There is a woman out there today in Nigeria who wants to do more with what she already knows. Perhaps she makes clothes, bakes, sells skincare products or hairs or has a talent she would love to turn into a business. She watches other businesses attract customers online. She sees people working remotely, offering services to clients and building careers around digital skills.

She can see what is possible. She may even have an idea of where she wants to begin.
But when it comes to putting herself out there, she begins to doubt.

How does she create designs that make her business look professional? How does she reach the right customers online? How do people learn to edit the kind of videos that businesses use to showcase their products?

She is willing to learn. She just needs the opportunity to do so.
Her story may not be the same as that of a woman searching for her first job, a graduate trying to find her footing or a professional thinking about a career change. But they may share a similar challenge: knowing there are opportunities out there without having all the skills needed to pursue them. This is one reason access to digital skills matters.

Research by UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited initiative, involving more than 500 girls and young women in Lagos State, highlighted barriers to digital skills development, including the cost of training and devices, internet access, unreliable electricity and gender stereotypes.
These challenges can make it harder for girls and young women to acquire the skills they need to participate in the digital economy.

And the consequences go beyond not knowing how to use a particular tool. Without practical training, a woman may struggle to turn an idea into a service, demonstrate her abilities to a potential employer or compete for work that requires digital competence. Knowing that an opportunity exists is one thing. Being prepared to pursue it is another.

Giving women a practical place to start

At Terraskills, we believe more women should have the opportunity to develop the skills that can help them pursue their goals.

That belief led to the creation of A LAUNCHPAD FOR HER, a women-focused digital skills and career development initiative. The programme is built around three practical learning tracks: Digital Marketing, Graphics Design, and Video Editing and Production. AI tools will also be integrated into the learning experience.

Why these skills?

Because they can be applied to real work. Digital marketing can help a business reach customer and communicate more effectively. Graphics design can help turn ideas into visual materials that businesses and organisations need. Video editing and production can help people create content for brands, businesses and different audiences.

For a woman building a business, these skills could help her improve how she presents and promotes what she offers. For someone pursuing employment or freelancing, they can provide a foundation for developing practical work, building a portfolio and preparing to approach potential employers or clients.

Learning alone does not guarantee a job or an income. Practice, quality of work, experience and access to opportunities still matter. But having relevant skills gives a woman something concrete to develop and demonstrate.

That is the purpose behind A LAUNCHPAD FOR HER: to help women move from being interested in digital opportunities to developing the skills needed to pursue them.

Her starting point does not have to be her limit.

The first cohort will run for eight weeks, with virtual training beginning on 9th February 2027. The programme is intended for women who are ready to learn, practise and build skills they can continue developing beyond the training.

Terraskills hopes to reach 100,000 women by 2030. That ambition will take sustained work, but it begins by creating practical learning opportunities for women who want to move forward. There are women with ideas worth pursuing, businesses worth growing and careers they are ready to explore. They will not all follow the same path, and digital skills will not solve every challenge they face. But access to the right training can give them more options to work with. If you are ready to develop practical digital skills, registration for the first cohort is open.

Start building skills you can put to work.

Training begins: 9th February 2027
Duration: 12 weeks
Delivery: Virtual
First cohort: 100 women

Register at: terraskills.com/A-Launchpad-for-Her