In a world where technology drives innovation, progress, and socio-economic development, one visionary is standing at the forefront of transforming Nigeria’s digital landscape. Obiejesi Chinweike, a passionate advocate for youth empowerment and gender inclusion, is leading a bold new mission to bridge the digital divide through his non-profit, the Build Nigeria Initiative (BNI), with a central focus on empowering the Nigerian girlchild through tech education.

The Build Nigeria Initiative is a non-profit organization launched with the singular goal of equipping young Nigerians, especially girlchild, with future-ready digital skills. With a unique approach that prioritizes 80% female and 20% male participation, the organization is addressing both the tech education gap and the persistent underrepresentation of women in Nigeria’s digital economy.

“Nigeria has brilliant young minds, but many, especially girls, don’t have access to the tools, training, and mentorship that can unlock their potential,” says Obiejesi Chinweike, Founder and Executive Director of the Build Nigeria Initiative. “We are changing that narrative, one laptop, one skill, and one girl at a time.

A Vision for a Digitally Empowered Nation

The Build Nigeria Initiative was born out of Chinweike’s deep conviction that sustainable national growth begins with empowering its people, especially the youth. In a country where unemployment is rampant and girls are often excluded from conversations about tech innovation, Build Nigeria Initiative is pushing boundaries by delivering comprehensive digital training programs, career support, and hands-on resources to thousands of beneficiaries, as he believes that building Nigeria’s digital space won’t be complete without full inclusion of the girlchild

This isn’t just another tech training program. The Build Nigeria Initiative (BNI) is a movement of building creative, innovative young tech talents, especially the girlchild, which combines mentorship, access to digital tools, job placement opportunities, and a national network of changemakers committed to fostering a more inclusive digital future. We are not entirely leaving the male child out of the picture in this movement of building young talents; we have crafted 20% of our programs also for the male child.

The organization’s core objectives include:

Providing free laptops to deserving beneficiaries, with a strong preference for girls from underprivileged communities.
Delivering intensive digital skills training in areas like web development, digital marketing, UI/UX design, data analytics, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity.
Facilitating mentorship programs with successful women in tech to guide and inspire young girls.
Connecting trained participants to job opportunities, internships, and startup funding pathways.
Partnering with local schools, community centers, and government institutions to extend digital literacy nationwide.

Changing the Narrative: Why Focus on the Girlchild?

In Nigeria, countless girls drop out of school due to poverty, early marriage, cultural biases, and lack of access to quality education. Even fewer make it into tech-related careers. According to a 2024 UNESCO report, only 22% of tech roles in Nigeria are filled by women, despite the country’s growing digital economy.

BNI aims to reverse that trend by building a generation of skilled, confident, and self-reliant Nigerian girls ready to shape the nation’s digital future.

“When you educate a girl, you educate a nation. But when you give a girl tech skills, you prepare her to lead the world,” said Chinweike during the recent launch of the BNI first cohort in Kaduna. “We’re not waiting for change, we’re building it.”

Real Impact. Real Stories.

Since its inception, the Build Nigeria Initiative has reached over 1,000 young Nigerians, with over 900 of them being female. Many of these girls came from total absent of technical knowledge, with little to no access to digital tools.

Empowering Boys Too — But with Intentional Gender Balance

While BNI is proudly female centric, its inclusivity policy ensures that 20% of program slots are allocated to young boys. This strategic inclusion ensures that male youths also benefit from digital empowerment, while fostering gender equality and respect in shared learning environments.

“We’re not excluding the boys,” explained Chinweike. “We’re just correcting a long standing imbalance. Our girls deserve the spotlight now, and our boys can be their allies in building a more equitable digital world.”

Strategic Partnerships and Government Support

To drive nationwide impact, BNI is looking forward to partner with local governments, private tech firms, NGOs, and international development organizations. Through these partnerships, the initiative will expand its presence into all 36 states by 2027.

What’s Next: Scaling and Sustainability

Chinweike’s long-term vision is clear: by 2030, Build Nigeria Initiative hopes to train over 1,000,000 Nigerian youths, with 800,000 of them being female. Giving out over 200 laptops and gadgets. Plans are underway to launch the BNI Fellowship Program, where high-performing graduates are groomed into mentors, trainers, and local leaders in their own communities.

To achieve this, the organization is calling for more partnerships, funding support, and public-private collaboration.

“The mission is bigger than us,” said Chinweike. “But with the support of everyday Nigerians, government bodies, and international allies, we can truly build Nigeria, from the grassroots up.”

Join the Movement

BNI invites tech companies, universities, government agencies, and individual donors to support its life changing mission. Contributions can come in the form of laptops, training materials, funds, or volunteer mentorship.

The Build Nigeria Initiative is proof that when you invest in the girlchild and in digital education you don’t just create opportunities; you build a nation.

🌐 Website: www.buildnigeriainitiative.org