AKWA IBOM FIRST LADY DRIVES LAUNCHES PROGRAMME TO TRAIN 500 WOMEN IN TECH ANNUALLY
Coordinator of the Office of the First Lady of Akwa Ibom State and Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Golden Initiative for All (GIFA), Lady Helen Eno Obareki has reaffirmed her dedication to advancing female leadership in technology, unveiling a major capacity building initiative that will train 500 women in tech skills every year.
Lady Obareki stated this today at the GIFA Women in Tech Breakfast Roundtable held Wednesday at Breakforth Hotel, Uyo, with the theme “Empowering Women in Tech: From Aspiring to Leadership.”
She explained that the programme, executed in partnership with Mosaic and Afrilabs, Africa’s largest network of tech and innovation hubs, will equip women with market-driven digital skills including software development, data analysis, and innovation management.
“We are launching an intensive, year-round programme dedicated to training 500 Akwa Ibom women in core technology skills annually. This is a strategic effort to build a strong pipeline of female developers, data analysts and innovators who will help drive our state’s digital economy.” Lady Obareki stated.
She emphasized that the vision goes beyond participation to leadership.
“The goal is not only to bring more women into tech, but to see them at the top. We need more women in boardrooms, steering digital decision-making. When women lead in tech, results are stronger.” The First Lady Designate added.
Lady Obareki highlighted GIFA’s commitment to tackling systemic barriers limiting women in STEM fields, stressing early exposure, access to resources, mentorship, and skills development as key enablers. She praised the turnout of accomplished women at the event, calling it proof that “the future of innovation in Akwa Ibom, and indeed Nigeria, is female.”
She encouraged women already thriving in the tech ecosystem to mentor younger women, support equity in leadership, and champion policies that create opportunities for female talent.
Reaffirming her office’s commitment to expanding educational and empowerment programmes across all Local Government Areas, she invited local and international partners to collaborate by sponsoring cohorts, offering mentorship, supporting equipment needs, and providing internship opportunities.
“Let us leave here united in purpose: gender parity in tech must not be a far-off dream, but a tangible digital and economic reality in Akwa Ibom State,” she charged.
Earlier, Mrs. Eno-Abasi Emah, Chairman of the 2025 Akwa Ibom Tech Week Planning Committee, said the roundtable was designed to create a platform for leading women professionals to engage on challenges, share experiences, and chart sustainable pathways for women’s growth in tech.
The roundtable convened women tech leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators, and policymakers from within and beyond the state to share insights, build networks, and drive collaborative solutions for greater female inclusion in the digital economy.
