First Lady: Digital Skills for Women Critical for Nigeria’s Economic Future

•Charges women to start small, build strong and embrace digital skills

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

Wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Thursday declared that Nigeria could not achieve true economic diversification without equipping women with modern digital skills.

Speaking at the closing of the Women ICT Training Programme, a joint initiative by the National Information Technology Development Agency and the Renewed Hope Initiative, at State House, Abuja, Mrs. Tinubu stressed that women’s digital empowerment was no longer optional, but essential to Nigeria’s economic future.

She added that the partnership with NITDA aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s agenda to accelerate industrialisation and digitalisation.

The first lady advised Nigerian women to embrace humble beginnings and harness digital skills to build stronger economic future, saying small, consistent steps often lead to transformative success.

According to her, the steady expansion of the scheme since its inception demonstrates the country’s growing commitment to equipping women for a technology-driven future.

Mrs. Tinubu stated, “Don’t be afraid to start small. When you do something small, and do it well, someone will notice. Even in business, start with what you have. Start, even if it is small, someone will see your effort.”

She stated that many of her long-standing initiatives in girl-child education and alternative schooling models also began modestly, but grew through consistency and conviction, proof that perseverance turns ideas into institutions.

Mrs. Tinubu said expanding ICT training to women nationwide was helping to build “a digital future where more women and girls can thrive, innovate and lead”.

The first lady highlighted the programme’s growth, from a small cohort of female digital pioneers in the FCT at its 2023 launch, to 252 beneficiaries across all zones in 2024, who became Digital Literacy Champions transforming their communities.

For the 2025 edition, training was conducted in Bauchi, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Imo, Edo and Ondo States as well as the FCT, reaching 320 women, 40 per zone, 40 from the FCT and 40 stakeholders, who received intensive digital skills to strengthen their socio-economic prospects.

The first lady congratulated the participants, urging them to apply their skills, pursue continuous learning, and mentor other women and girls seeking opportunities in the digital space.

Earlier, Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Abdullahi, praised Mrs. Tinubu for her leadership and support in advancing digital empowerment for women.

Abdullahi said the initiative aligned with President Tinubu’s broader goals of economic diversification, human capital development and inclusivity.

Abdullahi stated that Nigeria was targeting a 70 per cent digital literacy rate by 2027, and NITDA, working with the Federal Ministry of Education, was integrating digital literacy into the national curriculum from early childhood to tertiary education.

He said several universities had already adopted digital literacy as a general studies requirement.

According to him, the women trained have acquired foundational digital skills, including device and software use, data literacy, content creation, digital marketing, online safety, problem-solving and insight into the gig economy.

“You can live in Aba and work remotely for clients in Lagos, Abuja or even outside Nigeria. The future is the gig economy, and knowledge gives you power,” Abdullahi told the beneficiaries.

He reported that between 2023 and 2024, NITDA trained more than 1.1 million Nigerians in various digital skills.

Under the women-focused partnership alone, the director-general reported that 607 women had benefitted, while in 2025, 510,000 Nigerians, including 10,000 teachers and 32,000 civil servants, had already been trained.

Abdullahi stated, “To truly touch lives, we must prioritise women. When we empower women, we empower families and strengthen communities. Strong communities lead to a more inclusive and prosperous nation.”