The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders in Bauchi and Kano states as it works to expand digital opportunities for women and girls and reduce the gender digital divide in Northern Nigeria.

The organisation is implementing an 18-month initiative known as Addressing the Gender Digital Divide and Expanding Business Opportunities for Women and Girls in Northern Nigeria (Agenda-WINNIG). The project began in February 2026 and is focused particularly on women and girls in underserved and rural communities.

Speaking after a stakeholder engagement in Bauchi, the project's Programme Manager, Fatima Babakura, said the initiative is designed to equip beneficiaries with basic digital skills, online safety knowledge, digital hygiene and entrepreneurship skills.

She explained that the project aims to help women and girls make productive use of digital technology while also giving them the confidence and knowledge needed to navigate the online environment safely.

CITAD said the programme is targeting 25,000 women and girls across Bauchi and Kano states through different training components.

Under the programme, 15,000 beneficiaries are expected to receive training in basic digital literacy, online safety and digital hygiene. Another 5,000 final-year secondary school girls preparing for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board examination are expected to receive computer-based test training, while an additional 5,000 women and girls will receive digital entrepreneurship training.

The entrepreneurship component is intended to help participants use digital platforms to promote their products, connect with customers and explore opportunities within the growing online marketplace.

CITAD's project documentation similarly identifies digital literacy, online safety and entrepreneurship as major components of the intervention, with the broader objective of helping women and girls participate more effectively in education, communication and economic activities through technology.

Babakura said the persistent gap in access to digital knowledge and technology, particularly in rural communities, makes such interventions necessary.

She noted that many women and girls face barriers that limit their ability to benefit from the digital economy, making community-based training and awareness important parts of the project's approach.

The stakeholder engagement in Bauchi was organised to gather recommendations from organisations and institutions involved in technology, education, community development and women's empowerment. CITAD said feedback from the consultations would help shape a policy brief expected at the end of the project.

The organisation is also relying on community-based organisations and other local networks to identify and mobilise potential beneficiaries, particularly those living in hard-to-reach areas.

CITAD's Head of Bauchi team, Mujahid Ibrahim, said working through established community networks allows the organisation to take training closer to people who might otherwise have difficulty accessing such opportunities.

Stakeholders involved in the engagement included community leaders, civil society organisations, technology groups, traditional and religious leaders, lecturers, government institutions and development partners.

The approach is already producing measurable activity. CITAD reported that 551 women, girls and persons with disabilities were trained in digital literacy, online safety and digital hygiene across eight local government areas of Kano in August. The organisation also reported reaching 848 women and girls in Kano and Bauchi through another round of training.

The organisation says the training covers practical areas such as using computers and mobile devices, protecting personal information, recognising online scams and adopting safer digital habits.

The initiative has also included activities aimed at increasing girls' participation in technology. CITAD's April 2026 International Girls in ICT Day programme in Bauchi brought together students, teachers, ICT professionals and other stakeholders for discussions and mentorship around digital literacy, online safety and opportunities in the digital economy.

Meanwhile, Jamila Sule, Deputy Secretary-General of the Network of Nigerian Women Mediators in Bauchi, described the initiative as timely, particularly for women and girls who face difficulties accessing and using digital technology.

She said exposing more women and girls to productive uses of technology could help change perceptions about digital tools and open up opportunities in education, entrepreneurship and other areas.

CITAD's wider project activities suggest that the organisation intends to take the intervention beyond major urban centres and into communities across the two states. Its recent reports show training activities being conducted in multiple local government areas, reinforcing the project's focus on reaching underserved groups.

With digital technology increasingly influencing education, employment, commerce and access to information, CITAD says improving women's and girls' digital skills is essential to ensuring that they are not left behind in Northern Nigeria's growing digital economy.