Thanks to recent innovation and global recognition, Nigeria is revitalizing its technology industry. At the heart of this growth are many remarkable women in tech who are leading the charge. These trailblazers have not only broken barriers but have also set the stage for future female tech enthusiasts. Their success stories highlight their talent and determination and showcase the vast opportunities in the country’s tech sector. This article aims to recognize some of these Nigerian women tech frontrunners whose achievements continue to inspire and shape the industry. Let’s dive in!
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Oyinye Udoh
Onyinye Udoh is the founder and CEO of Anakle. This organization offers both internet connection at a reasonable price and digital literacy support to marginalized communities. The organization seeks to ensure that users, especially those in the less fortunate groups, can participate in the digital economy by offering cheap and reliable internet options and micro-training on digital skills.
Anakle has not limited its solutions for solving the low connectivity problem to merely connecting people to the Internet. The company also offers training programs on essential digital skills, such as online communication, e-commerce, social media marketing, etc. This prepares individuals in a way that enables them to not only find ways of getting on to the Internet but also harness the opportunity for their personal and professional gains.
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Temmie Giwa-Tubosun
With the establishment of LifeBank, Temmie Giwa is one of the Nigerian women in tech who is channeling technology towards developing the Nigerian health sector. LifeBank functions as a digital marketplace that connects hospitals to the products they need, simplifying access and delivery of healthcare facilities in Africa.
Before launching LifeBank, Temmie had founded and led the One Percent Blood Donation Enlightenment Foundation, a non-governmental organization focused on ending the blood shortage problem. Temmie has successfully carried this goal to Life Bank, as they’ve helped deliver thousands of blood pints to numerous hospitals in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria. LifeBank has delivered over 26,000 health products to more than 10,000 patients across over 700 hospitals in Nigeria.
Read also: Nigeria Women in Tech: Breaking Barriers and Making Strides
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Ifeoluwa Dare-Johnson
Ifeoluwa Dare-Johnson is an incredible personality to watch in the healthcare sector. She sees technology as the key to advancing medical care in Nigeria, so she founded Healthtrack. Health is a company that allows the management of chronic illnesses through technology. The platform has fitted patients in a position where they can manage their conditions and schedules appropriately when it comes to visiting the clinic or communicating with healthcare officials remotely.
Dare-Johnson’s dedication to leveraging technology for better healthcare outcomes is a testament to the ingenuity of women in tech in Nigeria. Her work with Healthtrack is not simply about setting up a tech platform; it is about people’s lives and giving patients the tools they can use to live better and healthier lives. Today, Healthtrack is operational in about 12 African states.
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Abisoye Ajayi-Akinfolarin
Girls’ education is one area Abisoye Ajayi-Akinfolarin has taken time to champion, emphasizing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). She is one of this niche’s most influential tech leaders and the founder of GirlsCoding.
GirlsCoding is a non-governmental organization that seeks to empower young girls through education in coding and training. The platform allows girls with the technical skill sets and self-confidence to excel in their chosen fields within the tech sector. It’s an effort towards improving sexual diversity in the technology industry.
Abisoye’s success and impact have earned her several awards, explicitly recognizing her efforts towards empowering the girl child. Notably, she was recognized as a CNN Heroes honoree in 2018. She also went on to win the ONE’s 2018 Women of the Year Awards while making the BBC Top 100 Women list that same year.
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Fara Ashiru Jibutoh
Fara Ashiru Jibutoh is one of the young and successful women in tech who is substantially impacting the Nigerian agricultural sector. She is the co-founder and CEO of Okra, a digital platform that sells farm produce directly to the end consumer. The platform aims to reduce intermediaries between farmers and consumers while providing value to both parties for their produce and money.
Okra also assists farmers in gaining valuable insights about the agricultural market, finances, and their businesses. The platform aims to change the farm development scenario in Nigeria, empowering farmers and agricultural producers.
Since its launch, Okra has recorded incredible success, earning partnerships with top companies such as Access Bank, Interswitch, Aella, etc. The startup raised a whopping $4.5 million in seed funding, and was oversubscribed in just six months of its launch.
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Honey Ogundeyi
Honey Ogundeyi is a woman who believes in educating all Nigerians, especially those in tech communities, and she strives to make it happen with her organization. She began an ed-tech startup, eduKoya, which offers student-friendly learning resources, courses, and qualified tutors. The platform collects content from different sources, making the learning process rich and informative for students. Ogundeyi aims to provide educational equity through technology. She’s all about making educational opportunities available and affordable for students, regardless of geographical location.
Before the launch of her ed-tech platform, EduKoya, she previously founded and ran Fashpa.com, an e-commerce platform for African Fashion. The platform helped connect small and medium businesses across Africa, specifically fashion brands and artisans, to global buyers. She’s also worked at Google as an industry manager, Head of Brand Management at Ericsson, and consultant at the McKinsey Company in Brussels and Johannesburg.
