BY LAJU ARENYEKA

Even in today’s global village, there are 23 percent less women with access to the internet than men. This is despite the fact that the world has 51 percent more women than men.

But women entrepreneurs need Information and Communication Technology to really succeed. Perhaps, that is why Diamond Bank Plc embarked on a recent ICT development for women entrepreneurs initiative.

The 2-day event, which held in Lagos, engaged 30 women entrepreneurs at no cost to the participants, and featured hands-on practical training in the use of ICT-Business tools and techniques.

Speaking to Hi-tech, Adaeze Ume, Segment head, Micro enterprise and business development service of the bank, said: “Diamond bank is training women entrepreneurs on technology solutions so that they can improve on their businesses.

It came as an aftermath of a programme we held in November last year at the SME-life banking forum where potential entrepreneurs pitched their business ideas to would be investors.

We threw open the opportunity to women entrepreneurs who were interested in learning how to use technology to improve upon their businesses and these women showed interest. There is a wide disparity between women and men when it comes to ICT knowledge and access.

“We are trying to bridge that gap. And we are starting with women entrepreneurs because there is an inextricable link between success in business and working knowledge of information technology.”

Oreoluwa Somolu, Executive Director, Women’s Technology Empowerment Centre (WTEC), was the chief resource person at the training. She believes that empowering women in the area of ICT wouldn’t only be good for the women, but for the economy at large.