ITU, NCC, WITIN Urge Rural Women in Africa to Embrace Technology

Emma Okonji

The Secretary General Elect of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Ms. Doreen Bogdan-Martin, who is expected to resume office January 1, 2023, has called on international rural women, including those in Africa and Nigeria to leverage on technology to further empower themselves.

Bogdan-Martin made the call when she spoke to rural women during this year’s International Rural Women’s Day celebration, which held recently.

The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta also used the occasion of the International Rural Women’s Day 2022, organised in Lagos by Women in Technology in Nigeria (WITIN), to educate rural women in Nigeria about the importance of technology in creativity and innovation.       

Bogdan-Martin, in her speech, said: “This year’s International Women’s Day is very important because rural women play critical role in the world. Women form a major part of Africa’s small businesses and it is estimated that they produce 70 per cent of Africa’s food. So, rural women need to embrace technology to help them do better in food production. They need technology to determine the best planting season, determine weather and climate conditions, to have access to connectivity for transportation of farm produce to the market and the sales of such farm produce. In Nigeria, rural women can use Internet of Things (IoTs) to have access to connectivity. Digital technology has the potential to transform the world of the rural women, but the digital divide that exists in Africa, is depriving rural women from taking advantage of digital technology.”

According to her, ITU is involved in gender training on digital skills to bridge the digital gap.

“We have carried out such training in Abuja, Nigeria, and we hope to do more in other to connect more Nigerian women living in rural communities. I look forward to working closely with the Nigerian government and the private sector, like WITIN, to digitally empower rural women, especially the under-served and un-served, in order to improve their lives,” the ITU Secretary General Elect further said.   

Danbatta, who was represented by the Principal Manager, Lagos Zonal Office of NCC, Mrs Oladoyin Aiyenitaju, said the theme for this year’s International Rural Women’s Day celebration: ‘Rural Women Cultivating Good Food For All-Imperative of Digital Inclusion’, remained apt because of the important roles that rural women are playing in the society.

“ICT itself is driving food production across the globe and Nigeria has made broadband infrastructure available and accessible to all. NCC, as a regulator, has the vision to further drive broadband penetration across the country, with rural women at the front burner, so that no one is left behind in the area of digital inclusiveness. The NCC’s vision aligns with the goals of ITU’s Strategic Framework 2020-2023, focusing on digital inclusiveness,” Danbatta said.

Africa Public Policy Manager, Access and Connectivity at Meta, owner of Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, Mrs. Sade Dada, said Meta would continue to partner and invest in international subsea cable to bring connectivity to Nigeria and those in the rural communities. “Connectivity itself is not enough for people to be online, but the need to give access to people to innovate and create, and it is for this reason that we are driving initiatives that are targeted at digital literacy and inclusion,” Dada said.  

The Vice Chancellor, Thomas Adewumi University, Kwara State, Prof. Francisca Oladipo, said several factors were responsible for limiting women from leveraging technology to better their lots. According to her, with technology, women can have easy access to connectivity that will further empower them in food production. She advised rural women to engage more with e-commerce activities and she also advised the federal government to do more in supporting private organisations like WITIN, that are driving digital transformation among rural women.

In her welcome address, the Chairperson of WITIN, Mrs. Martha Alade, commended the rural women for their resilience in providing food for all Nigerians and Africans.