Women decry glass ceiling in tech sector

By Kehinde Bamigbetan

Agitation for better access to funds and friendlier attitude of stakeholders towards women techpreneurs topped discussion of the panel on women in technology at the two-day Lagos Innovation Technology conference that closed shop recently in Lagos.

The panelists – Bisoye Coker of the Lagos State Urban Renewal Agency, Odunayo Eweniyi of Piggyvest, Oluwatoyin Oshinowo, ( Fieldinsight)- railed against anti-women prejudices dogging the heels of the girl-child to adulthood and blunting their sharp minds from reaching business goals.

Anchored by Mrs. Toyin Anjous- Ademuyiwa Of Lagos State, the session explored reasons for the low presence of women in technology.

Eweniyi believes it forms part of a male conspiracy to play down the role of women in technology by giving the impression that women are incomplete without men.

She said the narrative of the history of technology blots out the role women played in the development of modern technology.

For Coker, the gender framing that allocates soft roles for women discourages them from the technology industry.

To reverse the trend, she announced her plan to sponsor girls seeking to pursue degrees in higher institutions.

Commenting on the development, Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat said the government has appointed women in top positions to facilitate equal access to all.

Using the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund as example, Dr. Hamzat said the key decision makers are women who will surely assist women technopreneurs seeking funding for their ideas.