E-Business
Having More Women in Tech Industry Demands Collective Effort- Chinwe Onuorah
A number of experts have argued that it is important for more women to embrace careers in technology in order to ensure diversity. Across the world, the number of women in technology is increasing, but not as fast as proponents would expect.
The case may be worse in Africa, particularly, in Nigeria, as a significant number of women still regard technical roles as somewhat, more masculine.
According to Intel’s report, Women and Web, nearly 25% women have access to the internet and the gender gap, 45% in Africa. I recently had a chat with Chinwe Onuorah, managing partner, BVC Consulting, an IT-based company in Lagos, Nigeria and she shared her thoughts on how to encourage more women to embrace careers in technology.
Chinwe stated that she started out her journey in the IT world as an Intern in an IT organisation that has its major focus on training.
“At the time, I started out as Front Desk/Receptionist and my role was, typically, to counsel students, who wanted to start and build a career in technology and I picked it up from there”, she stated. Incidentally, Chinwe did not study Computer Science in school, but Mass Communication.
She believed that, Mass Communication is a course that can sync with any field of study, hence, she maximised her skills and knowledge of Mass Communication, garnered over the period to blend in her role of talking to the students interested in taking up IT careers.
On how she has been able to cope, in a country where certification is taken seriously, Chinwe, explained that, because of her love for learning, she took some IT Certification courses along the way, through her career path in the IT field.
She stated that she got trained in all those courses because, she was interested in the field of technology and it worked for her.
She stressed that, even though, she started out as an Intern, somewhere along the line, her boss realised that she was being under-utilised, by putting her on at the Front office, so, he moved her to the Business Development Desk, where she grew through the ranks. “Of course, if you are going to talk to a customer about the organisation’s services and products, I have to learn it. I had to know what I was going to talk to the customer about”, she stated.
Chinwe stated that, it has been challenging for her, operating in a male-dominated IT industry, but not impossible because, she is a self-driven person.
She opined that her love for technology also keeps her going within the industry. She explained that she also had a good mentor in her first boss, who really held her through the mill of the IT field.
She advised women already in the tech industry to mentor other women who are interested in having a career in technology, so, we can have more women in the industry as this will make a lot of difference.
Chinwe explained that, from the results of a research she conducted on why there are few women in tech, she noticed that girls, from birth, through primary,secondary school, assimilate Maths differently from how boys do and this is not because she believes that females have low IQ than the males.
“I belief that women have IQ, however, we need to find creative ways to communicate Maths to women, so that, they can understand “, she stressed.
She went on to say that, one of the reasons why she had to struggle with Maths was that, when she is told that 1+12, she wants to be told why it is so. “In telling me the why, I will be able to understand that, so, when next I see face that same situation, I would know that, oh, it is because of this, that is why it’s this and not just coming up with a formula like the Almighty Formula”, she explained.
Maths, she noted, should be taught from the from the high point of understanding and not cramming.
In Chinwe’s opinion, she believes that it will be difficult for someone who is struggling with Mths to be able to code because, coding requires a lot of brain work. She also stated that ladies need more role models at the top of the It industry to kindle the interest of the female gender in the industry.
Apart from IT Consulting and Training, Chinwe stated that her outfit also does implementation around big data analytics. She stressed that all businesses, whether big, small, medium and Startups, need the services in big data.
On a final note, Chinwe is of the view that, the solution to the issue of encouraging more women to take up careers in IT, should be a collective effort of the parents, government, private sector etc.
“From the government perspectives, build communities, support systems for women in technology”, she advised.
Likewise, stressed that the corporate world too should have support systems for women in technology and parents should encourage their female children to take up the STEM subjects in school, so, they can fit in well in the IT world.
National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) have announced a collaboration on National Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) to enhance synergy between digital identity, payment ecosystems and secure seamless data exchange capabilities for Nigeria.
l-r: Kashifu Inuwa, Director General of NITDA, and Bisoye Coker-Odusote, Director General of NIMC, during the meeting at the NIMC headquarters in Abuja..
NITDA, which made the announcement on its X handle, said that the collaboration was to further strengthen Nigeria’s digital economy in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda,
During the meeting, Kashifu Inuwa, director general of NITDA, and Bisoye Coker-Odusote, director general of NIMC, with some management staff of both organisations, discussed various initiatives, which include building DPI stacks for a secured and seamless data exchange and forming partnerships to transform the national identity system.
