By Abubakar Yunusa
Huawei, a leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT), has reaffirmed its commitment to technology training and capacity-building initiatives through its training programmes such as the Huawei ICT Academy.
Speaking in Abuja at the Cultivating Talent Through ICT Training for a Prosperous Nigeria event, a special International Women’s Day edition, Huawei Nigeria’s Strategy Director, Mr Eric Chen, emphasised the company’s dedication to promoting digital inclusion.
“We will keep investing, and we will continue to allocate resources to training programmes such as Huawei ICT Academy and Women Tech that is being implemented in partnership with the Office of the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu,” he stated.
“Additionally, we are planning new programmes in collaboration with different partners.”
While he did not specify the number of individuals the company aims to train in the coming years, Chen highlighted Huawei’s impact over the last seven years.
“We have already trained 70,000 people, since 2018. Our approach is to take things step by step, ensuring that each phase is solid and beneficial.”
In her goodwill message, Mrs Comfort Kabirwa, Director of Policy, Research and Strategy at the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, praised Huawei’s partnership with the government in advancing Nigeria’s digital landscape.
At the event which doubled as an early Women’s Day celebration, the Director said “as we celebrate the achievements of remarkable women in ICT, we must also reflect on the challenges that remain,” she said.
“This initiative is a vital step towards inspiring and motivating female participants to pursue their ambitions relentlessly.”
She also highlighted the Seeds for the Future initiative, a collaboration aimed at nurturing ICT talent in Nigeria, while urging participants to take advantage of professional networks, mentorship programmes, and community initiatives to further their careers.
Beneficiaries of the Huawei ICT Academy ,Aguamara Chinjumubi, a 500-level student of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering at the Federal University of Technology, Minna, expressed her excitement about the programme.
“I have acquired tech skills I never imagined possible, thanks to Huawei Technologies,” she said.
“To young ladies aspiring to enter the ICT sector, Huawei ICT Academy is the best place to start your journey.”
Similarly, Emma Victoria Essoe, a cybersecurity student at Igbinedion University, Okada, and one of the three ladies from the first ever all-female team in the Academy, spoke about how the programme has boosted her career.
“I have gained multiple certifications, many of which people would usually pay hundreds of dollars for. This opportunity has significantly shaped my career path,” she said.
In her closing remarks, Huawei’s Senior Public Relations Manager, Dr. Oyin Abiola, reiterated the company’s commitment to Nigeria’s digital transformation.
“Apart from the ICT Academy and Women in Tech program, we also have the ICT for Change for civil servants, and professional training for Engineers. The testimonials from the beneficiaries here today demonstrates Huawei’s effort and dedication to talent development and boosting Nigeria’s digital economy in alignment with the federal government’s agenda,” she said.
Huawei also go beyond knowledge provision to providing opportunities to gain practical experience as disclosed by a former student of the ICT Academy, Ms Kaoser who shared that she is now currently doing her NYSC in Huawei.
