The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has urged the 300 beneficiaries of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) and Huawei “Women in Tech” training programme to use their newly acquired digital skills to drive positive change in their communities.
Mrs Tinubu made the call on Thursday in Abuja during the closing ceremony of the Women in Tech training programme for female entrepreneurs drawn from the six geopolitical zones of the country.
The initiative, a collaboration between the Renewed Hope Initiative and Huawei Technologies Company Limited, is aimed at equipping women entrepreneurs with practical technological skills to grow their businesses and participate actively in Nigeria’s digital economy.
It also seeks to promote women’s inclusion in digital transformation and economic development, in line with the priorities of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
In her address, the First Lady commended the participants for their commitment and encouraged them to continue building on their new skills.
“Although the training has ended, technology keeps evolving. Your greatest strength is your ability to keep learning and adapting to new trends,” she said.
“Use your skills to solve real problems in your communities, because true innovation is valuable only when it improves lives. Support one another, grow together, and mentor young girls and women who think technology is not for them.”
Mrs Tinubu reaffirmed that the initiative aligns with President Tinubu’s vision of promoting inclusive growth and digital empowerment by accelerating economic diversification through industrialisation and digitisation.
“When women are equipped with the right tools and knowledge, they become agents of change in their families, communities, and the nation at large,” she added.
She noted that the Women in Tech training, conducted between April and October 2024, successfully equipped 300 women with essential digital skills to thrive in today’s technology-driven world. Participants were drawn from diverse sectors, including agriculture, fashion, catering, retail, event management, and technology services.
The First Lady added that the women represented the diversity and strength of Nigerian women — from university students aspiring to join the digital economy to established business owners expanding through innovation.
In his remarks, Mr Chris Lu, Managing Director of Huawei Technologies Nigeria, commended the partnership with the RHI and the commitment of the First Lady to empowering women.
“This programme goes beyond training; it empowers women to take their rightful place in the global digital economy.
Empowering women with digital skills is not just about inclusion but a necessity for national progress. When women rise, nations thrive,” he said.
Lu described the participants as “ambassadors of digital innovation and change,” urging them to impact their communities and sustain the vision of the Renewed Hope Initiative.
Also speaking, Kashifu Abdullahi, Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), described the programme as a perfect complement to the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu.
“When you empower a man, you empower an individual, but when you empower a woman, you empower a nation,” Abdullahi said.
“This initiative resonates deeply across the country. Through RHI, Mrs Tinubu is driving women and youth empowerment, aligning perfectly with the national strategy for digital inclusion.”
He advised the participants to use their certificates as a key to global opportunities and as tools to promote their businesses.
“Don’t be afraid to be the first or to be the best in your community,” he said.
Each geopolitical zone was represented by one participant during the certificate presentation:
- South-East: Euphemia Augusta (Imo State)
- South-South: Chiagozie Efe-Ovirie (Delta State)
- South-West: Yusus Hats (Lagos State)
- North-Central: Amos Marvelous (FCT)
- North-East: Bakari Betis (Adamawa State)
- North-West: Binta Charanchi (Katsina State)
