PDF FILE Report of the National Women’s Circle – Nigeria (2025)
Organized by: Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD)
Supported by: Local Networks (LocNet) Initiative
Date: 28 October 2025
Venue: Online
Compiled by: Harira Wakili, National Gender Coordinator (Nigeria)
Introduction
The National Women’s Circle was organized by the Centre for Information Technology and
Development (CITAD) with support from the LocNet Initiative, as part of the broader
Community-Centered Connectivity Initiative (CCCI). The convening marked one year since
the inaugural National Women’s Circle held in October 2024. It provided a platform for
women leaders, community network practitioners, regulators, and civil society actors to
reflect on collective progress, exchange experiences, and deepen collaboration towards a
more gender-inclusive digital ecosystem in Nigeria.
The meeting was led by Harira Wakili, LocNet’s National Gender Coordinator for Nigeria,
and attended by representatives from the National Communications Commission (NCC),
TechSocietal, DAP Nigeria, ActionAid Nigeria, Women Tech Maker, Nduka Kalu Foundation,
CITAD, LocNet, and other gender and technology advocates.
Objectives of the Meeting
The objective of the meeting is to
1. Share the progress made so far in advancing women’s inclusion within the
community-centered connectivity initiative in Nigeria.
2. Reflect on lessons learned from the state-level Women’s Circles that have been
conducted.
3. Gather valuable input from stakeholders on strategies that can help build an
inclusive and enabling ecosystem for women in Nigeria’s digital space.
Opening
The convening was opened with an opening remark by Harira Wakili, who acknowledged
that the gathering marked a year of sustained women’s engagement in the LocNet
ecosystem.
She highlighted that the Women’s Circle has evolved into a safe space for women to
connect, learn, and advocate for inclusion in community networks. A platform is where
women move from being passive users of technology to becoming architects of their own
digital futures.
Welcome Remarks
The meeting was followed by a welcome from welcome remark by Kathleen Diga, the co-
manager of the LocNet Initiative at APC. In her speech, she welcomed and appreciated the
participants for their participation. She highlighted that over a year, specifically since the
first gathering on October 22, 2024, in Abuja, a gathering that was a timely and significant
moment, as it took place right before the discussion on the national strategy for the
community-centred connectivity initiative.
It was an opportune moment because, as women, we did not want to miss the chance to:
1. Deeply reflect on our own experiences and the challenges we each face within the
digital gender divide.
2. Contribute meaningfully to shaping an agenda that ensures women’s participation
and empowerment through digital education, training, and other key activities
forming part of the national strategy.
Since then, the LocNet team has remained actively engaged, not only here in Nigeria, where
today’s learning session draws its focus, but also across seven focus countries working to
enable community-centered connectivity. Across all seven countries, including Nigeria,
South Africa, and Kenya here on the continent, women’s participation and empowerment in
the digital society remain at the heart of our work. The Women’s Circles have become one
of our key experience-sharing platforms and spaces where women exchange insights,
foster solidarity, and strengthen collective learning across communities.
She closed her speech with the saying that LocNet firmly believes that if we miss out on
women’s participation and opportunities in the digital society, we lose half of the social and
economic potential available to our countries.
Overview of Gender Integration Commitments in Nigeria
The session was led by Catherine Kyalo, the Liaison Officer for Nigeria and South Africa at
the LocNet team. In her presentation, she highlighted the key activities and milestones
achieved across phase one and phase two of the project, emphasizing that gender
integration has always been central to LocNet’s work. The national strategy for community
networks in Nigeria identified gender as one of its core thematic areas, focusing