Arabinrin Aderonke Calls for Equitable AI Access as Girls in ICT Day 2026 Spotlights Digital Future

International Girls in ICT Day is observed annually on the fourth Thursday of April. The Day was proclaimed by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in 2010 to enhance a global movement that empowers and inspires girls and young women to pursue studies and careers in information and communication technologies (ICT).

FAME Foundation joins the global community in advancing the inclusion, participation, and leadership of girls in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), helping to build a more equitable and innovative digital future.

This year’s theme, “AI for Development: Girls Shaping the Digital Future,” calls for urgent action to ensure that artificial intelligence serves as a tool for inclusive growth, not exclusion. As AI transforms economies and societies worldwide, it is critical that girls, particularly those in underserved and marginalized communities, are not left behind but positioned as architects of the digital age.

Speaking with the press, Arabinrin Aderonke Atoyebi, Executive Director of FAME Foundation, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to digital inclusion and gender equality. She said,

“Artificial intelligence is reshaping every sector, from healthcare to agriculture, education to governance. But if the teams building AI do not include girls and young women, especially those from rural and disability communities, we risk coding systemic bias into our collective future. On this Girls in ICT Day 2026, we demand more than access. We demand active participation, leadership, and decision-making power for girls, especially those with disabilities, in AI development.”

She added,

“This is exactly why our HerSTEM Initiative continues to prioritize digital literacy, coding, and AI awareness for girls across Nigeria. Through our ongoing HerSTEM 2026 cohort on AI fundamentals and ethical technology design, and the upcoming HerSTEM Inclusive AI Bootcamp for girls with disabilities, we are creating safe, supportive spaces where girls don’t just learn to use technology, they learn to invent, critique, and lead with it. We are shaping a future where a girl from a local community can become the lead AI engineer on solutions that affect her own life.”

Arabinrin Aderonke also highlighted the importance of policy and private-sector accountability, saying,

“We cannot celebrate digital progress while millions of girls remain offline. We urgently call on the Nigerian government to accelerate the implementation of the National Digital Economy Policy and the National Gender in ICT Policy. We call on tech companies to fund scholarships, mentorship programs, and internships specifically for girls. And we call on the media to stop portraying ICT as a male-dominated field. Girls belong in every line of code, every algorithm, and every boardroom where AI decisions are made.”

She concluded with a call to action,

“To every girl reading this: you are not a future user of technology, you are its present shaper. Do not wait for permission to lead. Learn, build, question, and innovate. And to all stakeholders: invest in girls’ digital futures today, or watch your AI systems reflect only half the world’s wisdom. Let us build a Nigeria, and a world, where girls don’t just adapt to the digital future; they define it.”

As we mark the International Girls in ICT Day 2026, FAME Foundation reaffirms its commitment to raising awareness, advocating for gender-transformative ICT policies, and implementing programs that turn the promise of AI for development into a lived reality for every girl, regardless of her ability or background.