Ogundeyi is indeed one of the women in tech with a wide range of experience and recognition across different fields, including leadership, brand management, and fashion. In 2014, Forbes recognized her as one of the Top 10 women emerging entrepreneurs to watch in Africa. By 2016, she made it to the World Economic Forum’s top 10 African innovators list and one of the top ten most influential under 40 Nigerians in Technology, among others.
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Damilola Olokesusi
Damilola Olokesusi is one of the foremost transport revolutionists in the Nigerian market. She co-founded Shuttlers, a ride-hailing company that she developed to fit the Nigerian market requirement. Shuttlers is an on-demand transportation application that allows users to request daily travel shuttles. It is safe, efficient, and affordable, eliminating the everyday transport problem.
Unlike some international ride-hailing apps, Shuttlers understands the realities of the Nigerian transportation landscape. It offers features that allow the acceptance of cash payments and caters to routes outside major city centers. Olokesusi’s entrepreneurial spirit and innovative approach to transportation solutions make her an inspiration to aspiring women in tech and entrepreneurs who are looking to solve problems specific to their communities.
Damilola’s impressive efforts and initiatives in the transportation industry have won her different grants from institutions like Ford Motors, GEM-WorldBank, and Airtel’s Sahara. In fact, under her leadership, shuttlers raised a whopping $1.6m in seed funding as they plan to expand into more African cities.
Damilola has received several awards and accolades for her success, particularly in technology development. She was awarded the Women in Africa Digital & Tech Award, and also made the Forbes 30 under 30 list, among other notable recognitions.
Read also: Women in Tech: Getting Started as a Beginner
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Ifedayo Durosinmi-Etti
Ifedayo Durosinmi-Etti is a beautiful tech guru who recognizes the need for financial empowerment geared toward women. This insight made her come up with Herconomy, a liberal movement that offers women financial aid and opportunities, investor funding, and mentorship programs. Herconomy goes beyond just a financial app; it is a network of women who support each other in getting financially stable, a critical aspect of the parity between women and men.
Durosinmi-Etti is one of the few Nigerian women in tech who is actively and effectively developing technologies for the needs of women in Nigeria. Notably, she was awarded the West African Leadership Organization Women’s Advocacy Award in 2018 as a recognition for her dedication towards the empowerment and development of women in West Africa.
Durosinmi-Etti is also known for her incredible achievements beyond Africa and Nigeria. Notably, the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs awarded her the peace scholar title, and she’s currently a member of the World Bank Youth Advisory Council.
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Tope Omotolani
Tope Omotolani is another influential personality in the Nigerian tech industry. She co-founded Crowdyvest, an innovative fintech platform that goes beyond the basic levels of financial services. Crowdyvest has a culture that embraces a social cause. The platform enables people to fund new ventures and young social enterprises, enhancing micro-economy growth.
Tope is also one of the co-founders of FarmCrowdy, a digital agricultural platform launched in 2016. As the Chief Operations officer, she coordinated farm operations in 14 states, catering to over 25000 farmers. Her leadership role in both sister companies (Crowdyvest and FarmCrowdy) yielded incredible success. Under her guidance, Crowdyvest secured over $35 million in savings and investments within a year, benefiting multiple businesses. Additionally, she spearheaded the effort to raise $2.5 million for FarmCrowdy before its acquisition by investors in 2021.
Tope is recognized not only in Nigeria but also in Africa as one of the top female founders on the continent. Her achievements were honored with the “Emerging Fintech CEO of the Year” award at the Annual Global Business Outlook Awards 2021.
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Odunayo Eweniyi
Odunayo Eweniyi is a tech guru who co-founded PiggyVest, West Africa’s first successful online savings and investment platform. The platform offers a practical solution focused on managing money, saving, and investing. Through this platform, Eweniyi and her team have inspired and offered millions of Nigerians the opportunity to manage their funds successfully. Her success in the Nigerian tech space has boosted the number of Nigerian women in tech, particularly in fintech.
Eweniyi’s innovative work has earned her numerous prestigious awards and recognitions. In 2018, she received the Future Awards Africa Prize in Technology. In 2019, she was featured on Forbes Africa 30 Under 30, and she made it to the technology and the Quartz Africa Innovators list that same year. According to various online sources, her net worth is around 5 million dollars.
Read also: Top Ten Wealthiest Women in Africa
Conclusion
The Nigerian tech industry is thriving, thanks in large part to the remarkable contributions of women. The ten trailblazers highlighted here showcase Nigeria’s tech space’s incredible potential and innovation. Whether in fintech, healthcare, education, or agriculture, they use technology to address critical issues and create opportunities for millions. Their achievements highlight the diverse applications of technology and inspire future generations of women to pursue tech and entrepreneurship.
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