ITU and W.TEC Celebrate Girls in ICT and Advocate for Greater Women Representation

In celebration of the 15^th anniversary of International Girls in ICT Day, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and Nigeria’s Women Technology Empowerment Centre (W.TEC) urged greater participation of women and girls in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education both nationally and globally.

The event, themed “AI for Development‑Girls Shaping the Digital Future,” was organized by W.TEC in partnership with Oracle and took place at Lagos City College, Sabo, Yaba. ITU Secretary‑General Doreen Bogdan‑Martin highlighted the importance of increasing female representation in STEM to help girls compete on equal footing with men.

Bogdan‑Martin was represented at the ceremony by Mrs. Bolanle Olumekor, a senior official from the United Nations Information Centre in Abuja. She noted that women’s participation in STEM and emerging fields such as quantum information technology remains globally low.

“Women represent just 35 per cent of STEM graduates worldwide and across the AI workforce. These figures signal a need for urgent action, because AI systems must reflect the experiences, perspectives, and priorities of all people. To the girls in attendance, you belong in this space, and your ideas and leadership are essential,” Bogdan‑Martin said, as her remarks were read by Olumekor.

Oracle representative Bekere Amasoma addressed a group of female students from various Lagos schools, discussing how technology education can empower girls to build successful careers.

Mr. Lateef Olarenwaju, a representative from Lagos Education District 4, encouraged the students to focus on their studies and to use technology in ways that can generate income.