By Chukwuebuka Nkwocha

The telecommunication network, Airtel Nigeria has deepened drive towards gender equity with the launch of Airtel Women’s network.

Airtel Women Network is a platform to empower and mentor women to become global leaders while breaking stereotypes and closing gender gaps.

The launch which held at its headquarters in Banana Island Lagos recently, kicked off with a discussing around empowering women to become global leaders.

Former Securities and Exchange Commission boss, Arunma Oteh, led the conversation with a lecture themed, “Empowering Global Leaders”.

Delivering her lecture, Oteh said: “The ability of brands like Airtel to bring innovations like this means they can do better than the others. I like that Airtel is being intentional about women’s empowerment and they recognize that they are not doing women a favour, rather the empowerment of women is good for the business”.

She commended the brand for driving gender equity and also commended the male employees of Airtel for supporting women to launch of Airtel’s Women Network.

Airtel’s Chief Executive Director, Krishna Menon, who was represented by the Director of Airtel Business, Ogo Ofomata, said: “We are an equal opportunity employer and it is embedded in our DNA to be fair, just and respectful. Airtel is committed to women advancement and achievements, both internally and externally, and out of many other initiatives, we have recently demonstrated this through our premium social investment platform ‘Airtel Touching Lives. Through ‘Airtel Touching Lives’, we have not only provided relief and succour to thousands of Nigerians but we have also thrown our full weight behind the Nigerian woman, helping them own their craft and even empowering women in technology” she added.

Also speaking at the event, Director, Human Resources, Airtel Nigeria, Adebimpe Ayo-Elias, said, “Over the years Airtel women have contributed immensely to the success of the organizations and Airtel recognizes this and is committed to ensuring that the women thrive. We are currently at 25% and our target is to grow women’s representation at top-level management to 30% before the end of the year. To generally drive women inclusion, especially in technology, part of what Airtel has done is to promote digital financial inclusion by registering and training women as Smart-cash PSB agents, at no cost”