Expert wants increased access for Nigerian women in ICT

A software expert, Mr Nabiu Sule, has advised governments at all levels in the country to ensure increased access for women in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to attain their potential.

Sule, founder of CPU Hub, said this while speaking with our reporter in Abuja on Thursday.

He said government must strive hard to address the low representation of women in the ICT sector of the economy.

“In empowering women and girls in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), hands-on trainings for beginners in different aspect of sciences such as coding, robotics etc should be offered.

“This will help them build confidence, cultivate a community of supportive peers as well as ensure family members and teachers are part of the progress,’’ Sule said.

The expert also urged the government to sustain its collaboration with stakeholders towards providing the needed support in areas where women in STEM could be improved on.

“Through this collaboration, policymakers are helping to transform their agencies’ approach to gender inequality in STEM and can deliver policies that are designed to meet the specific needs that women have in different fields of sciences,” he said.

Sule said that there were lots of cultural bias and social expectations associating Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) discipline with men.

“Collaborations between government and Non Govermental Organisations (NGOs) can also create an internal culture that builds understanding around unconscious biases and overcoming gender stereotypes,’’ he said.