This collaboration also aims to harness the potential of the innovative ecosystem and emphasise the use of public-key infrastructure (PKI) to drive digital transformation in Nigeria.
To ensure a smooth implementation, a 12-man committee was set up.
This committee will play a crucial role in kickstarting and harmonising the initiatives and is expected to deliver a comprehensive implementation report within the next 4 weeks.
Noble Ajuonu, head, Sydani Technologies Ltd., has urged the Federal Government to harmonise National Identification Number (NIN) and Bank Verification Number (BVN) to tackle crimes and insecurity in the country.
Ajuonu made the call at a media roundtable, organised by Sydani Group in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the roundtable focuses on driving sustainability through a comprehensive analysis of Nigeria’s key development areas.
Ajuonu said that Nigeria could overcome its security challenges and pave the way for a safer, more secure future for all Nigerians by embracing technology and implementing practical solutions,
“We need to harmonise data, prioritise seamless integration of databases like NIN, BVN, and security agency records, establish clear protocols for data sharing and access, with robust safeguards against misuse,’’ expert said.
According to him, the unified data pool will empower intelligence gathering and targeted operations.
He also called for investments in smart surveillance, intelligent video analytics software, training of personnel in data analysis, interpretation of data in real-time to combat crimes.
“There is need to implement a legal framework for call interception in criminal investigations, with strict oversight to prevent abuse, encourage community cohesion, training of tech savvy security personnel with tech-enabled tools.’’
Ajuonu also urged the government to address infrastructure deficit in technology, saying that technology was all encompassing to address insecurity.
“According to the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), as of December 2023, only 104.2 million Nigerians had been enrolled for the National Identity Number (NIN).’’
Ajuonu added that over 122.2 million citizens left uncaptured for NIN were people in rural areas where enrolment centres, digital services were limited.
“Most crimes are being perpetuated from rural communities and this lack of comprehensive identification creates a gap where elements not captured in the national database can constitute public nuisance, crimes.
“There is the inadequacy in the integration of NIN, BVN and Voters Identification Number (VIN).
“Advanced call interception and analysis tools, used successfully in other countries, could provide invaluable insights into criminal networks and operations but infrastructure is lacking,’’ he said.
Also, Mr Godfrey Petgrave, the Agricultural Expert, Sydani Group, called for empowerment of smallholder farmers with access to finance and training to enhance productivity.
According to Petgrave, Nigeria requires policy reform and institutional strengthening to improve agricultural practices and embrace digital agriculture solutions to address food insecurity.
Mr Akolade Jimoh, another expert of the group on health, advocated for expanded community-based health insurance programmes for rural and underserved areas.
Jimoh added that the country needed to encourage Public Private Partnership to revolutionise products design and quality improvement on health services.
Konga, Nigeria’s leading composite e-commerce group, is thrilled to announce the launch of amazing deals at its Infinix Brand Week. Infinix, a leading global smartphone brand known for its innovative products and cutting-edge technology promises exclusive discounts and special offers on select smartphones, marking an exciting milestone in the realm of online shopping.
Shoppers can expect nothing short of extraordinary deals on a wide range of Infinix products, all available exclusively on the Konga online platform. With discounts of up to 30% off, this partnership between Konga and Infinix aims to redefine the shopping experience for tech enthusiasts across Nigeria.
Konga Brand Week has become synonymous with excitement and unbeatable deals, and this year’s edition is no exception. In addition to exclusive discounts on Infinix smartphones, shoppers can explore a diverse array of products across various categories, including electronics, fashion, home essentials, and more.
“At Konga, we are dedicated to providing our customers with the best shopping experience possible,” said Rita Ohaedoghasi, VP Marketing at Konga. “The Infinix Week during Konga Brand Week allows us to continue delivering on that promise by offering incredible discounts and special offers on some of the most sought-after smartphones in the market.”
To stay updated on the latest developments and exclusive deals during Konga Brand Week, shoppers are encouraged to connect with Konga across all platforms, including social media and the Konga website. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to score big savings and elevate your tech game with Infinix and Konga.
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