By Chinelo Obogo
The Kano State government has lauded the Webfala Digital Skills for All Initiative (WDSFAI), a non-profit dedicated to digital education, for empowering women through its SafeHer STEM Skills programme.
Yusuf Sharada, Senior Special Assistant on Information Communication Technology (ICT) to the Kano State Governor, delivered the praise on Saturday during the orientation for the programme’s second cohort in Kano.
The event marked the enrolment of 150 women for a four-month intensive training in Software Development, Cybersecurity, or Data Science, starting Monday, 14 April 2025. Sharada hailed WDSFAI for choosing Kano, calling the initiative timely and aligned with the state’s goal to boost digital literacy among women and youth.
“This is a laudable initiative that is directly contributing to women’s empowerment and economic development in our state,” he said.
“The government is committed to supporting such impactful projects and will continue to create an enabling environment for digital innovation to thrive.”
Supported by the UK’s Global Feminism in Solidarity and Action, the SafeHer programme trained over 100 women in Kwara State last year. WDSFAI’s Program Lead for STEM Education and Digital Literacy, Khodijah Lawal, explained that the initiative equips women with skills to excel in a tech-driven economy while reducing vulnerability to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV).
“We are convinced that empowering girls and women towards financial independence significantly reduces their vulnerability to SGBV,” she noted. “Through our initiative, we are contributing to creating a safe, secure, and inclusive space for women and girls to thrive in our society.”
Lawal added that the programme seeks to narrow Nigeria’s tech gender gap by inspiring more women to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers. She shared that 1,459 applications were received for the Kano cohort, with 512 candidates shortlisted for interviews, and 150 selected, reflecting strong interest in digital skills among women. Lawal urged government, development agencies, and private sectors to invest more in such training.
Hameed Muritala, WDSFAI’s Director of Communications and Strategy, explained the shift from Kwara to Kano as part of their mission to broaden access to digital skills.
“Irrespective of socio-economic background or location, every girl deserves to be equipped with 21st-century digital skills,” he added.
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