Northern Nigeria women will no longer remain species to be locked inside the house with veils on them.
The world is fast changing, so all men, women and children should be part of the movement and people from the northern part of Nigeria should not be left out.
In the past, western education used to be a taboo in northern Nigeria.
However, current northern leaders are not only abolishing that culture, they are even opening up spaces for technology education and taking same to women and children.
Current Kaduna state Governor, Uba Sani is one of such leaders.
He has attracted the attention of tech giants, Google to bring tech education to his people and that gesture is reverberating across the entire Nigeria.
On Tuesday, technology and education enthusiasts gathered in the state to behold a new dawn, where tech concepts will blend with Hausa culture and empower women and children.
It was the launch of an initiative aimed at empowering women in Northern Nigeria through AI education.
Kaduna State Government, partnered Google and Data Science Nigeria for the initiative tagged AI for Beginners Learning Video Series. The series presents Artificial Intelligence concepts in Hausa, making some of the complex technology more accessible and culturally relevant for the region.
In Northern Nigeria, there are various challenges which had impacted access to tech education and career opportunities. These include diverse socio-cultural dynamics, infrastructural limitations, and language barriers. These are the problems the AI for Beginners Learning Video Series, came to solve. The series is capable of doing that through its engaging animations and culturally relevant imagery. They are designed to make complex digital concepts more accessible and relatable, fostering inclusivity and participation in the growing tech sector.
Flagging off the project at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Hall in Kaduna, an excited Gov Sani underscored the government’s commitment to digital transformation and economic growth, celebrating the immense potential technology education could bring to the Northern Nigeria’s women.
He said: “AI is not just the future; it’s the present. By equipping our people, especially our women, with AI skills, we’re not only paving the way for a more prosperous and innovative Northern Nigeria, but also laying the foundation for Kaduna to become a thriving tech hub.”
“We believe that technology can be a powerful force for change and are committed to making learning resources available in local languages to empower more people”.
Director, Google West Africa, Olumide Balogun said: “This series marks a new milestone in our ongoing efforts to enhance AI knowledge across Northern Nigeria, fostering a broader understanding and application of AI technologies that drive innovation and create new job opportunities.”
That is also as Dr. Bayo Adekanbi, CEO/Founder of Data Science Nigeria added that “by making AI education accessible in Hausa, we’re creating opportunities for innovation, entrepreneurship, and social impact.These women are the future leaders and innovators of Northern Nigeria, and AI is the tool that can amplify their potential.”
Google said the AI for Beginners Learning Video Series is now available on YouTube via the Data Science Nigeria platform, on the NITDA education portal.. The series has also been deployed on USB drives for distribution and direct peer-to-peer copy at all primary and secondary schools, including public video content copying centres across Kaduna State.
