Isimeme Whyte, founder and chief innovation officer, Genius Hub Global Initiative, was recently recognised by the UN Women for her work in promoting the growth of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and women-led businesses in Nigeria through the use of gender-responsive technology and innovation.
The award of recognition, which was held on March 23, 2023, was part of the UN Women 2023 International Women’s Day event tagged “Youth in Tech & Innovation for Gender Equality and Women Empowerment.”
Speaking on the recognition, Whyte said she felt an overwhelming sense of excitement and gratitude upon receiving the invitation to participate in the event, noting that her contribution at Genius Hub Global Initiative has been centred around providing technology-driven solutions to MSMEs and women-led businesses through training and consultancy, market systems development, case/crisis management, project management, monitoring, and evaluation.
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“Genius Hub has also trained over 11,000 beneficiaries including youths, women, and returned irregular migrants and survivors of human trafficking in Edo state, in various technical and vocational skills, and especially digital skills including digital marketing, graphics design, product photography, and e-commerce, UI/UX design, movie making skills – video editing, scripting, lighting, sound editing, and production, etc,” she added.
Isimeme also stated that in 2022 through partnerships with various organisations, Genius Hub was able to equip over 1500 MSME owners in Edo State with practical knowledge on how to package their products and use basic photography skills to drive sales and leverage e-commerce platforms.
“Genius Hub’s film-making school was also launched last year with over 20 short movies under their belt and also won the Governor’s award for the Best short movie shot in Edo State at the state International Film Festival.
She said that Genius Hub has established a partnership with the e-learning platform ALISON to digitize their training, reach a larger number of people around the world, and facilitate the inclusion of learners in the world of technology.
While speaking on plans for the future, Isimeme said that Genius Hub is looking to collaborate with other local and international organisations wishing to work in the area of youth and women development, focusing on expanding its reach by having offices in Edo state, Kano state, and Lagos state in Nigeria.
Her bi-weekly webinar also focuses on reaching more audiences online and helping to promote MSMEs development.
In addition, Isimeme said that these efforts have contributed to reducing youth unemployment and promoting gender equality by helping women-led businesses develop the skills and tools they need to compete in the global market.
She expressed her gratitude to the UN Women for the recognition, which she said is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and commitment of her team at Genius Hub and the impact they have made in the lives of those they serve.
Whyte stated that she is inspired by the work of other women in tech and motivated to do even more to drive gender equality and women’s empowerment in Nigeria and beyond.
“I hope that my story can inspire other young women to pursue their dreams and make a positive impact on society through technology,” she said.
