About TEAM Initiative

Many girls and young women in Nigeria have the interest and potential to build careers in technology. Yet, the road is filled with challenges that make it difficult for them to take the first step.

Gender bias is one of the biggest obstacles. From childhood, many girls are encouraged to pursue traditional careers while boys are pushed toward science, technology, and leadership roles. These beliefs follow girls into adulthood, leading them to believe that tech is not for them. According to the Nigerian National Bureau of Statistics, only about 22% of engineering and technology graduates each year are women.

Even after graduation, the problem continues in the workplace. Bias in hiring still exists, with many companies unconsciously preferring men for technical roles. When women do not see others like themselves in the industry, it becomes even harder to imagine succeeding. A report by One Campaign and the Centre for Global Development found that only 30% of 93 surveyed tech companies in Nigeria are owned by women, and more than one-third of those companies do not employ women at all.

Limited access to funding, tools, and resources further compounds the issue. While many women have great ideas for tech products or businesses, they often struggle to secure financial support. Investors sometimes doubt women's ability to lead tech-driven businesses, which slows innovation. Even when learning opportunities exist, they may be too expensive or not flexible enough for women to balance school or family responsibilities.

There's also a major misunderstanding about what technology really is. Many people believe that tech is only about writing code. Because of this, girls interested in creativity, problem-solving, communication, design, or business often assume tech has no place for them, blocking them from discovering fields like UI/UX design, digital marketing, and product design where they could excel.

A 2022 United Nations Women report reveals that women's exclusion from the digital world has cost $1 trillion in GDP in low- and middle-income countries over the last decade a loss projected to reach $1.5 trillion by 2025 if nothing changes.

The TEAM Initiative steps forward with a solution built on empowerment and intentional inclusion. We focus on promoting and creating opportunities for women's participation in entrepreneurship and tech.

TEAM is designed to train individuals in tech skills to mastery level, combining two powerful tools: access and guidance. Through hands-on training, expert mentorship, and career development support, we give young women the confidence, skills, and support system they need to step into tech and entrepreneurship.

Our goal is to produce labour market-ready individuals who can contribute meaningfully to Nigeria's digital economy. We want to encourage more women to get involved and not see technology as a masculine career.

The interest and talent are there—they simply need a system that supports and believes in them. That system is TEAM.