The International Girls in ICT Day 2015, held in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, was marked with a lot of excitement. Held at Grand Venice Hotel, Port Harcourt, the event included various presentations focused on empowering and encouraging young women to take part in the dynamic field of ICT. About 96 girls were in attendance, some of which were drawn from secondary schools in the city. Several undergraduates from two of the universities in the city were also in attendance.

The event kicked off with a welcome speech from the host, FocusHub Nigeria, represented by co-founder, Godson Ohuruogu.

Monday Hunyeme, a social entrepreneur, gave a presentation introducing different aspects of ICT. He began his presentation with a video detailing the importance and application of ICT to every aspect of the economy and life as a whole.

Jumuoke Osuagwu, a representative of Jumia® (one of Nigeria’s leading e-commerce companies), brought excitement to the ladies as she dove into the world of electronic businesses and online shopping.

Ese Emerhi is the coordinator for PIND, a development foundation in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria. She gave a pep talk on how women can succeed in ICT, a field dominated by men. She shared her experience and encouraged the girls to press on despite challenges.

Dayo Ibitoye, an award winning blogger shared on blogging basics and motivated participants using his personal experience of using IT tools to share his passion.

Also on the roster was Olere Iluebbey, of MindAfrica - a non-profit organization committed to bridging the literacy and digital divide for children and young people. She gave a motivational talk to the girls on how to succeed in life’s endeavours, facing and overcoming challenges.

Speed mentoring sessions were part of activities for the day. Participants were divided into six groups, and with mentors switching groups every 10 minutes, they tackled the following topics:

• E-reputation - how to create and maintain a positive online personality
• Computer programming and latest technologies in ICT
• Internet blogging and networking
• Personal discovery and development
• How to develop a successful career in IT, and financial freedom
• Cybersecurity and privacy

Feedback from participants was extremely positive, with several of them requesting for more of such events. Every single participant agreed that it was well worth their afternoon.