How One thousand Women Got Immersed into the Tech Space in Nigeria- The VBank Women in Tech Makeathon Story.

According to the latest women in tech statistics, women account for about 19% of STEM graduates.

Do you also know that women hold only 26.7%of tech related jobs?

The underrepresentation of women in the tech space is alarming and this is the reason women in the tech space have taken it upon themselves to present opportunities to women all over the world.

One of these insightful women in the tech space is Solape Akinpelu, the Country Director of the Women in Tech global initiative in Nigeria.

Alongside her team, Solape set out to immerse one thousand women into the tech space in Nigeria. It was an ambitious project given the timeline.

Given our devotion to empowering and promoting access to women in the tech ecosystem, the Nest innovation technology park through Girl Code Academy, served as training partners to implement the Makeathon project.

This project was funded by Vbank, a progressive financial institution in Nigeria.

The Nest hub served as the training centre. Five courses were offered in this program; Data Analytics, Cyber Security, Digital Marketing and Product Management.

The women’s zealous approach to learning is laudable. Some of the participants juggled their full time job with this tasking program, and they made it. It is evident that women are ready to take up opportunities in the tech space.

The graduands have these to say about the program;

“First of all, I’d like to say a big thank you to the organizers of this program. I have had the most amazing time and as someone that had no prior knowledge of Data Analytics, I have learnt how to clean data and format data using excel( I can also create data dashboards).

The program has been a dream come true.”

-Aminat Busari

It was an impactful 3 months of training.

I signed up for the VBank WIT Makeathon and received the acceptance mail in February. I was super excited because ASUU had just announced a strike.

From being a Law student to taking a few courses in Software Development, VBank Makeathon has taught me that a solid Product Management is the bedrock of any successful product or app that will be launched. I’m excited about being a certified product manager and I look forward to interning, and afterwards gainfully employed as a Product Manager.

-Sowunmi Similoluwa

This Program is a blessing. It helped me see my place in the Tech industry if I decide to go full on as a Product manager. I learnt things like the Product life cycle, Users Prioritization etc.

I also got to learn how to work with people, especially having to lead my team for the final project.

-Destiny Nwebe

On the 15th of July, one thousand women graduated from the Makeathon project at the Nest hub. One could touch the excitement in the air, it was a women-celebrating-women jamboree.

The graduation ceremony was anchored by Temidayo Musa, Program Manager (The Nest Hub), while the Programs Officer (Women in tech Nigeria), Kemi Ogunkoya delivered the welcome address. In her keynote address, Solape Akinpelu encouraged the graduands to dream big and not settle for less.

It was a remarkable experience for the graduands, the facilitators, the partners and the sponsor of the program. Indeed, we can make the world a better place with deliberate efforts through collaboration.

It was a beautifully executed plan.

We are grateful to everyone who contributed to the success of this program. It’s an honor to be a partner in this highly impactful program.

The Women in Tech and Girl Code still have plans to bring more women into the tech space, follow them on Instagram for more updates.