The TechBridge Foundation has received the 2026 She’s Included Conference 2.0 Presidency Award for HERDIGITAL ACCESS, in recognition of its efforts to equip girls and women with digital skills and expand access to technology opportunities in Nigeria.
The award held in Abuja, recognised the Foundation’s sustained commitment to making technology a pathway to confidence, innovation, entrepreneurship and economic opportunity for women and girls.
The award also recognised the Foundation Founder, Hajiya Iklima Musa Salihu, for her leadership in advancing programmes that place girls and women at the heart of Nigeria’s digital transformation.
Through its “TechBridge Foundation for Girls and Women Initiative”, the organisation has reached more than 2,000 girls, women and young people through programmes including: EmpowerHer Series, TechHer Thrive, TechBridge HERvoice, RoboGirls with Ally Boys, STEAM Bootcamp, Mentor Lab, digital skills bootcamps and community outreach.
Through the “EmpowerHer Series”, young women are trained in practical digital productivity tools, including Canva and Google applications, while gaining exposure to artificial intelligence and digital solutions that can enhance learning, research, creativity and professional development.
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“TechHer Thrive” supports women entrepreneurs and SMEs with digital marketing, customer engagement, online communication and productivity skills, helping them build stronger businesses and compete in an increasingly digital marketplace.
For younger learners, “RoboGirls with Ally Boys” and the “STEAM Bootcamp” provide practical exposure to robotics, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, nurturing curiosity, creativity and problem-solving from an early age.
“Mentor Lab” further connects young people with professionals and experienced mentors, providing guidance on education, careers, personal development and navigating the technology ecosystem, while “TechBridge HERvoice” and community outreach initiatives strengthen digital literacy, confidence and leadership.
According to Salihu, at the heart of TechBridge’s work is a conviction that “digital inclusion must go beyond putting devices and connectivity in people’s hands through programmes providing the skills, confidence, mentorship and networks needed to transform access into capability and capability into opportunity.”
The Foundation’s approach reflects a broader understanding of inclusion; “access opens the door, skills build capacity, mentorship creates direction, and opportunity changes lives.”
She said the HERDIGITAL ACCESS Award stands not only as recognition of what TechBridge has achieved, but as an affirmation of what remains possible when technology is deliberately used to bridge opportunity gaps.
As Nigeria advances its digital economy, TechBridge Foundation’s work underscores the importance of ensuring that girls and women are not spectators in the country’s technological future, but active creators, entrepreneurs, innovators and leaders.
For Salihu, the TechBridge Foundation mission is clear: “connect girls and women to technology, equip them with the confidence to use it, and create pathways for them to shape Nigeria’s future.”
