FG Should Empower Youths , Support NGOs, CBOs in Tech Industry -Hassan
OLABISI OLALEYE
President High Tech Centre for Nigerian Women and Youths, Dr.(Mrs) Wunmi Hassan said that it is necessary for the government to empower youths and support NGOs / CBOs working in the technology industry.
The graduate of Computer Science from the University of Ado-Ekiti, with Masters and PhD Degrees from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife Nigeria noted that with massive support for technology, Nigeria would become a producing economy since technology has brought its uniqueness and market.
In this interview with Gtechnews, Hassan said if one can think technology, one can sell it as well.She speaks also on why she is passionate to see women and youths live their dreams and many more.
There are very few women in the tech space ,how does it feel like in a highly male dominated space?
It has been an adventurous one but more of a passion to see Nigeria become a developed economy than we are now. I also think and admit that it is the pathway of God’s plans for me in particular, I am only executing as He unfolds in the field of technology.I actually studied Computer Science and bagged BSc and MSc degrees but my deviation to studying Technology Management at PhD level made a lot of difference to my pursuit as scientist. The realization that many researches and many hours of studying has little or no effect, or impact in our nation ’s development is a bizarre and I felt livid to just do something in my little way to help. I became more passionate for more skills than the usual learnings I had in the educational sector including engaging the ‘men’ in the formal and informal tech-sectors to teach me likewise. Yes, being in a male dominated field instead of deterring me, rather encouraged me to do like other colleagues who dared to know it all, and because we all have to pass, I have no choice to know the how of passing and doing whatever it is I am taught. This to me means, I have to ensure I know to details so I can defend my certificates of passes if that matters to anyone wherever I go. More importantly, I love the engineering side of all my Information, Communications and Technology courses and learnings. It is the most interesting part of my schooling and it irritates me when I cannot do anything in repairs, assembling or configuration of systems then as an undergraduate, because that is one of the reason I studied Computer Science.
Your main focus is startups, can you explain what triggers this and why your events centre around this?
I have realized that without startups or spin-off companies especially in tech-fields, we in Nigeria cannot be a producer economy. It will only lead us to more brain drain where all capabilities and aspirations with well taught invention spirits in young people become a mere dream.Startups encourage scientists, engineers or any ingenious thinker to be creative and become inventors as well as innovators of products, services or processes. For instance, my BSc and MSc thesis was exploration of clients, servers with mobile enterprise networks performance designs which I would have been proud to be one of many Nigerians who could attempts to produce a mobile device – perhaps phones or any such technologies if given the right tools and environment to explore. My passion is to see many women and youths including school children live their dreams by becoming creators and manufacturers of technologies as they study and imagine any form of solutions that can help the society and our dear nation is my focus and interest. This is why my programs and projects are all around Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), ICTs and entrepreneurship, because if we can think it, we can make it and then sell it. That is a priceless fulfillment for me.
How Does this impact on the Ecosystem?
Using the biogas digester technology as a case study, the environmental wastes are transforming biodegradable materials into a refined cooking gas which is useful to man and the remaining decomposed components as organic manure for growing crops or plants. The solar technology avails women, youths and men the privilege of solving local energy problems which is peculiar to Nigeria and helping many to be technicians thereby creating jobs and wealth in a service sector that is valuable to all citizens.
The future of Artificial intelligence (AI) may take away jobs from people, what do you think people should do?
In Nigeria, the issue of AI taking away the jobs of people is not an issue at this stage because with wide spread of technology, so many people still carry out their works manually, as they still store information in files and not everybody uses the internet due to low data access and trust in online transactions, like the bank transfers and online marketing. The knowledge of AI though taught in Nigerian schools, still needs more capability development and appropriate learnings as much importance is been harnessed now at all levels. Hence, the possibilities of AI taking peoples jobs in the next 10 to 20 years in Nigeria is not visible yet in my opinion.
How can Nigeria Play in this space?
The government must realize the need for technological advancement and make consistence policies towards achieving that goal. The government should also fund private investments and innovative designers, engineers and scientists. The expenditure on education must increase especially spending on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), hardware manufacturing and increase in IOT learnings. There must be incentives to study such courses or be proficient in those areas. Students must be motivated to aspire to study, gain skills and develop high technological competences and equipment.
What are the things that government should be involved in terms of tech and tech related activities that are Lagging behind?
The government should ensure that STEM is taken more serious in the educational sector. Set up risk funds for tech initiatives and support ideas to prototypes and innovation development of tech solutions addressing local challenges especially. Thegovernment should empower youths and support NGOs / CBOs working in the tech sector.
Who is Dr. Mrs Wunmi Hassan?
Dr. Wunmi Hassan is a passionate STEM and Information Technology advocate. A trained Computer Scientist, Researcher, Policy Analyst, Strategic planner, Technology Manager, a wife, mother, pastor and a businesswoman of repute. She is a trained ICT Expert and Science Policy Analysis and Results / Evidence based Policy Researchfrom reputable institutions and Organisations, such as The Oxford Internet Institute (OII), Oxford University UK, the Science Policy Research Unit of the Sussex University, Brighton UK, Obafemi Awolowo University Nigeria, and the National Centre for Technology Management (NACETEM), Nigeria.I am also the CEO of High Tech Centre for Nigerian Women and Youths , an NGO founded 15 years ago
to build capacity and empower Women, youths, girls, boys in ICTs, STEM and entrepreneurship. I also founded the Hidden No More – Nigerian Females in STEM (NigFiSTEM) initiative as an Alumni of the USA – IVLP Hidden No More STEM Women program. This birth projects in the production of solar panels, Biogas technologies and hardware assembly / manufacturing in ICTs including agric-tech and community policing projects. Prior to that founded initiatives in ICTs such as women ICT summit, ICT summit for females in tertiary institutions, Women Leaders Forum for female CEOs and top government leaders across the country as well as Girls in ICT Day, amongst many other projects. Together with my husband, we founded HOJOB Consults Ltd which support several States; and Federal Ministries including Agencies and Organisations in policy formulation, program / projects assessments and evaluation with strategic project planning consultancies.