W.TEC Host Event At Africanxt 2022
Press Release:
W.TEC Host Event at Africanxt 2022.
Lagos – Nigeria
Wednesday March 9, 2022:
The Women’s Technology Empowerment Centre (W.TEC) hosted an event at AfricaNXT 2022 (formerly known as Social Media Week Lagos). The event tagged “Conquering Poverty With Tech: Women & The Next Decade” was one of the most anticipated panelist sessions at the conference which is the largest gathering of innovators from across Africa and the diaspora. Our panelist for the event explored the opportunities of empowering women and girls with technology to grow the Nigerian economy. The session features the following seasoned speakers for the event.
Event Background
According to World bank data, women form nearly 50% of the population of sub Saharan Africa, however studies also show that in a country like Nigeria 70% of poor Nigerians are women. The good news is that the proliferation of technology and the opportunities that technology provides has the potential to accelerate the empowerment of women.
Over the next decade, high speed data and strategic use of digital platforms will provide many women with the right tools to connect to employment opportunities, start and grow businesses online, and possibly create value and wealth. At the same time, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the paradigm of what work looks like, transforming “work” from something that takes place within an office, within certain hours and in a central location to something that happens anytime in indeterminate locations by a distributed team.
About AfricaNXT
AfricaNXT exists to create space, both online and offline, to celebrate African ingenuity and empower the creatives, entrepreneurs, organizers, and all-around remarkable individuals moving Africa forward. We believe that creating spaces where we can gather, connect and collaborate is of the utmost importance and is precisely how we give rise to ideas, solutions and innovations that elevate our communities, industries and the continent as a whole.
W.TEC’s event at the conference was a panelist session designed to highlight the new challenges and horizons towards the empowerment of women with technology ahead of the next decade. The discussion was held from the policy, education and workmanship angles where women and girls could be engaged systematically to closing the tech gender gap and down the line increase their participation in tech, to secure a uniformed growth of the economy. The discussion by the speakers stressed the point that if half the population which are women are well represented, and contribute equally in the economy the country stands a better chance to grow.
The event featured the following speakers:
The event facilitators were:
Maryam Abdulsalam – Programmes Manager, W.TEC (Moderator)
Ommo Clark – CEO, iBEZ Nigeria
Adeyemi Odutola – Communications Officer W.TEC
Mary Abiodun – Business Lead, StrikingCVs
Event Details
Event: Conquering Poverty With Tech: Women & The Next Decade.
Date: Friday March 4, 2022
Time: 2.30 – 3.30pm
Event Hall: NXT Tech Stage – Innovation Pavillion
Venue: Landmark Centre, Plot 3 & 4 Water Corporation Road, Lagos. Hastag: #WTECwomenafricanxt2022
The W.TEC event, taught the participants the following majorly:
- A better understanding of the skills needed to be an effective member of the work teams of the future.
- Greater insights on what work will look like over the next decade
- A roadmap for future success as an entrepreneur
- Practical approaches to address issues around access to digital tools
Highlights of the Workshop
Maryam Abdulsalam: Moderated the session
Ommo Clarke: Covid highlighted a huge digital divide with respect to lack of access to technology.
Mr Adeyemi: Covid has naturally empires a lot of women as they have had to move their previously brick and mortar business online
Mary Abiodun: history depicts that women were at the forefront of technology and so we must find our way back.
About W.TEC
W.TEC is a Nigerian non-governmental organization working for the economic and social empowerment of girls and women, using information and communication technologies (ICTs). We have chosen to focus on this area because statistical evidence has shown that in most African countries, women’s use and knowledge of ICTs (to store, share, organise and process information) is lower than men’s, denying them of income-generating opportunities and the chance to network with others
W.TEC’s programmes will comprise of technology literacy training, technology-based projects, mentoring and work placement. W.TEC will also research and publish works examining pivotal issues related to how African women use technology, barriers preventing or limiting technology use, and strategies for more efficient technology use.
For more information about WOMEN BUILD TECHNOLOGY TOO!,get in touch with:
Contact Person: Adeyemi Odutola (Communication Officer),
+234. 818 .870 .9251
Email: info@wtec.org.ng Website: www.wtec.org.ng
Twitter: @wteconline Facebook: @wteconlinepage
Instagram: @wteconline