Code Nigeria

Code Nigeria aims to address the gender equity gap in STEM fields by providing girls with training and support on coding and digital skills. In Nigeria, girls are often underrepresented in STEM education and careers due to various societal and cultural factors. For example, a UNICEF report on gender disparities in education in Nigeria revealed that only 22% of Nigerian girls complete primary education, compared to 27% of boys. This disparity is even greater for secondary education, with only 4% of girls completing compared to 10% of boys. Additionally, girls often face stereotypes, biases, and lack of role models in STEM fields, which can discourage them from pursuing STEM education and careers.

Code Nigeria's solution is to provide girls with access to STEM education and training through coding and digital skills. By introducing girls to coding and digital skills, Code Nigeria aims to provide them with the tools and mindset necessary to become future-ready and competitive in STEM fields. The program also provides opportunities for girls to compete in local and international programming competitions, which can boost their confidence and aspirations in STEM careers. Ultimately, Code Nigeria's solution seeks to address the gender equity gap in STEM fields by providing girls with access, support, and opportunities in STEM education and careers.

Code Nigeria is a project that provides training and support on coding and digital skills to primary and secondary school students in remote Nigerian cities, with a special focus on girls. The solution involves organizing training workshops for students and teachers across 10 major remote cities in 4 regions in Nigeria, introducing them to different programming languages and software tools, and preparing them for local and international programming competitions. Code Nigeria also leverages online platforms for student registration, timetable, and results posting, which provides transparency and accountability. Overall, Code Nigeria's solution is designed to provide accessible and effective training and support on coding and digital skills, with a focus on empowering the next generation of Nigerian students to become future-ready and competitive in STEM fields.

The target population that Code Nigeria is working to directly and meaningfully improve are primary and secondary school students in remote Nigerian cities, with a special focus on girls. These students are often underserved and lack access to quality STEM education and training. 

Code Nigeria engages with this population through its training workshops and online platforms, as well as through direct outreach and engagement with teachers, school administrators, and community leaders. In order to understand their needs, Code Nigeria conducts needs assessments and surveys to identify gaps in knowledge and skills, as well as to gather feedback and insights from students and teachers. Code Nigeria also partners with local organizations and stakeholders to ensure that the program is responsive to the needs of the community and is culturally relevant.

The solution addresses the needs of the target population by providing accessible and effective training and support on coding and digital skills, with a focus on empowering students to become future-ready and competitive in STEM fields. By introducing students to coding and digital skills, Code Nigeria aims to equip them with the tools and mindset necessary to solve global problems and build solutions that can transform Nigeria and impact the world. Through its focus on girls, Code Nigeria also aims to address the gender equity gap in STEM fields and provide opportunities for girls to pursue careers and aspirations in STEM. Ultimately, the solution is designed to directly and meaningfully improve the lives of Nigerian students by providing them with the skills, knowledge, and opportunities necessary to succeed in the 21st century economy.

Our team at Code Nigeria is uniquely positioned to design and deliver this solution to the target population. Our team has extensive experience in the education and technology fields, with a deep understanding of the challenges faced by Nigerian students, particularly those in remote areas with limited access to quality education and resources.

Our team lead and representatives are members of the communities we serve, which gives us a unique perspective and proximity to their needs. We work closely with local organizations, school administrators, and teachers to understand the needs and challenges of the target population, and to develop solutions that are culturally relevant and responsive to the needs of the community.

Our approach is guided by a commitment to community-driven development, which means that we prioritize the input, ideas, and agendas of the communities we serve. We engage with students, teachers, and community leaders through needs assessments, surveys, and focus group discussions to gather feedback and insights on their needs, aspirations, and challenges. We use this feedback to guide the design and implementation of our solutions, ensuring that they are contextually relevant, effective, and sustainable.

Through our extensive experience and close engagement with the communities we serve, we are confident that we have the knowledge, expertise, and understanding necessary to design and deliver solutions that directly and meaningfully improve the lives of Nigerian students. Our track record of training over 4,000 students across 4 regions in Nigeria, sponsoring code clubs, and training over 10,000 teachers across 23 states in Nigeria on technology application in the classroom is a testament to our commitment and ability to deliver results.

Code Nigeria has made significant impact in Nigeria by directly training 4000 students in 2022, sponsoring several code clubs, and training over 10,000 teachers in 23 states over the past 3 years. Furthermore, the program has a community of over 20,000 teachers from across the country. In summary, Code Nigeria has impacted thousands of students and teachers in Nigeria.

We are applying to the Gender Equity in STEM Challenge because we believe it presents a unique opportunity to receive the necessary support to scale our solution and make an even greater impact on the lives of girls in Nigeria. 

As an organization, we face several barriers that we hope Solve and Tiger Global Impact Ventures can help us overcome. One of the biggest challenges we face is financial barriers, including access to funding that can help us reach more girls and provide them with the necessary resources to succeed in STEM fields. We also face technical barriers, including access to the latest technologies and tools that can help us improve our training programs and make them more effective.

