Nigeria’s telecoms regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) will be leading other stakeholders as eBusiness Life Communication Limited hosts young girls in the 2023 edition of the International Girls in ICT Day campaign.

The event, which will hold at the Lagos Oriental Hotel on May 11, 2023, is part of an annual campaign initiated by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) to sensitise and encourage young women and girls to delve into ICT and related careers, which have been dominated by the male gender. The 2023 theme will be central on “Digital Skills for Life”.

NCC’s support underscores the importance of the event that throws more light on the need to groom girls for the future.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of eBusiness Life Communication and convener of the event, Mrs. Ufuoma Emuophedaro, the need to sensitise young girls is premised on the fact that the society has unconsciously relegated the female gender and delegated careers in technical fields, especially in ICT, to their male counterparts.

She noted that efforts should be made to introduce young girls to career opportunities in technical fields in both the public and private sectors to help them have a wider range of options and contribute their quota in the industry and in the development of the economy.

This year’s eBusiness Life International Girls in ICT Day event will have the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof.  Isa Ali Pantami as the Special Guest, with a Keynote from the Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta.

Other dignitaries expected at the event will include the Honourable Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Dame Pauline Tallen; Honourable Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Hon. Cecilia Bolaji Dada, and other decision makers in the industry.

As part of the 2023 event, there will be practical ICT competition among female students from select public and private secondary schools; roundtable discussion among the students; interactive and motivational talk from renowned women ICT professionals; and Schools’ quiz competition, among others.

Stakeholders in the telecoms sector will be dissecting the pending amendment bill of the National Information Technology Development Agency Act, NITDA Bill 2021, as effort to boost investments in the Tech space and increase digital deliverables for Nigerians.

NITDA is a key agency of the federal government under the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, developing and promoting ICT adoption in the country. The Agency was established in 2007 by the NITDA Act while the NITDA Bill 2021, now pending at the National Assembly, seeks to repeal and re-enact the NITDA Act of 2007.

Organisers of the fast-growing consultative event brand, the Policy Implementation Assisted Forum (PIAFo), have dedicated the event’s next edition to robust engagement on the pending amendment bill of the NITDA Bill 2021.

The event, now in its fifth edition, is slated for Thursday April 13, 2023 in Lagos, with the theme: “NITDA BILL: Towards the Sustainability of Nigeria’s Digital Economy Drive”.

Speaking on the event, PIAFo lead executive, Omobayo Azeez, said “Nigeria’s digital economy has become a collective project for players across sectors in the public and private spheres. The ICT sector is a lifeline for the economy and this has been proven time and again through its contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), among other ways.

Experts from different sectors of the Nigerian economy have brainstormed on the on optimisation of technology to create prosperity whilst highlighting the numerous opportunities for creators to develop alternate sources of income.

Hosted by Lagos-based strategic communications and events consultancy, AT3 Resources, the interactive session held at AfricaNXT with the theme: “The Creator Economy: What Next After Social Media?” comprising industry experts, tech creators, and digital specialists.

 The lineup of panelists during the session included; Oluwasola Obagbemi, Corporate Communications Manager, Anglophone West Africa, Meta; Frank iTom, Creative Director, Frank Itom Creatives; Chinwe Egwin, Chief Economist, Coronation Merchant Bank and Oluwatobi Ayeni (Miss Techy), Tech Creator.

Moderating the session, founder and chief executive officer, AT3 Resources, Tosin Adefeko said, “Before the advent of the creator economy, many of today’s creators would have been unemployed; creators for many years just engaged in their passions; now people can unlock their creative potential and give it value.

“As the country seeks to diversify its economy away from the dependency on oil revenues, we are simply excited to be able to bring this conversation to the frontburner at AfricaNXT 2023”.

Speaking during the session, Chief Economist, Coronation Merchant Bank, Chinwe Egwin, noted that the creator economy is an evolving concept that will assist to boost job creation in Nigeria and if properly harnessed will likely compete with the oil industry.

 “The creator economy is borderless and creators need to seize the opportunities out there to promote their craft. However, to avail themselves of the opportunities, creators must ensure that they build the right structures required for their business to thrive,” he said.

Speaking on how creators can stay ahead of the trends that will continue to shape the creator ecosystem, Frank iTom, Creative Director, Frank iTom Creatives stated that, “Creators need to explore new tools, carve a niche that sets them apart and remain consistent in their craft.”

Oluwatobi Ayeni (Miss Techy), Tech Creator, also buttressed by saying that, “As a matter of fact, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is beginning to contribute significantly to the creator economy by helping creators create, edit and distribute content online. The possibilities are endless and looking at what the future holds, there will be an increase in competition and strict regulations, so the best time to start creating is now.”

Highlighting the myriad of opportunities that abound for potential and existing creators across Africa, Oluwasola Obagbemi, Corporate Communications Manager, Anglophone West Africa, Meta, said “The digital space is constantly changing and as such content creators must also evolve.

The Metaverse is one platform that creators can explore to create amazing content and it opens doors to several opportunities for creators to learn and collaborate. Also, Meta has created resources that will enable creators to improve and  monetise their content online.