The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Prof Umar Danbatta has called for the inclusion of Girls in the ICT in line with the United Nations’ effort to empower girls in tech and close the digital gender gap.
Speaking at the maiden edition of the Nigerian Girls Can Code Competition (NGCQ Award Ceremony yesterday in Abuja, Danbatta stated that it has become imperative to empower women and young girls through the emergence of sustainable inclusive entrepreneurship to harness digital technology to accelerate the implementation of the SDGs in line with the Declaration on the Decade of Action and Delivery on Sustainable Development.
He noted that gender inequalities remain deeply entrenched in every society adding that women lack access to decent work and face occupational segregation and gender wage gaps.
Danbatta who was the Executive Commissioner, Technical Services Communications Commission Engr. Ubale Maska observed that empowering women and girls will fuel thriving economies, and spur productivity and growth.
According to him, the competition has been designed to enhance digital literacy and skills for the country’s emerging digital economy, bridge digital inequality, improve digital access as well as narrow the digital divide between men and women in ICT innovation and development.
Danbatta said that with the advent of 5G network and its ongoing deployment in Nigeria, the opportunities for girls in ICT are endless.
