10 Inspiring Nigerian Women in Tech

  In recent years, the tech industry in Nigeria has seen remarkable growth, with numerous innovations and start-ups springing up across the country. This ever-evolving sector has also witnessed the rise of many inspiring women making significant contributions and breaking barriers. These trailblazing women are changing the narrative and paving the way for future generations of Nigerian women in tech. This article highlights 10 Nigerian women in tech whose journeys, experiences, and achievements could best be regarded as inspiring.

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Funke Opeke

Born in 1961, Funke Opeke is a prominent figure in the Nigerian tech space, known for her exceptional work in bridging the digital divide. She is the founder of Main Street Technologies and also the founder and CEO of MainOne, a leading provider of innovative telecom services and network solutions in West Africa. After spending two decades in the United States working with global telecom companies such as Verizon, Funke returned to Nigeria in 2015 to take up a job with MTN Nigeria as Chief Technical Officer (CTO). It was while working in Nigeria that she noticed the state of poor state of internet connectivity in Nigeria and she decided to address the connectivity challenges by starting MainOne.  She was also briefly a Her tech journey began with a degree in Electrical Engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University and a Master’s degree in the same discipline from Columbia University. Under her leadership, MainOne has grown to become the leading communication services and network solutions provider in West Africa, and a major player in the African broadband sector, significantly improving internet access and reliability across the continent. The company is reputed to have built the first privately owned, open-access 7,000-kilometre undersea high-capacity cable submarine stretching from Portugal to West Africa. The 63-year-old’s dedication to enhancing Nigeria’s digital infrastructure has earned her numerous accolades and recognition globally including the 2012 CNBC All Africa Businesswoman of the Year, EditoriAfrica’s Most Powerful Women in Technology (2013), named one of the 2018 Forbes list of The World’s Top 50 Women in Tech.

Dr. Omobola Johnson

Dr. Omobola Johnson is a 63-year-old distinguished technologist and former Minister of Communication Technology in Nigeria under President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (2011—2015). With a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the University of Manchester, a Master’s Degree in Digital Electronics from King’s College London, and a Doctorate in Business Administration from Cranfield University, Dr Johnson has a robust academic and professional background. As the Minister of Communication Technology, she played a pivotal role in developing Nigeria’s broadband plan, driving initiatives to expand ICT infrastructure and promote digital inclusion. Her leadership was instrumental in launching the country’s first ICT policy and implementing various projects that have had a lasting impact on Nigeria’s tech ecosystem. Before she was appointed Minister by Goodluck Jonathan, she was the country managing director for Accenture Nigeria, a company she began working for in 1985. In 2001, she came together with Chichi Okonjo, Yewande Zacchaeus, and Morin Desalu, to found the Women in Management, Business, and Public Service (WIMBIZ). Dr. Johnson who is currently a non-executive director of Guinness Nigeria PLC and MTN, continues to advocate for technology-driven development in Nigeria through her work with organizations like the Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI) where she serves as her Honorary Chairperson.

Adia Sowho

Adia Sowho is a tech enthusiast and business executive with a track record of driving growth and innovation in the Nigerian tech industry. Until June 2024, she was the Chief Marketing Officer at MTN Nigeria, where she spent three years leading the company’s marketing, product development, and customer engagement. During her time with MTN, the company’s consumer business consistently achieved over 20% YoY growth while the data business experienced a record growth of 50% during the same time. Adia’s journey into tech began with a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Sheffield and an MBA from Kellogg School of Management. She has held various leadership roles in companies like Etisalat Nigeria and Migo, where she was instrumental in launching innovative products and services that have transformed the telecom and fintech sectors. In 2020, she stepped in as the interim CEO of Thrive Agric, ensuring that the AgricTech startup survived the turbulent times it was in then. Adia is passionate about leveraging technology to solve real-world problems and improve lives.

Eloho Omame

Eloho Omame is an Afrocentric technology venture capitalist and advocate for female entrepreneurship in Nigeria. She is a partner at TLcom Capital, a seed-to-early growth stage firm that invests in Africa’s best entrepreneurs tackling the continent’s biggest challenges. She is also a co-founder of FirstCheck Africa, a female-focused technology venture capital firm dedicated to supporting female-led startups in Africa. With a degree in Economics from the London School of Economics and an MBA from London Business School, Eloho has a strong background in finance and business. In January 2018, she played a significant role in launching Endeavor in Nigeria and became its inaugural Managing Director until she left three years later. Endeavor Nigeria is an organization that supports high-impact entrepreneurs. Through Endeavor Nigeria, Eloho identified and supported tech entrepreneurs scaling innovative solutions across various industries. Eloho’s work is crucial in creating a more inclusive and diverse tech ecosystem in Nigeria.

Odunayo Eweniyi

Odunayo Eweniyi is a co-founder and Chief Operations Officer at PiggyVest, Nigeria’s leading online savings and investment platform. She is a first-class graduate of Computer Engineering from Covenant University, where her interest in tech and entrepreneurship began. Odunayo’s journey into tech entrepreneurship started shortly after graduation in 2013, with founding PushCV, a job placement platform, she co-founded with Somto Ifezue and Joshua Chibueze. She will go on to co-found PiggyVest in 2016 with the two. Under her leadership as COO, PiggyVest has grown to become Nigeria’s most popular digital savings and investment platform, helping thousands of Nigerians save and invest their money more effectively. Odunayo is also a vocal advocate for women in tech and co-founded the Feminist Coalition, which focuses on gender equality and women’s rights in Nigeria. In 2018, she was awarded the Future Africa Prize in Technology and 2019 was named in the list of 30 under 30 in Technology by Forbes and also one of 30 Quartz Africa Innovators for 2019. She has received so many other awards and recognitions since then.

