NDDC Director, Commercial and Industrial Development, Mrs. Lyna Okara and the NDDC Director, Akwa Ibom State Office, Engr. Evong Evong (middle), with participants during the NDDC digital empowerment ICT skills and online market access programme for women in Akwa Ibom State.
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has trained and equipped 100 women in Akwa Ibom State with Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and digital marketing skills as part of efforts to strengthen women-owned businesses and connect them to wider markets through the digital economy.
The two-day training programme, held in Uyo, was designed to provide women entrepreneurs with practical skills to promote their products and services online, expand their customer base and take advantage of opportunities created by digital commerce.
The intervention also included the distribution of Android phones to the beneficiaries as starter packs, giving them practical tools to apply the skills acquired during the training.
Speaking at the programme, the NDDC Director of Commercial and Industrial Development, Mrs Lyna Okara, said the initiative was aimed at equipping women with the knowledge and digital tools required to compete in an increasingly technology-driven business environment.
According to her, the beneficiaries, drawn from different sectors including tailoring, catering, agriculture, photography and other businesses, were being introduced to digital marketing, online business development and networking.
“We are here to train and graduate 100 women selected from Akwa Ibom State and teach them ICT skills for digital marketing and online businesses. This will help them take their products to the global market, where they can interact, network and connect with potential customers,” Okara said.
She said the intervention was particularly important because access to digital platforms could enable small businesses to overcome traditional market limitations and reach customers beyond their immediate communities.
Okara explained that the Android phones provided to the women would enable them to create business pages, design promotional materials and market their products and services online.
She urged the beneficiaries to extend the knowledge acquired to other women in their communities, stressing that the impact of the intervention should go beyond the 100 participants.
“The resources may not go round to everyone, but those of you who are here today should ensure that others benefit. Let what you have learnt here today cascade to other people who do not have the opportunity to be here,” she said.
Also speaking, the NDDC Director, Akwa Ibom State Office, Mr Evong Evong, said the programme was intended to help women entrepreneurs make effective use of online platforms to improve their businesses and gain access to larger markets.
He expressed confidence that the digital exposure would help the beneficiaries expand their customer base, attract clients beyond Nigeria and take advantage of emerging opportunities in the online marketplace.
One of the facilitators, Engr. Yireobong Akpaba, emphasised the need for small businesses to establish credible digital identities as part of their growth strategy.
Akpaba took the participants through the use of online business applications, email addresses and unique brand identities, among other digital tools. He also explained the importance of domain names, noting that domains had been created for the participants to enable them to establish an online presence after the training.
Another ICT expert, Mr Godwin Sunday, provided practical lessons on the use of digital tools to improve business operations, marketing and customer engagement.
For the beneficiaries, the intervention offered an opportunity to acquire skills and tools that could translate into tangible business growth.
In her vote of thanks, Mrs Obonodo Ini Uko expressed appreciation to the NDDC for combining the training with the provision of Android phones, saying the women were delighted with both the knowledge and practical support.
A young photographer, Esther Augustine, also commended the Commission for providing what she described as both knowledge and practical tools for women entrepreneurs.
Augustine said the skills acquired would enable her to restructure her photography business, strengthen its online presence and reach more prospective customers.
The intervention underscores the growing importance of digital access and skills in enabling small businesses, particularly women-owned enterprises, to move beyond local markets and participate more effectively in the wider digital economy.