Promoting ICT Opportunities For Women Empowerment In Nigeria: Issues And Strategies

Abstract

Information and Communication technology (ICT) has become a potent force in transforming social, economic and political life globally. Their uses and importance are increasing daily correspondingly. Women are often unsung heroine in the advancement of information technology especially in the developing nations like Nigeria where women are dramatically underrepresented in the ICT field. This paper examined the present trend of women and ICT usage in Nigeria. It is noted that lower numbers of women are accessing and using ICT compared with men. Women are also more strongly represented in lower level ICT occupations than in higher status and higher paid arenas. The benefits of ICT to women themselves, their works, the society at large and even as parents were examined. ICT has potential to bring development to a nation by reducing trade distortions, eliminate poverty, provide employment opportunities, improve health- care delivery and other services relating to women. Empowerment strategies to promote and improve the present situation such as creating an enabling environment which supports and encourages women more access to benefit from ICT projects, creating a regulation and policy which supports women’s use of ICT and promoting increased employment in the IT sector for women and the use of ICT for women’s Small Scale Enterprise (SME) were recommended among others. // Paper ID: 143