By Emeka Aginam

With the participation of more women in the Nigerian Information Technology ecosystem, the game is changing, closing the existing gender gap. Although recent report by the Broadband Commission Working Group on Broadband and Gender report has indicated that women account for fewer than 20% of ICT specialists in developing economies, the participation of more women in the 2015 Nigerian Computer Society international conference to elect new leadership will be a game changer.

Women in ICT

By next month, the IT stakeholders in the Nigerian IT industry will gather in Akure, Ondo State for the 2015 NCS international conference to elect new leadership. Credible candidates for different elective positions, are already expressing their interests to make change in the umbrella organization of all Information Technology Professionals, in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the ongoing 2015 Computer Registration Professional Council of Nigeria, CPN, IT Assembly will be a good avenue for the candidates vying for different positions in NCS 2015 election to campaign and network for the challenges ahead. Already, the NCS Chairlady , Credentials Committee, Mrs. Veronica Ola Owolabi, will be vying for the Deputy President of the IT interest group.

Certainly, her leadership ambition in the NCS, keen observers say, would enhance the push for more participation of women in ICT by Nigerian Women In Information Technology, NiWIIT, a special interest group of the NSC. It would be recalled that the strategic role of Women in IT has been advocated world-wide for a very long time by Chris Uwaje, the Presidential aspirant of NCS.

Uwaje has passionately advocated for the establishment of Nigerian Women in IT Group for a very long time, dating back in 2003 when he made similar proposal. As a member of CPN Council, he had promoted the same advocacy and supported his views with documented write-up.

It was not until during Uwaje’s tenure as NCS Council member between 2008-2012 that he was lucky to find a listening ear, willing mind, and a committed and dedicated personality in person of Dr. Adeola Ilechukwu , the President of NIWIIT who embraced the idea with great passion and has succeeded in building NIWIIT to what it is today..

The President of NIWIIT, Dr Adeola Ilechukwu who spoke to Vanguard Hi-Tech on Monday on women inclusion in ICT said that there was need for gender balance in ICT to strike a balance .

Speaking on NCS election, she said that there have been women participation in NCS. With the participation of Mrs. Veronica Ola Owolabi as the Deputy President of NCS, it will going to be a game changer. She has been active in NCS. She knows the terrain. She understands the industry. She has all it takes to deliver her mandate” Ilechukwu who was one time second Vice President of NCS explained.