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Honey Ogundeyi

Honey Oyindamola Ogundeyi is a serial entrepreneur and digital strategist with extensive experience in the tech industry. She founded Fashpa, an online fashion retail platform in April 2014. The platform connects global buyers to small and medium-sized fashion brands across Africa. Honey had her secondary education in Nigeria (Queens College, Yaba) and Dublin, Ireland (Alexandra College). She holds a Public Policy and Management degree from the University of Birmingham. In 2021, Honey Ogundeyi took up another entrepreneurial challenge by launching Edukoya, an ed-tech start-up focused on enhancing learning outcomes for African students. With a background in management consulting and digital marketing, Honey’s journey into tech entrepreneurship was driven by her passion for innovation and problem-solving. She has held leadership roles at companies like Google and McKinsey & Company, where she gained valuable insights into the tech landscape. In 2014, she was named by Forbes as one of the Top 10 women emerging entrepreneurs to watch in Africa, in 2016 she was listed by the World Economic Forum as one of the top 10 African Under 40 Innovators in Technology and 2018, she was appointed to Facebook SME Council for Nigeria. Honey’s work with Edukoya aims to leverage technology to provide quality education and resources to students across Africa.

Temie Giwa-Tubosun

Temie Giwa-Tubosun is the founder and CEO of LifeBank (formerly One Percent Project), a health-tech company that uses technology to deliver essential medical supplies to hospitals. Born in 1985, Temie holds a degree in Political Science from the University of Minnesota and a Master’s in Public Administration from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. Her tech journey was inspired by her desire to solve critical healthcare challenges in Nigeria. Founded in 2016, LifeBank uses data and technology to connect hospitals with blood banks and medical suppliers, ensuring timely and efficient delivery of life-saving products. Temie’s innovative approach has garnered international recognition, and LifeBank has expanded its services to other African countries. Her work is making a significant impact on healthcare delivery and saving lives across the continent. In December 2020, she was awarded the Global Citizen Prize for Business Leader.

Uche Pedro

Uche Pedro is the founder and CEO of BellaNaija, one of Africa’s leading lifestyle and entertainment websites. With a degree in Business Administration from the Richard Ivey School of Business and a master’s in public administration from the Harvard Kennedy School, Uche’s journey into digital media began with her passion for storytelling and content creation. The idea for establishing BellaNaija came to her while studying at a university in Canada during a two-week holiday when she became bored. She was inspired to start something that represented the exciting young vibe she observed in Nigeria’s growing fashion, entertainment, and business scenes. Realizing the potential of what she was building, she went ahead to organise the business by registering a parent company, BainStone Limited. BainStone Limited focuses on developing and managing innovative and exciting online media content for Africans. The company was among the 50 high-potential SMEs chosen and awarded a British Airways Opportunity Grant. BellaNaija has become a prominent platform showcasing African culture, fashion, and entertainment. Uche’s innovative approach to digital media has earned her numerous awards, and she continues to inspire and empower women in the tech and media industries. She is a Fellow of TEDGlobal and a Nigeria Leadership Initiative associate. Her contributions to digital media have earned her numerous accolades, including being honoured as the British Council International Young Media Entrepreneur of the Year for Nigeria in 2013 and being listed among the 30 Most Promising Young Entrepreneurs in Africa by Forbes Magazine Online in 2014 and 2015. She has also been recognized as one of the Most Influential CEOs of 2015 by Ventures Africa and as one of the New African Women’s Women of the Year for 2015. In 2016, she won the African Blogger of the Year award at the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards and participated in the first-ever Obama Foundation Summit in 2017 as a civic leader. Uche was also part of the Stanford Seed Transformation Programme. She has been featured in the annual OkayAfrica100 Women campaign and participated in the 2018 campaign for Bill and Melinda Gates. In 2018, she received an ELOY Award for Innovation/Invention and was honoured with a Frown Award by UNFPA/UNICEF for her efforts to protect girls’ rights and combat Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Nigeria.

Ire Aderinokun

Ire Aderinokun is one of Nigeria’s most influential women in tech. Known for her expertise in web development and design, Ire is a Google Developer Expert in Web Technologies and a Senior Software Engineer at Netflix. Ire’s passion for coding started at a young age, and she pursued a degree in Experimental Psychology at the University of Bristol, before switching to web development. Ire, who is the first Nigerian female Google Developer Expert, is reported to have taught herself frontend development at the young age of 13 and built her first website. She has made significant contributions to the tech community through her blog (bitsofcode.de), where she shares insights and tutorials on web technologies. She is the co-founder, COO, and VP of Engineering of Helicarrier, a company that builds cryptocurrency infrastructure for Africa. Ire is also a co-founder of the Nigerian tech community, Frontstack.io, which aims to support and mentor aspiring developers. Ire’s work has been recognized internationally, and she remains a strong advocate for women in tech.

Chioma Agwuegbo

Chioma Agwuegbo is a communications strategist and the founder of TechHerNG, a platform that supports women in technology. With a degree in Mass Communication from Ebonyi State University and a Master’s Degree in Social Media from Birmingham City University, Chioma has an impressive background in journalism and public relations. She has worked as a presenter with some Nigerian media houses and was an editorial staff of BBC. Chioma’s journey into tech advocacy was fuelled by her passion for gender equality and digital literacy. In 2008, she began drawing attention to some of the challenges being faced by women through the Light Up Nigeria Movement. TechHerNG provides training, mentorship, and resources to help women navigate the tech industry and develop their skills. Chioma’s efforts have empowered many women to pursue careers in tech and become active participants in Nigeria’s digital economy. She is also involved in various initiatives that promote civic engagement and the use of technology for social good. In March 2024, Chioma was the only Nigerian selected for the 2024 Ford Foundation’s Global Fellowship.

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This article was first published on 13th July 2024

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