The Federal Government has intensified efforts to close Nigeria’s digital gender gap with the empowerment of more than 3,700 girls through the 2026 National Girls in ICT Competition, a nationwide initiative focused on building the next generation of female technology innovators across the country.
The programme, organised by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy, reached its climax on Friday with a grand finale and celebratory dinner held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. The event attracted government officials, technology stakeholders, educators, and students from across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu attended the event as Special Guest of Honour and commended the participants for their creativity, innovation, and determination to solve real problems through technology.
Speaking during the event, the First Lady described the girls as contributors to national development and not just beneficiaries of government programmes.
“I applaud the innovation and creativity displayed by our girls. Your solutions remind us that young people are not merely beneficiaries of change; they are key drivers of change,” she said.
She encouraged the participants to remain confident in their abilities and continue using technology to address challenges in society. According to her, programmes such as the National Girls in ICT Competition and the government-backed Code Clubs initiative show Nigeria’s growing commitment to digital inclusion and youth empowerment.
Now in its fourth edition, the competition attracted participation from schools and innovation teams across the country. Participants went through different stages of training, mentoring, and innovation challenges designed around real-life sectors including healthcare, agriculture, education, accessibility, and public service delivery.
The grand finale, which held earlier at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Annex in Abuja, featured presentations from six regional finalist teams before a panel of judges drawn from government, academia, industry, and Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem.
At the end of the competition, Hands that Speak from the Special Education Centre in Bauchi State emerged overall winner. Representing the North East region, the team developed SignCare, a digital health accessibility platform created to improve communication between deaf patients and healthcare providers.
The solution stood out for addressing accessibility challenges in Nigeria’s healthcare system, particularly for persons living with hearing disabilities who often struggle to communicate effectively during medical consultations.
Other winning teams also presented technology-driven solutions targeted at solving practical problems in their communities.
Team Divas from Cross River State, representing the South South region, finished in second place, while Team Resonance from Abia State, representing the South East, secured third position.
Team FarmShield 360 from Kano State representing the North West came fourth, Team Tech Expert from the Federal Capital Territory representing the North Central finished fifth, while Team Elite from Osun State representing the South West placed sixth.
Minister of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, said the competition reflects the growing spread of digital talent across Nigeria and the importance of creating equal opportunities for young people regardless of location.
“Tonight has reminded us of something very important; talent is everywhere in Nigeria and opportunity must be provided everywhere too. We have seen creativity, confidence, innovation, and problem-solving from all regions of the country,” Tijani said.
According to the minister, empowering girls in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) remains important to Nigeria’s long-term ambition of building a globally competitive digital economy.
He added that improving female participation in technology is not only necessary for inclusion but also critical for economic growth and innovation.
Goodwill messages were also delivered by major stakeholders in Nigeria’s digital ecosystem including Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi; Managing Director of NIGCOMSAT, Jane Egerton-Idehen; and Postmaster General of the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), Tola Odeyemi.
The speakers encouraged participants to deepen their interest in STEM and continue building technology solutions capable of creating social and economic impact.
They also stressed the need for sustained investment in youth-focused innovation programmes to ensure more Nigerian girls have access to digital opportunities and technical skills.
Organisers said the National Girls in ICT Competition forms part of broader government efforts aimed at strengthening digital literacy, increasing female representation in technology, and ensuring young girls are not left behind in Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda.
As Nigeria continues to push for a stronger digital economy, initiatives such as the Girls in ICT Competition are increasingly becoming important platforms for discovering and supporting young innovators capable of shaping the future of technology in the country.