In addition, we face cultural barriers that can limit the participation of girls in STEM fields, and we hope to receive support in the form of cultural sensitivity training and resources that can help us overcome these challenges. Finally, we hope to receive legal support to help us navigate any legal challenges that may arise as we expand our programs.

Through the 6-month Support Program, we hope to receive a comprehensive needs assessment that can help us determine the most appropriate resources and support to accelerate our impact. We are excited about the opportunity to access a network of resource partners across industries and sectors, and to participate in learning and development modules aimed at refining our business model, theory of change, and plans for scaling.

Individual or group leadership coaching will be invaluable in helping us maximize our personal and professional potential, and we look forward to building a peer-to-peer network to build a community of practice with dedicated spaces to convene throughout the duration of the support program. Overall, we believe that this program can provide us with the support we need to take our solution to the next level and make a meaningful difference in the lives of girls in Nigeria.

As the team lead of Code Nigeria, Uche Nwaobi has been actively involved in the Nigerian tech community for several years. Uche is a Nigerian national and has a deep understanding of the country's cultural and socio-economic landscape. He has worked with several local and international organizations on technology and education initiatives in Nigeria, including the Microbit Foundation and the Microsoft in Education Global Training Partner Program. Uche is also a respected thought leader in the Nigerian tech industry and frequently speaks at events and conferences. Through his work with Code Nigeria, Uche has established strong connections with local communities, including students, teachers, and technology enthusiasts.

Code Nigeria's solution is innovative because it takes a holistic approach to addressing the gender gap in STEM education in Nigeria. We provide access to quality STEM education for girls through both in-person and online training, as well as community engagement. 

Our solution is unique in that it not only focuses on training girls in coding and other STEM skills but also on empowering them to use those skills to solve real-world problems in their communities. Our training programs are designed to be interactive, engaging, and culturally relevant, ensuring that girls are not just passive learners but active problem-solvers. 

Furthermore, our solution is designed to catalyze broader positive impacts from others in this space by creating a network of trained teachers and mentors who can continue to provide STEM education to girls in their communities. Our program has already trained over 10,000 teachers across 23 states in Nigeria, creating a ripple effect of increased access to STEM education. 

Finally, our solution has the potential to change the market by creating a new generation of skilled female STEM professionals who can contribute to the Nigerian economy and drive innovation in various industries. By providing access to quality STEM education for girls, we are not only addressing a social justice issue but also contributing to the growth and development of the country's economy.

Our impact goals for the next year are to:

1. Train an additional 5,000 students in STEM-related skills through our in-person and online programs.
2. Increase the number of sponsored code clubs to 50 in different communities across Nigeria.
3. Establish partnerships with at least two local universities to provide mentorship programs for students.

Our impact goals for the next five years are to:

1. Train 50,000 students across Nigeria, with a particular focus on girls and young women.
2. Expand our reach to cover at least 75% of Nigerian states and regions, focusing on under-resourced communities.
3. Foster partnerships with local and international organizations to provide scholarships, internships, and job opportunities for our graduates.
4. Develop and implement a train-the-trainer program to ensure that our impact is sustainable and scalable.
5. Conduct research and evaluations to measure the impact of our programs on the academic and career paths of our beneficiaries.

To achieve these impact goals, we plan to:

1. Continuously review and improve our training curriculum to ensure that it is relevant and up-to-date.
2. Develop partnerships with schools, universities, and other organizations to reach more students and teachers.
3. Leverage technology to provide remote learning opportunities and expand our reach to under-resourced areas.
4. Seek funding and strategic partnerships to support our programs and ensure their sustainability.
5. Continuously evaluate and measure the impact of our programs to inform our decision-making and ensure that we are achieving our impact goals.

We are measuring our progress toward our impact goals using both quantitative and qualitative indicators. 

For the goal of increasing the number of girls in STEM education, our quantitative indicators include:

- Number and percentage of girls enrolled in our programs and code clubs
- Number and percentage of girls who complete our programs and code clubs
- Number and percentage of girls who express interest in pursuing STEM fields after participating in our programs and code clubs

Our qualitative indicators for this goal include:

- Feedback from girls and their parents or guardians about the impact of our programs on their attitudes and interest in STEM fields
- Success stories from girls who have gone on to pursue STEM careers or education paths after participating in our programs and code clubs

For the goal of improving teacher capacity in using technology for teaching, our quantitative indicators include:

- Number of teachers trained
- Number and percentage of teachers who report increased confidence and skills in using technology for teaching
- Number and percentage of teachers who incorporate technology into their teaching practices after the training

Our qualitative indicators for this goal include:

- Feedback from teachers about the impact of the training on their teaching practices and student outcomes
- Success stories from teachers who have used technology to improve student engagement and learning outcomes in their classrooms

We also plan to conduct surveys and focus groups with program participants to gather more detailed feedback and assess our progress toward our impact goals.

Code Nigeria's solution aims to address the lack of access to quality STEM education and the underrepresentation of girls in STEM fields in Nigeria. 

