This remarkable achievement marks a significant step towards advancing gender diversity and inclusivity in the tech industry across Nigeria after the first edition which graduated 1,000 beneficiaries.

The VFD Group sponsored Women in Tech Nigeria 2023 Makeathon is a groundbreaking initiative aimed at empowering girls and women to pursue careers in technology-related fields.

Over the course of the 3-month intensive free, capacity building, digital literacy exercise in Product Design, Product Management, Digital Marketing, and Data Analytics, the participants were provided with hands-on training and capacity building lessons to gather the requisite skills and knowledge they need to launch successful careers in tech.

The graduation ceremony was held at The Nest Innovation Technology Park, Yaba, was a testament to the dedication and hard work of the program’s participants.

The girls and women, from diverse backgrounds and experiences, demonstrated their commitment to breaking barriers and making a lasting impact in the tech industry.

The Women in Tech Nigeria 2023 Makeathon aligns with global insights that emphasise the importance of diversity in the technology sector.

A diverse workforce not only fosters innovation but also addresses critical challenges and brings different perspectives to the table.

By providing women with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in tech-related careers, this program contributes to the broader goal of creating a more inclusive and equitable technology ecosystem.

Commenting, Solape Akinpelu, Country Director of Women in Tech Nigeria, expressed her enthusiasm for the Makeathon’s achievements and the potential it holds for the future. ]

“The graduation of 1,500 girls and women from the Women in Tech Nigeria 2023 Makeathon is a significant milestone in our mission to bridge the gender gap in technology. The dedication and passion displayed by these graduates are truly inspiring. We believe that they are poised to make a substantial impact in the tech industry and contribute to Nigeria’s technological growth,” she said.

“The tech industry is one of the most important and fastest-growing sectors in the world. We are proud to partner with VFD Group to provide girls and women with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in this exciting field. We are confident that our graduates will make significant contributions to the tech industry and to Nigeria as a whole.

“These women have worked incredibly hard to learn new skills and knowledge, and we are confident that they will make significant contributions to the tech industry and to Nigeria as a whole. We are committed to continuing to empower women and girls through our programs, and we hope that our graduates will inspire other women to pursue careers in tech,” Solape Akinpelu added.

In his remarks, Gbenga Omolokun, the Managing Director, VBank, said; “The Makeathon is part of our goal to increase the participation of women in the tech industry. According to a report by the World Economic Forum, women account for only 28% of the global workforce in tech. In Nigeria, the gender gap in the tech industry is even wider, with women accounting for only 22% of the workforce.

“We committe to sponsoring the Makeathon to close the gender gap in the tech industry by providing girls and women with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed. This partnership reflects VFD Group’s dedication to fostering positive change and contributing to creating a more diverse and inclusive tech industry, which will benefit everyone.”

To provide the itensive skills training for the beneficiaries, Women In Tech Nigeria partnered with The Nest Incubation Hub, and Girl Code Academy.

Also commenting at the graduation ceremony, a beneficiary of the Makeathon, Dami Ajayi who got training in Product Management said; “I am extremely happy to have benefited from this intensive 3-month tech capacity building program. I enjoyed the tremendous opportunity to learn new skills, gain experience, and eventually graduate into embarking on a successful career in the tech industry. I am grateful to everyone who played a significant role in making this possible.”

The alliance is aimed at revolutionizing the agricultural sector, enhancing productivity, sustainability, and profitability throughout the entire agricultural value chain in Nigeria.

Together, VBank and Zowasel are poised to pave the way for a new era of growth and advancement in the agricultural industry, harnessing the power of technology and financial expertise to drive transformative change.

Also, the strategic investment will empower farmers and agribusinesses by providing them with improved access to vital financial resources for growth and development.

Commenting on the bank’s commitment to the initiative, Gbenga Omolokun, the Managing Director of VFD Microfinance Bank, said: ‘’With a deep understanding of the pivotal role of smallholders in Nigeria’s economy, the partnership seeks to democratize access to bottom-of-the-pyramid financing, thereby empowering smallholder farmers, agricultural cooperatives, and SMEs by providing them with enhanced access to finance resources.’’

In the same vein, Zowasel’s Director of Partnerships, Mr. Anietie Bassey, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, emphasizing VFD’s steadfast support and belief in the Zowasel project.

‘’The collaboration aims to construct a robust alternative scoring system by harnessing extensive data from Zowasel’s Marketplace, remote Crop Centers, and a vast network of smallholder farmers, cooperatives, and extension officers across Nigerian farming communities.’’ He noted.

The ACESS, a state-of-the-art solution, combines the prowess of an AI-driven Predictive Dynamic System (PDS) and a human-driven Dynamic Variable System (DVS). It functions as an ethical credit scoring and loan assessment tool, bridging the gap between financial establishments and organizations engaged with farmers, startups, cooperatives, and SMEs.

ACESS effectively unlocks agricultural financing across the entire value chain.

This software empowers organizations to digitize farmers’ data and automate various value chain processes, encompassing cultivation practices, behavioural biometrics, harvest and sales records, and cost and income data points. By transforming this data into actionable insights,

The ICTEL Expo provided an unparalleled platform for stakeholders to convene, collaborate, and exchange ideas on the latest trends and breakthroughs in the tech industry. 

Notably, V Bank shone as a beacon of innovation and growth within Nigeria’s thriving tech ecosystem, emerging as a key participant in this highly anticipated event. 

As the official tech partner of the ICTEL Expo, V Bank seized the opportunity to showcase its profound expertise and substantial resources.

