The Federal Government has reiterated its support for women’s empowerment through digital education, which will see them compete favourably with their counterparts around the world and contribute meaningfully to the economy.
The government made the commitment at the 2nd Women in Digital Empowerment Network (WIDEN), which was held on Friday at the Old Senate Chamber of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).
The Director, University Education, Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs Rakiya Gambo Ilyasu, who was represented by Hajiya Amina Yazid Ibrahim at the event, while commending the organisers for the laudable project, said the government will continue to work and design a more inclusive digital future where every woman’s voice is heard, her skills nurtured, and her contributions drive innovation.
She said, “Let us carry forward the collaborative spirit, continue to mentor one another, and turn the ideas shared here into tangible initiatives that empower more women to thrive online.
“Together, we are shaping a more inclusive digital future, one where every woman’s voice is heard, her skills are nurtured and her contributions drive innovation. We have heard powerful stories, exchanged practical tools, and built connections that will amplify each other’s impact across Nigeria’s digital landscape.”
In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Abdullahi Yusuf Ribadu, who was also represented by the Commission’s Chief Officer, Directorate of Open Distance and e-Learning, Dr Angela Irene, said the WIDEN project align with NUC’s ongoing reforms to strengthen digital pedagogy, promote inclusive participation and integrate ICT meaningfully into university administration, teaching and research.
“As the nation’s apex regulatory body for university education, the NUC is committed to strengthening partnerships that promote digital empowerment, foster excellence, and deepen inclusion. We look forward to further collaboration with the WIDEN research team, the British Council and our university partners to scale the impact of this initiative across the system, the NUC boss stated.
WIDEN’s Principal Investigator, Nigeria, who is also a Professor of Economics at NOUN, Ganiyat Adesina-Uthman, while providing clarification about the project’s funding and implementation, said the British Council awarded a sum of £24,220 as a grant to the contracting institution, the Brunel University London, which has disbursed more than £13,000 so far for the first ( £10,110) and second (£3,000) phases and which also included funds to support information dissemination.
“Over 200 women have enrolled in the programme so far, with close to 80 actively engaged, surpassing the initial target of training at least 50 women. I can tell you that many of them have already developed practical digital solutions, including applications for school monitoring, memo tracking, postgraduate project management, and telemedicine, among others.
This programme runs from March 2025 to April 2026 and remains free to participants while British Council funding continues; however, minimal fees may be introduced in future to ensure sustainability,” Professor Adesina-Uthman told Tribune Online.
The vice chancellor, NOUN, Professor Olufemi Peters and his Nasarawa State University Keffi (NSUK) counterpart, Professor Sa’adatu Hassan Liman, both represented by their deputies, Professors Christine Ofulue and Nghargbu K’tso respectively, described the project as a transformative initiative founded on inclusion, accessible learning and gender-responsive digital empowerment aimed at strengthening digital innovation and supporting women’s participation in technology-driven sectors.
