In a world where AI is shaping everything from healthcare to hiring, Nigeria just made one thing clear: women will not be left behind.
At the recently held InnovateHer25 conference; Nigeria’s 10th National Conference and 11th Annual Meeting of Women in IT, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) took the mic and dropped what might be the most progressive tech announcement in the country’s recent history.
And no, it wasn’t another startup pitch.
NITDA is rewriting Nigeria’s digital future and women are at the centre of it.
Represented by Dr. Aristotle Onumo, NITDA’s Director General, Kashifu Inuwa, announced bold new gender-forward strategies embedded into the nation’s AI game plan.
At least 40% of the agency’s digital programmes will directly benefit women and underserved communities.
“Innovation doesn’t happen in silos, it thrives in partnerships,” Onumo shared, echoing NITDA’s commitment to building an ecosystem where women don’t just participate, they lead.
Here’s where it gets even more interesting.
Come September 2025, Nigeria is set to host the Leadership Summit on AI, a continental gathering that could shape Africa’s unified AI vision.
And NITDA is making sure that when Africa shows up, Nigerian women are on the front row, armed, trained, and ready to shape policy, product, and progress.
Through partnerships with groups like Renewed Hope Initiative, thousands of women are already receiving hands-on training in AI, cloud computing, and cybersecurity across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
NITDA isn’t waiting for inclusion to happen organically, it’s engineering it and they’re doing it smartly.
“We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all training,” Inuwa noted. “We want community-specific programmes with measurable outcomes. Generic doesn’t change lives. Tailored does.”
Even more radical, NITDA’s Digital Literacy for All initiative is gunning to equip 70% of Nigerians with digital skills by 2027.
That’s over 30 million people, with underserved women and public servants as top priorities.
In partnership with NYSC and schools, digital literacy won’t just be a buzzword, it’ll be embedded into everyday learning.
But NITDA isn’t stopping at skills, they’re tackling one of AI’s murkiest problems which is ethical data and cultural representation.
With plans to build indigenous datasets and large language models that reflect Nigeria’s unique context, the agency is setting a precedent few developing nations have even dared to touch. This is data sovereignty, done right.
More so, mentorship is also covered. Initiatives like Women Innovate are connecting emerging female tech talent with mentors and real-world projects.
NITDA even hinted at MoUs to formalise its collaboration with Nigerian Women in Information Technology (NIWIT), a smart move toward sustainable ecosystem building.
Summarily, the real story here is not just that Nigeria is investing in AI. It’s that Nigeria is betting big on women to lead it.
This isn’t performative inclusion, this is structural reform and the ripple effect are already glaring.
More women launching AI startups.
More gender-informed tech policies.
More cultural relevance in machine learning.
More innovation that mirrors real life.
The future of Nigeria’s digital economy is female, focused, and finally, fully at the table.