 The bank’s commitment to innovation was clear as it unveiled cutting-edge financial solutions tailored for startups and entrepreneurs, positioning itself at the forefront of the Nigerian digital banking landscape.

Winifred Allison, the Executive Director of Product and Marketing at VFD Microfinance Bank, expressed her excitement at Vbank being designated as the official tech partner for the ICTEL Expo 2023.

She affirmed that this partnership underscores VBank’s unwavering dedication to nurturing the growth and evolution of Nigeria’s vibrant tech industry.

According to her: “We are honoured to have been appointed as the official tech partner for the ICTEL Expo 2023. This partnership is a testament to our unwavering dedication to supporting the growth and development of Nigeria’s tech industry.

‘’We are excited to leverage our expertise and resources to help make the event a resounding success and look forward to collaborating with all stakeholders to drive innovation and progress in the country’s tech ecosystem.” 

VFD Microfinance Bank’s resounding presence at the ICTEL Expo 2023 reaffirms its pivotal role as a leader in the Nigerian digital banking arena, dedicated to propelling technological advancement and innovation to new heights.

Facts about Vbank (VFD Microfinance Bank)

• Vbank as a leading digital banking app provides seamless access to competitive interest rates and several financial management tools with a smooth banking experience that helps individuals and SMEs grow their wealth and achieve their financial goals.
• Vbank is powered by VFD Microfinance Bank, a dynamic, Lagos-based financial services institution operating in the microfinance banking sector.
• The combined experience of the Management Team and Board of Directors spans over five decades in several banking and finance organizations locally and internationally
• VFD Microfinance Bank is a limited liability company, regulated by the Central Bank of Nigeria as a microfinance bank, headquartered in Marina, Lagos.

These women were equipped with deep tech, digital marketing, data analytics, cybersecurity, product management, software programming, and soft skills.

The partnership also aims to tackle the scourge of unemployment by bridging the gender skills gap and helping more women embrace technology.

The 1,000+ beneficiaries of the maiden edition of the Makeathon initiative participated in a four-month free, capacity-building, digital literacy exercise which began in March 2022 and ended in June 2022.

They were equipped with relevant tech skills to build their tech competencies and enable them to contribute to the growth of Nigeria’s tech ecosystem.

The Makeathon initiative goes beyond upskilling girls and women between the ages of 18 to 45 years with requisite tech skills, to seeking internship opportunities for them in leading tech organizations in Nigeria and abroad. Thus far, more than 10 global tech firms have committed to offering some of the beneficiaries, who graduated last week, internship opportunities to put their skills to the test.

Commenting at the graduation ceremony, Gbenga Omolokun, the Managing Director, VFD Microfinance Bank (VBank), said; “We are proud of the graduands and how far they have come to be here today. We are pleased to be associated with an initiative that is committed to helping thousands of women and girls build flourishing careers in tech while simultaneously bridging skills and economic gender gaps in society. It is inspiring to have women with zero tech skills come into the space to learn and showcase their talents. We are committed to this initiative and will continue to do this to help more women achieve their tech goals.”

Also speaking during the graduation ceremony, Ayumi Moore, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Women in Tech Global, said; “These women whom we are celebrating today have been equipped with digital skills they can deploy across sectors. We are proud to have contributed to helping 1,000 women gain employable skills they can use to drive the growth of the tech ecosystem.”

Expressing her fulfillment at the completion of her Cybersecurity program, Grace Emmanuel who was hacked multiple times over two years where she lost her savings said, “In January 2022, I told a friend that I was going into tech, but I wasn’t sure what career path I wanted. Getting into the Makeathon program was a dream come true as I learned so much about information security, networking, web applications, the fundamentals, and levels of cyber protection. The learning was impactful, and I am grateful for this opportunity.”

Another beneficiary, Okosun Elizabeth who got training in Software Programming said; “When I got the opportunity to learn Software Programming, I was super excited because programming was a course, I wanted to learn but couldn’t get the opportunity. At first, I thought I wouldn’t understand the whole magic behind coding but when classes started, coding became a walk in the park. Thank you, Vbank and Women in Tech Nigeria for this wonderful opportunity.” 

The 28-year-old rapper took to the stage to perform all his songs including singles from his three albums; ‘Shall We Begin’, ‘I am Laycon’ and ‘Who Is Laycon’ featuring hits like Hip Hop, Drunk In Love, Fall for me, Verified, god Body and many more.

The Icons Fest which was hosted by Kenny Blaq had popular Afrobeat artists and celebrities; Mr Real, Bella Shmurda, Zlatan, Small Doktor, Ruger, LAX, BlaqBonez, Joeboy, Neo, IllBliss and WhiteMoney in attendance.

Laycon was cheered on by BBNaija ex-housemates; Nengi, Beatrice, Niyi, JayPaul, Sammie, Yerins, Boma, Tacha and Anto who showed up for the Star in stylish casual outfits.

In its commitment to empowering entrepreneurs and business owners in Nigeria, Vbank had an inbuilt Vbank experience centre where the audience could participate in games and fun activities and win different prizes.

Speaking on the Icons Fest sponsorship, Ebere Ahaotu, Senior Product Manager, Vbank stated that, “We care about entrepreneurs like Laycon who are driven, innovative and not afraid to take chances.

He has proven to be a force in the industry with his strong fan base and musical prowess. To us, he represents the ultimate entrepreneur and we can’t wait to see him thrive in his journey.”

Vbank is Nigeria’s foremost digital bank powered by VFD Microfinance Bank. For more information, visit vbank.ng