…As Renewed Hope Initiative, Huawei train 300 women in technology skills

The First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has charged Nigerian women to take advantage of digital technology to transform their lives, businesses, and communities, saying that women must become key drivers of the nation’s digital future.

She made the call in Abuja during the closing ceremony of the Women in Tech Empowerment Training Programme, an initiative of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) in collaboration with Huawei Nigeria.

The First Lady said the programme, held between April and October 2024, successfully equipped 300 women from across the six geopolitical zones with practical technological skills to expand their enterprises and participate meaningfully in the digital economy.

“This training programme is a digital empowerment initiative by the Renewed Hope Initiative in collaboration with Huawei Technologies, aimed at equipping female entrepreneurs with practical technological skills to scale up their businesses, participate meaningfully in the digital economy, and become champions of digital transformation in their communities,” she said.

She explained that participants were drawn from diverse sectors including agriculture, fashion, catering, retail, event management, and technology services, reflecting the strength and diversity of Nigerian women, adding that “when women are equipped with the right tools and knowledge, they become agents of change in their families, communities, and the nation at large.”

The First Lady commended Huawei Technologies for partnering with the Renewed Hope Initiative to implement the project, and expressed appreciation for the company’s contribution toward empowering Nigerian women despite the size and diversity of the country and called for more collaboration.

On his part, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Huawei Nigeria, Mr. Chris Lu, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to advancing digital inclusion and empowering women through technology.

He said that when women thrive in tech, nations become stronger and more innovative.

He said the programme, launched a year ago, was designed to bridge the gender gap in Nigeria’s technology ecosystem by equipping women with essential digital skills and tools to become creators, innovators, and leaders in the digital economy.

“Empowering women with digital skills is not just a matter of inclusion but a necessity for national development. We know that when women rise, nations thrive,” Lu said.

According to him, the Women in Tech Empowerment Programme has, over the past year, brought together women from the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria to learn, innovate, and embrace new possibilities in the technology sector.

“From Cloud Computing to Artificial Intelligence, from 5G to Digital Transformation, all the female entrepreneurs have learned and incorporated these skills into their personal businesses,” he said.

The Huawei boss praised the First Lady’s visionary leadership, describing her as a driving force for inclusion and empowerment through the Renewed Hope Initiative. He said Senator Tinubu’s dedication to education, digital literacy, and economic empowerment had significantly advanced women’s participation in the nation’s tech landscape.

“With the visionary leadership of Her Excellency, the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, together with Huawei’s mission to bring digital to every person, home, and organization, we have unlocked doors of opportunity for women to become creators, innovators, and leaders in technology,” Lu added.

Mr. Lu expressed appreciation to Mrs. Tinubu and the Renewed Hope Initiative for their partnership in driving the Federal Government’s vision of a technologically empowered Nigeria.

“Your unwavering support has made this initiative not just a success, but a true legacy,” he said.

He congratulated the 300 beneficiaries of the training, urging them to become ambassadors of digital empowerment and to apply their newly acquired skills in transforming their businesses and communities.

“You are not just graduates of a training programme; you are all ambassadors of digital empowerment, and you carry with you the torch of innovation and the promise of change. Please go forth and light up your communities, your workplaces, and your businesses with your new skills and confidence,” he said.

Mr. Lu said the closing ceremony was not merely an end but the beginning of a larger movement promoting inclusion, innovation, and empowerment for women in Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.

“Today, we’re not just celebrating the completion of a programme but the beginning of a powerful movement — one that champions inclusion, innovation, and empowerment for women in the digital era,” he said.

He urged the participants to continue building on the knowledge acquired during the training and to serve as catalysts for change within their local communities.

“Let us remember that Renewed Hope is not just a slogan but a reality we are all building together — a reality where women lead in innovation, where technology bridges opportunities, and where every Nigerian woman can dream, learn, and lead without limits,” he noted.

In his goodwill message, the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, urged beneficiaries of the Women in Tech Empowerment Programme to use their new digital skills to create products, expand businesses, and mentor other women in their communities.

Abdullahi described the programme as a “triangle of hope” anchored on the leadership of the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the technical partnership of Huawei Technologies Nigeria Limited, and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

“When you empower a man, you empower an individual. But when you empower a woman, you empower a nation,” he said, commending the First Lady for promoting inclusivity and capacity development through the Renewed Hope Initiative.

Abdullahi said the training, which equipped 300 women from Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, aligns with the national digital economy policy and President Tinubu’s Agenda 7 — focused on accelerating growth through industrialization, innovation, and digitalization.

He noted that NITDA’s Strategic Roadmap aims to make every Nigerian digitally literate and capable of building homegrown technologies. 

“The global marketplace is now on your smartphone, your website, and your social media. Use your knowledge to create and sell to the world,” he said.

The DG urged participants to see their certificates as tools for impact, not trophies, and to mentor others. 

“Train one woman, mentor a girl. In empowering others, we build a prosperous nation,” he said, calling the beneficiaries “living symbols of the Renewed Hope vision.”