Let’s Celebrate Leading African Women in Technology

Its international Women’s day(IWD), why shouldn’t we appreciate these awesome folks?

Setting aside a day like this to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievement of women is one of the many things the United Nations has done right.

The world is honored to have had and still have great women across the globe. Women who are paving the way for the younger generation, solving global problems and leading change for a better world.

Michelle Obama once said, “There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish.”

In the light of that and in celebration of International Women’s day, we have decided to appreciate leading African women in Tech on this day.

We’ve seen women evolve in the technology space over time, but a handful of them stand the test of time. These dogged tech entrepreneurs have maximized their ideas and resources to replicate success over and over again in Africa.

Rebecca Enonchong (Cameroon), Founder/CEO, AppsTech

Enonchong founded Maryland-based AppsTech in 1999 as an Oracle +0.07 Platinum Partner. The firm, where she’s also the CEO, provides companies with enterprise software products and services including implementation, training and application management services. She’s a mentor to many African tech startups and promoting technology across the continent with her newly-founded African Technology Forum.

Judith Owigar (Kenya), Co-Founder. JuaKali

Judith Owigar is a leading social entrepreneur in Kenya. She founded JuaKali Workforce Limited in 2012 to help develop Nairobi’s informal sector. The platform connects service providers with individual or institutional clients. JuaKali allows workers to create profiles to showcase their expertise. Judith also founded Akirachix, an association intended to promote women in technology through mentoring and training.

Anne Amuzu (Ghanaian), Co-Founder, Nandimobile

Nandimobile helps companies improve customer relations through SMS-base software products. She co-founded Nandimobile in 2010 alongside two other graduates of Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology. In 2016, she also co-founded mySMEportal.com, to “help SMEs grow their business the right way using software tools’”

Barbara Mallison (South African), Co-Founder, Obami

Barbara co-founded Obami, a social e-learning platform being used by schools across Africa, Europe, and the United States. Since inception in 2007, Obami has received series of international recognition including “Top Ten Most Innovative Technologies in the World” from UNESCO and Netexplo in 2011. It was also listed on Forbes’ “Top 20 African Startups” in 2012.

Clarisse Iribagize (Rwanda), Founder, HeHe Limited

Clarisse is the founder and CEO of Hehe Limited, a mobile technology research and innovation lab in Kigali, Rwanda. HeHe, help companies with software products and services that improve customer engagement. They have developed solutions for international clients including MTN and Praekelt Foundation.

Nkemdilim Uwaje Begho (Nigerian), Founder, Future Software Resources

Begho is a successful management executive with proven capacities for strategic implementation of business policies. She’s the founder of Future Software Resources, a broad-based web technology company in Lagos, Nigeria. The firm offers web designs, mobile application development, digital marketing and online recruitment.

Funke Opeke (Nigerian), Founder, Mainstreet Technologies

Funke Opeke used to be the Executive Director for Verizon Communications’ Wholesale Division in the United States, and the Chief Technical Officer with MTN. She’s the founder and Chief Executive of MainOne, a globally acknowledged revolutionary in the Nigerian internet industry. The firm provides services ranging from improved connectivity, data center services, and media to the technicalities of DDoS.

Bilikis Adebiyi Abiola (Nigerian), Founder, Wecyclers

Bilikis founded a recycling company – Wecyclers in Lagos, Nigeria. Founded in 2012, Wecyclers “aims to reduce unmanaged urban waste in low-income neighborhoods and provide a reliable supply of materials to the local recycling industry.” The company gives monetary value to people in return for recyclable waste picked up from their homes.

We could go on and on, these women are great. Let’s just say…

These amazons give an impression of hope for Africa’s technological growth. Like the International Women’s Day theme of the year, they have been bold and brave.

Will you be bold for change? Yea right, I’m in. Are you?

#BeBoldForChange #BFD