Members of the Nkata Ndi Inyom Igbo ) Foundation have identified capacity- building and digital literacy as major challenges to creating technology and innovative pathways for women and youth to thrive.
Speaking at the yearly conference held in Lagos recently, President General of the foundation, Iyom Josephine Anenih, insisted “there is need to open vistas of financing and technology for digital literacy, agribusiness, innovation and inclusiveness for shared prosperity.”With the theme, “Innovative solutions and funding for women and youth: In digital literacy and agribusiness,’ Chairman of the event, Maj. Gen. Abel Obi Umahi (rtd.), stressed the importance of education, digital literacy and women/young persons empowerment .
Two keynote speakers, Leo Stan Ekeh and Kola Masha, spoke on “Entrepreneurship: Creating pathways for women and youth to thrive in the technology and innovation sector” and “Agricultural innovation: Promoting digital skills and building sustainable agribusiness practices for women and youth”. Ekeh, Founder and Chairman of Zinox Group, said no business runs without technology, which is the hub of wealth acquisition.
He posited that digital literacy was essential for women and youths to break economic and social barriers. He re-emphasized Nigeria’s commitment to reach 70 per cent digital literacy by 2027 and promised to facilitate a day training for a select NNII group in his facility.
Masha, co-founder and Managing Director of Babban Gona, said by supporting rural communities through agri-processing—becoming the farmers’ university, bank, and market—they were able to access low-cost, high-quality, and reliable raw materials while growing their businesses.
A communiqué presented at the conference observed with the future of agriculture, business, and entrepreneurship recognised as being digital, a commitment to continue and expand the 10,000-women training initiative through tech platforms under the Zinox Group’s was promised to lend support to Nigeria’s commitment to reach 70 per cent digital literacy by 2027.
They were also encouraged to form clusters and agricultural cooperatives, women were promised digital literacy (training) provision for up to one Million women to be sourced through the NNII Foundation Platform.
