By Sebastine Obasi

A significant milestone has been achieved in the empowerment of women in Nigeria as Martina Ononiwu’s Station360Africa successfully organized the second batch of the TechHerRoots women empowerment program in Gbagada, Lagos.

The initiative aims to equip women with market-relevant tech skills, driving economic growth and innovation. Martina Ononiwu champions the idea of women in the diaspora empowering Nigerian women, particularly those from the South East.

The program is designed to provide tailored mentorship and foster supportive communities that empower women to monetize their tech skills. A total of 2,000 women are set to benefit from the program in batches. The first batch, conducted online last year, reached 100 women, while the second batch, which began on Tuesday, June 3, will run through July 2025.

TechHerRoots addresses core challenges such as limited exposure to tech careers, unemployment, and lack of mentorship. Its vision is to bridge the gap in tech career exposure and empower women to become job creators, innovators, and community leaders.

Dr. Martina Ononiwu, founder of Station360Africa, is a globally recognized entrepreneur, philanthropist, and innovator. A certified management consultant and scrum master, she has a background in performing arts and business management. She is the founder of several ventures including Runstead Services and Kizocare. Dr. Ononiwu is a recipient of the US Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award and holds an honorary doctorate in Entrepreneurship and Business Management. Through her philanthropic initiatives, including the Rebuild2Millions program, she is dedicated to empowering women, children, and communities.

Though not physically present at the event, Dr. Ononiwu oversaw the proceedings via Zoom, while other tech experts spoke and guided the sessions.

The success of TechHerRoots highlights Station360Africa’s commitment to driving positive change and empowering Nigerian women. Building on this momentum, the final batch of 2,000 women will be empowered in August 2025, with the next phase scheduled to take place in Southeast Nigeria at the Princess Alexandra Auditorium, Nsukka. Registration is currently open at https://forms.gle/MhggEwUUV7GmVugL6.

Sonia Okeke, a participant, praised the program, saying, “I have attended several tech programs, but this one is by far the best. The tips and knowledge shared by Madam Martina are unmatched. I immediately followed her social platforms during the sessions.”

Jeff Unaegbu, Research Fellow at the Institute of African Studies, UNN, who spoke on “Fine-tuning Prompt Engineering for AI” at the event, said more participants are expected for the final stage of training in August 2025.

As Nigeria continues to leverage technology to address development challenges, initiatives like TechHerRoots serve as catalysts for change, inspiring more women to pursue tech careers and become leaders in their communities.