Abuja: The North-East Zone has emerged as the winner of the ‘Who Wants to Be an Engineer’ competition, organized by the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN). The North-East outperformed other geo-political zones, with the North-Central and South-South Zones securing second and third places, respectively. This event was part of the celebrations for the 2025 International Day of Girls in ICT.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, APWEN President Dr. Adebisi Osim highlighted that the ICT Day, themed ‘Girls in ICT for Inclusive Digital’, was dedicated to the late Funmilola Ojelade, a former APWEN President. Osim emphasized Ojelade’s lasting impact on engineering and the empowerment of the girl-child, stating that the day serves as a call to action and a reminder that girls have a rightful place in technology.
Osim further commented on the ongoing digital revolution that is reshaping education, work, and communication. She underscored the importance of inclusivity in this transformation and advocated for providing every girl, regardless of her background, with the skills needed for the digital age. She stressed that diversity in engineering leads to more comprehensive and impactful solutions.
APWEN’s initiatives, as described by Osim, include mentorship programs, school outreaches, competitions, and capacity-building efforts, all aimed at promoting ICT education among girls. She encouraged participants to aspire to innovate, whether by building robots, designing apps, or creating groundbreaking tech solutions. Osim also called on the government and stakeholders to support inclusive ICT policies and invest in digital infrastructure to make digital literacy accessible to all Nigerian girls.
Mrs. Margaret Oguntala, President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), represented by former APWEN President Dr. Ini Usoro, also spoke at the event. She emphasized the importance of supporting schoolgirls in STEM education to make them globally competitive. Oguntala praised the late Funmilola Ojelade for her advocacy in engineering and girl-child education, urging stakeholders to back APWEN’s initiatives.
In her keynote address titled ‘Empowering Girls in ICT: Unlocking Nigeria’s Digital Future’, Valerie Agberagba highlighted the underrepresentation of women in the ICT workforce as a barrier to national development. She advocated for quality education, training, mentorship, and robust support from parents and institutions to encourage more girls to pursue ICT careers. Agberagba concluded that empowering girls and women in ICT is essential for Nigeria’s digital future and urged collective efforts to dismantle barriers and create opportunities for them to excel in the field.