Aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1, 5, 8, and 9, my study explores how women in South-Western Nigeria use WhatsApp not merely as a communication tool but as a virtual store where they display products, negotiate prices, process purchases, and manage delivery, creating a complete digital entrepreneurship ecosystem. My research is guided by a sociotechnical perspective that examines the link between technology and human intelligence, as well as how the structure of WhatsApp, as a platform, shapes and is shaped by enterprising South-Western Nigerian women through their own motivations, interests, and practices. I observe women’s business interactions in four WhatsApp groups (open and closed), each with a minimum of 100 and a maximum of 400 women in informal digital spaces. The study examines how digital skills impact income generation and social mobility, particularly in areas where technology and connectivity are limited. Guided by Platform Studies and Digital Literacy Theory, my research combines theory and practice to understand how human creativity interacts with technology for inclusive growth. Using netnography, the frameworks help explain how women use WhatsApp, why they use it the way they do, and how their practices connect to broader ideas of empowerment and digital literacy. This work contributes to discussions on leadership, global citizenship, and education for peace by showing how ordinary women use simple technology to achieve economic independence, foster digital inclusion, and strengthen community connections in today’s fast-changing world.

Authors:
Emilomo Joy Alawode, University of Pompeu Fabra, Spain

About the Presenter(s)
Emilomo Joy Alawode is currently pursuing doctoral studies at the University of Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona, Spain, where she explores how digital literacy and online platforms empower women in the informal economy.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ejalawodetech/

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