Intel Marks International Day for Women with Entrepreneurship Training

The need to bridge the gap in access to basic Information and Communication Technology (ICT) between men and women has been identified as critical to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goal (MDG).

The gap has also been discovered to contribute to the failure of Nigeria to fully realize its potentials and become a major economic bloc in the African sub Region.

This was the conclusion of speakers at a three day technology and entrepreneurship training forum for the 21st century woman which held in Lagos on Friday.

The forum was put together by leading global technology company, Intel Corporation and Women’s Technology Empowerment Centre (W-TEC) as part of the corporation’s commitment to nation building as well as empowering the 21st century woman. 

The three day free training was meant to encourage both aspiring and female entrepreneur develop soft skills especially in areas of information and communication technology  so as to be better positioned to compete, favorably with their male counterparts from around the world.

In her remarks at the workshop, Oreoluwa Somolu, executive director, The Women’s Technology Empowerment Centre, stated that “Entrepreneurial forces are relatively strong in this country with women being at the hub of entrepreneurial activities. 

The lack of jobs and the rise in poverty leave few other options for the average Nigerian more so the Nigerian woman.

However there appears to be a critical role and place of technology in entrepreneurship towards the advancement of the nation, for which the woman plays a critical role.”

Somolu also stated that such an initiative with women empowerment as its focus is a welcome development and hailed Intel Corporation for throwing its weight behind the workshop. She added that for long issues bordering on women empowerment has been treated as trivial.

Also speaking, Osagie Ogunbor, Corporate Affairs Manager of Intel, noted that the initiative was borne out of the desire to stimulate interests in entrepreneurship as an approach to establish businesses that will strategically place women on a globally competitive level and ultimately reduce the increasing unemployment problem in Nigeria.

“Empowering women through information and communications technology has been considered as critical to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals in Nigeria.

The disparity between men and women in Nigeria with regard to access to basic ICT services has been a gross limitation to the country becoming a major economic bloc in the African sub-region and indeed the world.” He stated.

Ogunbor also noted that as women about to enter or already fully functional in the labour market, the possession of technical knowledge on its own would not suffice, but ownership of complementary life skills to deliver the highest possible value in any field of endeavor was the ultimate task.

Ogunbor further stated that Intel is working closely with the Women Technology and Empowerment Centre (W-TEC) to further encourage the growth of individual businesses as part of a solution to unemployment.

The initiative according to Ogunbor is one of several other technology and education based initiatives championed by Intel towards improving the quality of life of people around the world.

He concluded by reiterating that Intel is working closely with the Women Technology and Empowerment Centre (W-TEC) to further encourage the growth of individual businesses as part of a solution to unemployment.