Nigerian women have been encouraged to embrace humble beginnings and digital technology as pathways to economic independence and national development. The call came from First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu during the closing ceremony of the 2025 Women ICT Training and Empowerment Programme held in Abuja on Thursday.
Starting Small Leads to Big Success
Addressing participants at the Presidential Villa event organized by NITDA in partnership with the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), Senator Tinubu emphasized that transformative success often begins with small, consistent steps. "Don't be afraid to start small. When you do something small and do it well, someone will notice," she told the gathering of women beneficiaries.
The First Lady drew from personal experience, noting that many of her long-standing initiatives in girl-child education and alternative schooling models also began modestly but grew through consistency and conviction. She stressed that perseverance turns ideas into institutions, encouraging women to begin with whatever resources they have available.
Program Growth and National Impact
The partnership between NITDA and RHI falls under the Economic Empowerment pillar of the Renewed Hope Initiative and aligns with President Bola Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes economic diversification through industrialization and digitalization.
Senator Tinubu highlighted the program's remarkable expansion since its inception. From a small cohort of female digital pioneers in the Federal Capital Territory in 2023, the initiative grew to 252 beneficiaries across all zones in 2024, who became Digital Literacy Champions transforming their communities.
For the 2025 edition, training was conducted in Bauchi, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Imo, Edo, and Ondo States as well as the FCT, reaching 320 women—40 per zone, 40 from the FCT, and 40 stakeholders. These participants received intensive digital skills training to strengthen their socio-economic prospects.
National Digital Literacy Goals
NITDA Director-General Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi praised the First Lady's leadership in advancing digital empowerment for women, noting that the initiative supports President Tinubu's broader goals of economic diversification, human capital development, and inclusivity.
Abdullahi revealed that Nigeria is targeting a 70% digital literacy rate by 2027. NITDA, working with the Ministry of Education, is integrating digital literacy into the national curriculum from early childhood to tertiary education. Several universities have already adopted digital literacy as a general studies requirement.
The trained women acquired foundational digital skills including device and software use, data literacy, content creation, digital marketing, online safety, problem-solving, and understanding of the gig economy. "You can live in Aba and work remotely for clients in Lagos, Abuja or even outside Nigeria. The future is the gig economy, and knowledge gives you power," Abdullahi told beneficiaries.
The DG reported impressive training numbers: between 2023 and 2024, NITDA trained more than 1.1 million Nigerians in various digital skills. Under the women-focused partnership specifically, 607 women have benefited, while in 2025 alone, 510,000 Nigerians, including 10,000 teachers and 32,000 civil servants, have received training.
Abdullahi emphasized the ripple effect of women's empowerment: "To truly touch lives, we must prioritize women. When we empower women, we empower families and strengthen communities. Strong communities lead to a more inclusive and prosperous nation."
The First Lady congratulated all participants and urged them to apply their newly acquired skills, pursue continuous learning, and mentor other women and girls seeking opportunities in the digital space.
The event was attended by wives of senior government officials, including the wife of the Deputy Senate President, the wife of the Chief of Staff to the President, several state First Ladies, wives of ministers, and wives of service chiefs including those of the Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, Chief of Air Staff, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Director-General of the DSS.
