Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, is encouraging women across the country to embrace small beginnings as they move into the digital space. She said starting small but starting right can be the spark that draws the world’s attention. She shared this message at the closing ceremony of the 2025 Renewed Hope Initiative and National Information Technology Development Agency Women ICT Empowerment Programme.
The event brought together hundreds of women who completed this year’s digital training, and it was filled with celebration, motivation and reflection.
Speaking to the participants, the First Lady delivered a message that was simple and inspiring. She told the women, “Don’t fear small beginnings.” She explained that the training they received falls under the economic-empowerment focus of the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which aims to boost economic diversification through industrialisation and digitalisation.
According to her, helping more women gain ICT skills is an important part of building a stronger and more digital Nigeria. She said, “We are laying solid foundations for a digital future where more women and girls can thrive, innovate, and lead.”
Senator Oluremi Tinubu also shared a personal story to highlight the power of starting small. She recalled how the Alternative High School for Girls started as a single experiment in Lagos. At the time, it was an idea that felt uncertain. Today, that idea has become more than 40 schools across the country. She pointed to this growth as proof that women can begin from simple steps and steadily build successful careers and businesses in the digital world.
The First Lady described the graduating women as ambassadors of digital literacy. She noted how the programme has grown from only 35 trainees in its early stages to more than 607 women trained across Nigeria. She encouraged them to keep learning and to also support others.
She said, “I encourage you to apply the skills you have learned, pursue continuous growth and mentor other women and girls to embrace opportunities in the digital space.” She also expressed appreciation to the Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, and his team, as
