The President/CEO of the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI), Prof. Mohammed Ajiya, has said that the institute would continue to promote and focus on events that would advance ICT awareness in the girl-child.

He disclosed this when he led the management of the institute to join the Minister of Women Affairs, Senator Paulen Talen at a special event held at the Government Girls Secondary School, Dutse, Abuja  on 22nd April 2021 to celebrate the Girls in ICT Day 2021.

A statement issued by Mr. Akin Ogunlade, Head, Public Affairs of DBI, said the programme which was coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs (FMWA) and the Government Girls Secondary School, Dutse Abuja was aimed at providing an enabling environment to educate the Girl-Child about the importance of Information Communication Technology as a field of learning.

The event also aimed at encouraging the young girls on focusing their interest on Sciences, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) related courses as fields of learning.

In her keynote address, the minister expressed the commitment of the ministry towards the creation of an enabling environment for equal opportunities to ensure maximum realization of the girl-child’s potentials. She noted that from her assumption of office as the ministry has introduced impactful programmes to reposition women and young children to greater heights in the polity of the nation.

In his goodwill message, Prof. Ajiya stated that the DBI is a creation of the NCC which was established with the mandate to provide capacity building in ICT to young people and professionals to ensure adequate capacity and human resource pool to the evolving telecoms and ICT industry.

He made it known that the NCC, as a matter of fact has always given capacity building a foremost priority in line with the mandate of the Federal Ministry of Communications to enable a digitally focused economy. He assured the minister that the DBI will continue to partner with the ministry to support initiatives and projects focused on education of women and the girl-child especially in the ICT field.

The event was well attended by stakeholders in the ICT industry including the representative(s) of the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Nigerian Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Women in ICT forum and the leadership of the FCT Schools Board.

The DBI’s team included, the President/CEO, Prof. Mohammed Ajiya, Institute Secretary/Legal Adviser, Ms. Tonia Ansa-Otudor, Head, Public Affairs, Mr. Akin Ogunlade, Special Assistant to the President/CEO, Mr. Abiola Jimoh, and Mr. Daniel Mkpa, ICT Officer.