The theory of change behind our solution is based on the belief that by providing access to quality STEM education and empowering girls with the necessary skills and knowledge, we can create a generation of female STEM leaders who will drive innovation, economic growth, and social progress in Nigeria. 

Our approach involves training teachers and students in technology and coding skills, establishing code clubs and providing mentorship opportunities to girls, and creating a supportive community of practice for educators. By doing so, we expect to increase the number of girls who pursue STEM fields, improve the quality of STEM education in Nigeria, and ultimately contribute to building a more equitable and prosperous society. 

We measure our progress by tracking the number of students and teachers trained, the number of code clubs established, the retention rate of girls in STEM fields, and the success of our alumni in their careers and further education. Additionally, we conduct regular evaluations to assess the effectiveness of our program and gather feedback from our beneficiaries to continually improve and refine our approach.

Code Nigeria is a tech-based solution that leverages various technologies to deliver its programs and activities. These technologies include:

1. Online Learning Platforms: Code Nigeria utilizes online learning platforms to provide access to quality educational materials and resources to students and teachers in Nigeria. These platforms include Code.org, Khan Academy, Udemy, and other e-learning platforms that offer courses in computer science, programming, and other STEM-related subjects.

2. Mobile Applications: Code Nigeria will develop mobile application that will provide access to learning resources, tutorials, and quizzes to students and teachers in Nigeria. These mobile applications will be designed to be user-friendly and accessible to individuals with low-level technology literacy.

3. Virtual and Augmented Reality: Code Nigeria leverages virtual and augmented reality technologies to create immersive learning experiences for students. These technologies enable students to visualize complex concepts and interact with digital objects in a more engaging and interactive way.

4. Data Analytics: Code Nigeria uses data analytics to track the progress and performance of students and teachers in its programs. This helps to identify areas of improvement and tailor the learning experience to meet the needs of individual learners.

Overall, the core technology that powers Code Nigeria is a combination of e-learning platforms, web and mobile applications, virtual and augmented reality, and data analytics.

Code Nigeria is an initiative of CsFirst Lagos Edu Consult a Microsoft Global Training Partner. CsFirst Lagos trains teachers on the use and application of technology in the 21st century classroom. CsCode Nigeria is it arm that is responsible for Code Nigeria project that focuses on training students in STEM

Full Time:4

Per Time:10

2 Years

Code Nigeria is committed to incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusivity into its work. We believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential components of innovation and are critical to solving complex global challenges. We strive to ensure that our team and leadership are diverse and represent a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.

We have set goals for becoming more diverse, equitable, and inclusive, and we are taking actions to achieve those goals. For example, we have implemented blind hiring practices to reduce bias in our recruitment process, and we actively seek out partnerships with organizations that prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion.

In addition, our training programs and curriculum are designed to be inclusive and accessible to all students, regardless of their background or experience. We recognize the unique challenges faced by marginalized communities, particularly in the STEM field, and we are committed to creating a welcoming and supportive environment for all of our students.

Overall, we believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion are not only important values to uphold but are also critical to the success of our solution. We will continue to prioritize these values as we work to create positive social impact through our initiatives.

Code Nigeria's business model focuses on providing STEM education to students in Nigeria. The primary beneficiaries of the program are Nigerian students, particularly those from underrepresented and disadvantaged communities. The organization provides in-person and online training programs that teach students how to code, develop mobile and web applications, and acquire other STEM-related skills.

Code Nigeria generates revenue through partnerships with schools, non-profits, and government agencies, who pay for access to the training programs. Additionally, the organization has established partnerships with technology companies and other organizations that are interested in supporting STEM education in Nigeria.

The organization's goal is to create a sustainable business model that allows it to expand its programs and reach more students in Nigeria. This includes developing new partnerships, exploring new revenue streams, and continuously improving its training programs to ensure that they remain relevant and effective.

Code Nigeria is currently sustained through the funding and support of its parent organization. However, we plan to become financially sustainable by diversifying our revenue streams. 

One way we plan to do this is by offering fee-based training and certification programs for individuals, schools and organizations that are interested in learning about STEM and technology. We will also explore corporate partnerships, sponsorships, and grants as additional revenue streams. 

Furthermore, we plan to develop innovative STEM-based products and services that can generate revenue, such as mobile applications, e-learning platforms, and digital content. We are also open to exploring investment opportunities that align with our mission and values. 

In summary, we aim to become financially sustainable by diversifying our revenue streams and exploring innovative ways to generate revenue while staying true to our mission of promoting STEM education and bridging the digital skills gap in Nigeria.

Code Nigeria has made significant progress in achieving financial sustainability. In 2021, we received £8000 in grant funding from Nordic Semiconductor with a recommendation from the Microbit Foundation. This funding has enabled us to scale our programs and expand our reach to more students across Nigeria. Additionally, we have generated revenue through managing STEM activities in schools across Nigeria for a fee, usually paid termly. By providing high-quality STEM education to schools, we have been able to generate a sustainable revenue stream that supports our ongoing operations. These successes demonstrate our ability to secure funding and generate revenue, which we will continue to build upon as we work towards long-term financial sustainability.