The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has reiterated its support for female representation in Nigeria’s Information and Communications Technology industry, stressing that there is a need for gender balance.
The Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Professor Umar Danbatta who reiterated this at the ICT Quiz competition for girls in Senior Secondary Schools organized by Nigerian Women in Information Technology (NIWIIT), said there was an urgent need to equip the girl child with adequate knowledge, access and use of Information Technology programmes and services which will give them the needed skill to compete in the digital space.
Professor Umar Danbatta, who was represented by the Head, Digital Media Management of the Commission, Nafisa Usman Rugga, noted that the empowerment programme in commemoration of the International Girls in ICT day aligns with the Commission’s mandate of broadband penetration drive to women in rural and suburban areas for capacity building, employability, increased connectivity, and inclusion for gender equality throughout the Country.
The EVC also highlighted the Commission’s policies, projects and initiatives that show the importance of bridging gender disparity and ensuring that the Internet is a safe space for children. She laid emphasis on the Child Online Protection (COP) project of the Commission, which is aimed at educating children and their parents/caregivers on measures to safeguard themselves and their wards as they navigate cyberspace.
The CEO of NCC further informed the audience of the Commission’s commitment to re-skilling the girl child and women by collaborating with stakeholders in the ICT sector to create programmes to encourage, empower and expose them to the vast opportunities present in the digital world.
The two-day event which focused on creating awareness programmes for IT-related services and products among women in the rural and suburban areas in Nigeria targets special groups and students in secondary schools and tertiary institutions. The event ended with the presentation of gifts to the winners from the quiz competition conducted at the forum.