From Classrooms to Code: W.TEC’s 2026 Camps Equip Nigerian Girls to Build the Future
From artificial intelligence and cybersecurity to app development and digital safety, Nigerian girls are getting a closer look at the technologies shaping the future as the Women’s Technology Empowerment Centre (W.TEC) concludes its 2026 She Creates and STEM Camp programmes across three states.
The 2026 programme marked a significant expansion of W.TEC’s efforts to equip young women with digital literacy and STEAM skills, reaching girls in Lagos, Kwara and Ondo.
At the centre of the programme was the 19th edition of the She Creates Camp in Lagos, held from August 9 to 22 under the theme, “AI, Future Skills and Digital Readiness.”
The two-week residential camp brought together 42 secondary school girls for an intensive learning experience designed to move technology education beyond theory and into practical application.
Participants explored artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, nautical science and cybersecurity through hands-on workshops and learning activities. They also visited the Lagos State STEM Experience Centre and ICSL Lekki, giving them an opportunity to connect classroom knowledge with real-world applications.
The programme also extended its reach to Kwara State, where the fifth edition of the She Creates Camp provided 16 secondary school girls with a one-week, non-residential learning experience.
With the same focus on AI and future skills, participants in the Kwara programme explored digital safety, emotional intelligence and financial literacy, broadening the programme beyond technical skills to include the personal and financial capabilities young women need to navigate an increasingly digital world.
In Ondo State, W.TEC reached another milestone with the launch of its first-ever Summer STEM Camp in the state.
Held under the theme “Designing Tomorrow, Today,” the five-day programme introduced 12 girls to core technology skills. The camp culminated in the development of an emergency distress application by the participants, alongside exposure to industrial fabrication.
For W.TEC Programmes Manager, Diamond Oshomoji, the 2026 programme represents an important step forward for the organisation and the girls it serves.
“This year’s nationwide programme was a tremendous success,” Oshomoji said, noting the return of the flagship Lagos camp and the organisation’s growing presence in Kwara and Ondo.
The return of the Lagos camp also marked a significant moment for W.TEC, as the flagship programme resumed with a full residential format following the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
With the success recorded across the three states, W.TEC is already looking ahead.
The organisation plans to significantly expand its camp programmes in 2027, with a strategy aimed at reaching additional regions across Nigeria and creating more opportunities for girls to acquire the skills needed to become innovators, creators and technology leaders.
The organisation’s 2026 programmes demonstrate a growing emphasis on preparing girls not simply to participate in the digital economy, but to actively shape it.
From learning artificial intelligence in Lagos to developing an emergency distress app in Ondo, the young participants are being introduced to technology as a tool for solving problems, creating opportunities and designing the future.
W.TEC says the next chapter will be even bigger, with plans to take its technology and STEM education programmes to more Nigerian communities in 2027.
