than just training, emphasizing its role in positioning women at the forefront of the global digital economy.
Kashifu Abdullahi, Director-General of the National Information Technology Development (NITDA), praised the programme’s alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda, acknowledging the collaborative efforts of Mrs. Tinubu and Huawei. He highlighted the significance of empowering women, stating that empowering a woman equates to empowering a nation.
The ceremony concluded with the presentation of certificates, with each geopolitical zone represented by a participant. The initiative celebrates not only the participants but also the broader impact on families and communities.