IGNITE, an acronym for Inspiring Girls Now In Technology Evolution; a registered nongovernmental organization, was launched in Nigeria on the 10th of June 2010 at the Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the US Consulate, Lagos, with about 60 High School girls.

Girls are underrepresented in engineering and technology careers. This is a simple fact and a serious education issue. It’s noticed that girls seem to be increasingly influenced by our celebrity-obsessed culture, beauty pageants, entertainment etc. We also have girls in high schools that shy away from anything technology and there is need to help them embrace technology. IGNITE provides equal access to career and technical education for underrepresented populations. We discovered that inviting girls to informational programs where they met women working in STEM careers immediately increased girls’ interest in technology.