ITC, UPS Train 200 Women on Digital Leadership Skills, AI

By Emma Okonji

Following the successful launch of ‘She Trades’ initiative in Nigeria five years ago, the International Trade Centre (ITC), in collaboration with its local partners, UPS Women Exporters and Women Technology Empowerment Centre (W.TEC), have launched the second phase of ‘She Trades’ initiative in Lagos, where over 200 women were trained on digital leadership skills and Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool that will enable them upscale their businesses.

ITC She Trades, in collaboration with its local partners, organised a two-day workshop in Lagos, with the theme: ‘Women Shaping the Future of Digital’, where the women were trained by seasoned facilitators on how to leverage emerging technology tools to upscale their businesses.

Speaking at the training session, the Project Manager in charge of She Trades and UPS Women Exporters Programme, Ms. Kritee Sharrma, said: “SheTrades and UPS Women Exporters Programme was actually launched five years ago in Nigeria and at that time we focused more on export, financing, and market readiness. But the second launch, which we launched in Lagos today, focuses on digital leadership. So we want to make sure that women are shaping the future of Nigeria’s digital economy.”

According to her, Africa is really at the brink of a digital revolution, and the continent is supposed to be growing at 10 per cent annually. To achieve this, we are providing Nigerian women and women across Africa, with the right digital skills, and at the same time, creating equitable access, making sure the tools, the technologies are also available to them in an affordable and easy manner.

“Through the SheTrades and UPS Women Exporters Programme, we are trying to provide digital skills, access to digital tools, and make sure that women are not only participants, but leaders in the digital economy. One of the soft things here is about women breaking barriers at workplace, using digital tools,” Sharrma said.

She advised the women to be constantly learning technical skills and to always be abreast with all the technical tools and digital tools that are available.
Executive Director at W.TEC, the implementing partner of She Trades Initiative in Nigeria, Mrs. Oreoluwa Lesi, said: “After the two days training programme, W.TEC will be hosting series of webinars focused on various themes that will help young women and female entrepreneurs leverage technology tools to enhance their online businesses. The initiative is women focused, designed to empower women in today’s world of digital transformation.”

Country Marketing Manager, EAST, EMEAI District, United Parcel Service (UPS), Mr. Morolayo Igeleke, said: “UPS has an ambitious plan in educating women globally, on emerging technologies like AI, Blockchaain technology, Data Analytics, among other emerging technologies, to help them grow their businesses, and we are collaborating with  ITC She Trades Initiative  for the next three years, to train more women in Nigeria and Africa.”

According to him, UPS, in collaboration with ITC She Trades Initiative, will be training over 20,000 women on digital skills in the next three years. Highlight of the two days training programme, was the panel session, which featured female leaders from various fields of learning that discussed the topic: ‘Breaking Barriers: Women Redefining Leadership’.