Women have been urged to take up greater roles in building and managing
Nigeria’s digital infrastructure as industry leaders called for increased
investment in connectivity, technical skills and inclusive leadership to
prepare the country for the artificial intelligence (AI) era.
The call was made at the Women in Internet Infrastructure Forum organised
by the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN) as part of activities marking
its 20th anniversary.
The forum, themed “Breaking the Barriers, Building the Future,” brought
together students, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members, young
professionals and industry leaders to discuss barriers to women’s participation
in technology and ways to expand opportunities in the sector.
Welcoming participants, Mrs Zubaida Rasheed, IXPN Board Member, said the
forum demonstrated the organisation’s commitment to developing the next
generation of professionals, particularly women who will build and manage the
infrastructure powering Nigeria’s digital economy.
She noted that innovations in software, fintech and AI depend on reliable
connectivity, data centres, cloud infrastructure and skilled professionals,
urging more women to pursue careers in network engineering, internet peering,
data centre operations, cloud computing and cybersecurity.
Established in 2006, IXPN has helped keep internet traffic within
Nigeria, reducing international transit costs, improving network performance
and strengthening resilience.
Ezinne Ekeghe, acting company secretary at IXPN, highlighted the
organisation’s contribution to Nigeria’s internet ecosystem. Citing a 2020
Internet Society report, she said IXPN’s peak traffic had grown from 300 Mbps
to 125 Gbps, generating estimated annual cost savings of about $40 million.
She stressed that the country’s digital future would depend on resilient
networks, advanced technical skills and wider opportunities for women and young
people.
“The next chapter will be shaped not only by the networks we build, but
by who gets the opportunity to build them,” she said.
In her keynote address, Women Building the Digital Infrastructure of the
Future, Funke Opeke, founder and former chief executive officer of MainOne,
called for sustained investment and stronger local interconnection to maximise
the economic benefits of AI.
Opeke recalled that limited infrastructure and expensive connectivity
constrained Nigeria’s digital development when she returned to the country in
2005. She said MainOne subsequently invested $240 million in infrastructure to
improve connectivity across Nigeria and West Africa.
She noted that although Nigeria now has at least eight international
submarine cables, stronger connections among telecommunications networks, data
centres and digital platforms are needed to enable more Nigerian data to be
processed locally.
According to her, this would help retain economic value, strengthen
digital resilience and position Nigeria as a regional internet hub. She also
encouraged established women in technology to mentor younger professionals and
promote girls’ participation in science, technology, engineering and
mathematics.
A panel session moderated by Seyi Onasanya, chief operating officer of
the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), featured Mary Uduma,
Vuyiseka Februarie, Uche Nnakenyi and Falilat Jimoh.
Discussions emphasised
continuous learning, practical experience, professional visibility and the
adoption of digital and AI tools as pathways to successful technology careers.
The forum also featured two panel sessions on building a more inclusive
internet ecosystem and understanding Generation Z’s perspectives on careers in
infrastructure.
As part of the anniversary activities, IXPN introduced the IXPN@20
Certification Scholarship, offering 10 professional training opportunities to
students and NYSC members to strengthen their technical skills and career
prospects.
Recipients were selected through eligibility and assessment criteria
that included questions from the technical masterclass.
The initiative reinforces IXPN’s commitment to developing talent and
expanding women’s participation in the infrastructure underpinning Nigeria’s
digital economy.