The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has launched the second cohort of the IgniteHer Bootcamp, placing women at the heart of Nigeria’s digital and entrepreneurial transformation.
Under the theme “Empowering Women Entrepreneurs for Growth and Innovation,” the bootcamp convened a new generation of female entrepreneurs from across Nigeria, both physically and virtually, for hands-on training in digital skills, innovation management, business development, and investor readiness. The initiative is powered through a strategic partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Speaking at the launch, Kashifu Inuwa, NITDA’s Director General, represented by Dr. Ahmed Tambuwal, Acting Director, Digital Literacy and Capacity Building, emphasized that IgniteHer is a strategic tool for women’s economic empowerment and innovation-driven growth.
“Through IgniteHer, we are actualising the Renewed Hope Agenda by expanding women’s access to technology and economic opportunity,” he stated.
NITDA highlighted that inclusive innovation is central to its Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2.0: 2024–2027), with IgniteHer serving as a key driver for poverty reduction, gender equality, and youth empowerment under the National Gender Digital Inclusion Strategy (NGDIS).
The agency has set an ambitious target to equip 12.7 million Nigerian women with digital literacy skills by 2027. From over 12,000 applications, the selected participants are now equipped not just with new skills, but with renewed confidence to lead, innovate, and scale their businesses.
“We are not merely imparting skills; we are creating self-reliant entrepreneurs, change-makers, and leaders,” the DG affirmed.
Citing data from the World Wide Web Foundation, Inuwa noted that closing Nigeria’s digital gender gap could unlock $13 billion in GDP growth over the next decade.
Japan’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Matsunaga Kazuyoshi, reaffirmed Japan’s enduring partnership with Nigeria in innovation and gender equity.
He announced two ongoing JICA-supported grant projects worth $30.9 million focused on strengthening Nigeria’s startup ecosystem and building inclusive innovation hubs.
Looking forward to the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9), themed “Co-create Innovative Solutions with Africa,” he reiterated Japan’s commitment to co-developing a digitally inclusive future with Africa.
Lead facilitator Hajiya Hafsat Salabi-Dange described IgniteHer as more than a bootcamp—it is a movement for transformation and generational impact.
“What you will gain here goes beyond business. It is a tool for community upliftment, national growth, and generational impact,” she said, urging participants to become multipliers of opportunity in their communities.
As Nigeria accelerates its digital transformation, programmes like IgniteHer are breaking barriers and building bridges for women entrepreneurs.
Every line of code learned, pitch perfected, and connection made in this bootcamp contributes to a more inclusive, innovative, and resilient Nigeria, ensuring that no woman is left behind in the nation’s digital leap.
