A non-governmental organisation, Girl Techies Humanitarian Initiative, also known as Tech Girls Club, has trained secondary school girls in Artificial Intelligence (AI), data science and programming as part of efforts to increase female participation in technology and prepare them for emerging opportunities in the digital economy.

The five-day event, sponsored by the Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS), was held at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, for participants from the North-West zone.

The programme combined classroom instruction, practical exercises, group activities and project development, taking participants from basic computer literacy to python programming, data analysis, AI and machine learning.

Programme Lead Facilitator, Dr Wilson Sakpere, outlined the programme’s objectives, as well as the skills and opportunities participants would encounter during the training.

The Deputy Dean, Faculty of Engineering, ABU, Prof Laminu Kuburi, commended the initiative and encouraged participants to maximise the opportunity to develop their skills.

Kuburi also stressed the importance of increasing women’s participation and representation in engineering and technology.

The Head of Department of Computer Engineering, Dr Basira Yahaya, similarly urged the young women to remain focused and persistent in pursuing their educational and career goals.

Yahaya, drawing on her experience as a female engineer, told the participants that women could make significant contributions to engineering and technology.

Other invited professionals and guests, including Dr David Obada and Dr Risikat Adebiyi, also encouraged and motivated the participants.

They emphasised the importance of continuous learning, confidence, determination, and taking advantage of opportunities for skills development.

The first phase of the training introduced participants to computer fundamentals and digital literacy, with an emphasis on the safe, responsible, and productive use of technology.

The participants were subsequently introduced to data and its applications in education, healthcare, agriculture, business and government planning before learning the basics of Microsoft Excel.

The Excel sessions progressed from data entry and formatting to sorting, filtering, formulas and data visualisation, with practical exercises involving school attendance, personal budgeting and survey responses.

From spreadsheets, the training moved into programming, with particular emphasis on Python due to its applications in Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, robotics, cybersecurity, and software development.

A major component of the programme was the introduction to Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.

Participants learnt how machines use data to identify patterns, classify information and make predictions, while practical sessions demonstrated the relationship between training data, features and labels. The training also addressed concerns around the responsible use of AI, including fairness, privacy, bias and accountability.

Participants were encouraged to regard AI as an assistant rather than an infallible source of information, and to verify important information before relying on AI-generated outputs.

The challenges considered included poor waste disposal, flooding, school attendance, water shortages, traffic congestion, crop diseases, plastic pollution and health awareness.

During the project showcase, judges assessed the teams based on problem identification, creativity and innovation, application of AI or Data Science, technical implementation, teamwork and presentation skills.