IXPN@20: Experts seek more women in digital infrastructure - Punch Newspapers
Board Member of the IXPN, Rasheed Zubaida; Chief Executive Officer of IXPN, Muhammed Rudman; and Founder and former Chief Executive Officer of MainOne, Funke Opeke, at the Women in Internet Infrastructure Forum organised by IXPN in Lagos.
Industry leaders have called for greater female participation in artificial intelligence, data centre operations and other digital infrastructure careers, as Nigeria seeks to strengthen the connectivity and technical capacity needed to support its digital economy. The call was made at the Women in Internet Infrastructure Forum in Lagos organised recently by the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria as part of activities marking its 20th anniversary. Participants discussed barriers to women’s entry into technology and the need to expand access to technical training, mentorship and professional opportunities. Founder and former Chief Executive Officer of MainOne, Funke Opeke, said stronger local internet connections would be essential for Nigeria to capture more economic value from artificial intelligence and other digital services. Opeke recalled that inadequate infrastructure and expensive connectivity constrained Nigeria’s digital development when she returned to the country in 2005. She said MainOne subsequently invested $240m in infrastructure to improve connectivity across Nigeria and West Africa. Although Nigeria now has at least eight international submarine cables, she said stronger interconnections among telecommunications networks, data centres and digital platforms were needed to enable more data to be processed locally.Make PUNCH part of your everyday experience.Add us to your Preferred Sources Improved local interconnection could help retain more economic value within the country, strengthen digital resilience and support Nigeria’s ambition to become a regional internet hub, she added. Opeke also urged established women in technology to mentor younger professionals and encourage girls to pursue science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Earlier, IXPN board member, Zubaida Rasheed, said the organisation was committed to developing the next generation of professionals, particularly women who could build and manage the infrastructure supporting Nigeria’s digital economy. Rasheed noted that advances in software, financial technology and artificial intelligence depended on reliable connectivity, data centres, cloud infrastructure and skilled personnel. 2027: AI-generated photos cast doubt on voter register, expert warns Court remands actress Doris Ogala for cyberstalking Lagos pastor Apapa access road overloaded with 7,000 trucks daily – NPA The expert encouraged women to consider careers in network engineering, internet peering, data centre operations, cloud computing and cybersecurity, areas that underpin the delivery of digital services. Acting Company Secretary of IXPN, Ezinne Ekeghe, highlighted the economic benefits of local internet traffic exchange, citing a 2020 Internet Society report that put IXPN’s peak traffic growth at 125 gigabits per second, up from 300 megabits per second. The report estimated that the exchange generated annual cost savings of about $40m. Established in 2006, IXPN facilitates the exchange of internet traffic between networks within Nigeria, helping reduce reliance on international routes for domestic data traffic and improving network performance. A panel session moderated by Chief Operating Officer of the Nigeria Internet Registration Association, Seyi Onasanya, featured Mary Uduma, Vuyiseka Februarie, Uche Nnakenyi and Falilat Jimoh. The panellists highlighted continuous learning, practical experience, professional visibility and the use of digital and AI tools as important factors in building successful technology careers. Other discussions examined ways to make the internet ecosystem more inclusive and explored Generation Z’s perspectives on careers in infrastructure. As part of the anniversary programme, IXPN introduced the IXPN@20 Certification Scholarship, offering 10 professional training opportunities to students and members of the National Youth Service Corps. The scholarships are intended to strengthen recipients’ technical skills and improve their career prospects. Candidates were selected through eligibility and assessment criteria that included questions from a technical masterclass. The initiative forms part of IXPN’s efforts to develop technical talent and widen access to careers in the infrastructure supporting Nigeria’s digital economy. Justice Okamgba Justice has over three years experience spanning digital and print media. At The PUNCH, he currently covers the automobile sector with special interest in features and industry analysis.
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