IWD 2023: Five Facts to Know About Women in Nigeria’s Telecoms Sector

To commemorate this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD 2023), Nigerian women have been applauded for their valuable contributions to the growth of the telecoms sector over the years.

The Nigeria telecommunications sector is the largest segment of the Information and Communication (ICT) sector and the largest telecom market in Africa.

While the ICT Sector contributed 16.22% to Nigeria’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Q4 2022, the growth rate was largely driven by activities in the telecommunications sub-sector, which contributed 13.55% to the GDP in the real term.

From $500 million in investments in the sector as of 2001, the telecommunications industry has recorded over $70 billion investments in the past 21 years.

Click To Read: N200 Billion ICT Bank and Other Strategies to Rescue the Nigerian Telecom Sector 

International Women’s Day (March 8) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women

Celebrating this year’s International Women’s Day under the theme DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality, the United Nations aims to emphasize the importance of technology in bringing gender issues to light.

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According to the Nigerian Communications Commission, women in Nigeria are making strides in the telecoms industry, with more taking on leadership roles and contributing to its growth. However, gender disparity remains a challenge with women underrepresented in technical roles.

Below are some facts on the state of women’s participation in the telecoms sector, according to the commission:

Subscribers

The recent report by NCC disclosed that women account for approximately 47% of Nigeria’s active telecom subscribers.

Women Entrepreneurs

The report also revealed that women-owned businesses accounted for 37% of the total number of businesses in the telecoms sector.

Women Workforce

NCC statistics further shows that women’s participation in the Nigerian telecoms sector has been increasing in recent years, with a 2019 report by the commission showing that women made up 30% of the sector’s workforce.

Economic Opportunities

Women in Nigeria are 21% less likely than men to own a mobile phone and 35% less likely to use mobile internet. Access to connectivity will greatly improve women’s economic opportunities.

Leadership Positions

The recent also included that there is a still significant gender gap in a leadership positions in the Nigerian telecoms sector. This is because statistics revealed women hold only 20% of top management positions in the sector.

Imagine a gender-equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that’s diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women’s equality. Collectively we can all #EmbraceEquity.