WOMEN IN TECH DEMAND GREATER FUNDING, INCLUSION IN NIGERIA’S AI ECOSYSTEM

Women in technology and engineering have intensified calls for increased funding, skills development, and greater inclusion in Nigeria’s emerging artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem to foster innovation and close the gender gap.

The appeal was made at the fifth edition of the Women in Technology and Engineering Summit and Awards (WITESA 5.0), held in Lagos on Tuesday, where stakeholders celebrated outstanding female contributions to the sector.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Olatunbosun Alake, acknowledged persistent barriers. “Limited access to funding and technical tools remain major challenges facing women innovators and engineers,” he said.

Alake highlighted Lagos State’s efforts, including the launch of the Science, Research, and Innovation Council, targeted partnerships, and recent funding in the millions for women-focused initiatives. However, he noted that resources fall short of demand, calling for billions in investment to scale training programmes in collaboration with banks and partners. He stressed the need for massive talent development to meet industry demands, particularly in banking and tech entrepreneurship.

On AI, Alake emphasised infrastructure, power supply, and local context. “We need to localise our own large language models,” he added, referencing the recent launch of a 40-megawatt data centre with GPU capacity in Lekki to support indigenous AI development.

Convener of WITESA and CEO of Womenovate, Motunrayo Opayinka, described inclusion as a necessity rather than an option. “Technology solutions must reflect the needs of diverse users. Women play a critical role in that,” she said, underscoring the event’s role in role-modelling and inspiring young girls in STEM.

The summit continues to position Lagos as a continental innovation hub while pushing for accelerated gender parity in tech.