The UK-Nigeria Tech Hub, which work to stimulate local digital economies by creating jobs through digital skills has launched two virtual programmes called the Innovative Teachers Fellowship Programme and the Future Females Business School Programme.
The launch of these programmes is in response to the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on the education sector in Nigeria coupled with the need to support gender inclusive economic growth.
According to the Tech Hub, these programmes will help entrepreneurs build financial sustainability and adaptability into their business models.
Speaking on the launch, the UK-Nigeria Africa Tech Hub Country Director, Honey Ogundeyi said, “Our aim now is to empower entrepreneurs and teachers with the relevant skills, tools, and knowledge to help them better respond to the unprecedented challenges posed by Covid-19.”
She added that the UK-Nigeria Tech Hub is pinpointing gaps and opportunities in order to create specialised and definitive training for tech entrepreneurs and other key communities who require tailored COVID-19 support. At the same time, the Hub is identifying partners, experts and enablers – locally and globally – with a vested interest in supporting these businesses.
The UK-Nigeria Tech Hub supports inclusive, sustainable economic growth and jobs creation, build high-end digital skills, and forge innovative partnerships between the Nigerian tech sector and international businesses.
The Innovative Teachers Fellowship programme which launched last November, in partnership with CCHUB is upskilling 300 teachers (STEM and Non-STEM alike) by providing 21st-century teaching skills focused on the use of technology to create interactive learning content for students, as well as the use of digital tools to support learning. The programme highlights the use of teaching tools such as digital labs, digital tools for content delivery and assessment, classroom management as well as digital safety skills. It would also seek to improve the digital skills of the participating teachers through the various collaborative activities including webinars and teacher showcases aimed to help the teachers apply the concepts they have learned to solve real-world problems.
To increase gender diversity in tech, the UK- Nigeria Tech Hub’s Future Females Business School Programme in partnership with Future Females is supporting 150 Nigerian female entrepreneurs over the next 3 months to enable their tech-based businesses to scale and become more sustainable.
Participants at the Future Females Business School programme will also receive access to and mentorship opportunities with industry experts. The programme will also provide capacity building trainings covering 10 actionable modules equipping them with entrepreneurial skills and best practices needed to grow their tech-based businesses.