The global body in charge of telecommunications, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has said it is working with the Nigerian Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy to ensure that rural communities in the country have access to the internet.
Newly elected Secretary-General of the Union, Doreen Bogdan-Martin, who disclosed this at the weekend, said only 50% of rural communities in Africa are connected, hence the need to work with the governments to bridge the connectivity gap.
Specifically, she said the partnership with the Nigerian government will ensure that more women in rural areas have access to the internet. According to her, when more rural women have access to the internet, their productivity would increase.
What they are saying
Speaking at an event organized by Women in Technology in Nigeria (WITIN) to mark the 2022 International Women’s Day, Bogdan-Martin said rural women in Africa are playing critical roles in food production and need to be connected to the internet to enhance their productivity.
- “We are working with Nigeria’s Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy to connect Nigerian rural women. We want to make sure that every rural area in Nigeria is connected, especially for rural women that are producing most of the foods that we eat.
- “We have discovered that 70% of Africa’s foods are produced by rural women but only 34% of them use the internet. These women need to be connected. Technology can help farmers in monitoring crops, predicting weather conditions as well as combating agricultural pests, and this is the area we are working with Nigeria to bridge the connectivity gap in rural areas,” she said.
Also speaking at the event, the executive vice chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta, urged rural women, and farmers, to leverage technology to boost food production. While noting that modern agricultural technology increases employment, efficiency in production, and time and cost reduction, the EVC said:
- “Today, the telecommunications industry plays a crucial role in providing the requisite support for the diversification of the economy through improving the knowledge economy using ICT as an enabler. It has enhanced human capabilities in areas such as health, education, agriculture, finance, transportation, commerce, and governance.”
What you should know
- The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is the United Nations specialised agency for information and communication technologies (ICTs).
- Founded in 1865 to facilitate international connectivity in communications networks, the ITU allocates global radio spectrum and satellite orbits, develops the technical standards that ensure networks and technologies seamlessly interconnect, and strives to improve access to ICTs to underserved communities worldwide.
- Doreen Bogdan-Martin, a director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) since 2019, was elected as the first female secretary-general of the union in September this year.
I don’t think for these women in rural area being connected to will improve their productivity or am I missing something? What has internet got to do with their productivities or it may even be a distraction to them because they’ll watch more movies, surf more pictures on social media and feast on social media short comedy skits. I think what they need is empowerment through machines that will make their work easier, faster and more efficient. They need equipment not internet. Yes after solving the equipment part, internet can come in but please let’s not distract them prematurely in their exposure to the internet too much at the expense of setting a good “equipment/machine” foundations for them. Thank you.
Technology specifically the internet has been proven time and time again to contribute to GDP growth and empowering women takes it even further. We are talking about rural women here who are the backbone of agriculture and sme in their communities. A smartphone with internet connects these women to a larger market where they can market and sell their products and services. The entrepreneurial women i know don’t waste time watching movies or social media. They are posting their latest onion harvest from Benue to a buyer from Abuja. Another is posting her garri and palm oil in Ebonyi for a buyer from Kano. An artisan selling leather products in Kano is enrolling on a digital marketing course from Google and watching youtube videos to ship her products globally. These all add up to empower our rural women and increases financial inclusion and literacy. So, yes, you are missing something as this is a good opportunity for our women.