Top 20 Female African Tech Professionals

The tech industry, once mainly led by men, is now experiencing an exciting change as brilliant African women take centre stage, transforming the industry with their creativity, leadership, and vision. These women aren’t just part of the tech movement; they’re shaping it. Hence, they are called African role models in technology.

Their stories prove that talent and drive aren’t limited by location or gender, but powered by passion and determination.

In this article, we’ll shine a light on 20 outstanding African women in tech who are making an impact across the continent and beyond.

From software developers to tech entrepreneurs, these women are not only walking the talk in their countries but are also emerging as strong African role models in technology.

1. Charity Wanjiku

Charity Wanjiku is a powerful figure in the tech and renewable energy world in Africa. She’s known for her innovative work as the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Strauss Energy Ltd, a company in Kenya that is changing how energy is generated and used.

As a woman in tech, Charity has carved a niche for herself by combining technology with sustainable solutions to tackle Africa’s energy issues.

Strauss Energy is leading the way by introducing solar power into building materials through its unique solar roofing tiles. These tiles don’t just produce electricity for homes; they also help provide power in areas without regular access to energy.

Charity continues to inspire the next wave of African tech leaders, especially women, motivating them to step into and succeed in the tech industry. Her work not only drives technology forward but also creates opportunities for more African women to become role models in technology.

2. Odunayo Eweniyi 

Next on our list of African role models in technology is Odunayo Eweniyi. As the co-founder and Chief Operations Officer of PiggyVest, a fintech company based in Nigeria, Odunayo Eweniyi has played a key role in transforming the way Africans, especially young people, save and manage their finances.

In 2016, she co-founded PiggyVest to offer an easy and practical platform for people to save and invest, even with small amounts of money.

Under her leadership, PiggyVest has grown quickly, now serving over 4 million users and handling billions of Naira in savings and investments. Interestingly, she is also the co-founder of the Feminist Coalition, an organization focused on fighting for women’s rights and promoting financial education for Nigerian women.

Through this group, Odunayo and her team work to create opportunities for women, helping them succeed in areas like technology, where women are often underrepresented.

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3. Jihan Abass

Jihan Abass is a trailblazing Kenyan tech entrepreneur and the founder of Lami, a digital platform that is changing how people in Africa get insurance.

She’s known for her fresh approach to making insurance more affordable and easier to access using technology. Abass is reshaping the insurance industry in Africa by using tech to simplify services and reach more people who need it.

Her work has made her one of the top African women in tech, driving innovation in the financial and insurance sectors.

4. Temidayo Salako

Temidayo Salako is a notable figure in Africa’s tech space. Recognized for her creative work in data science and AI. She founded DevCareers to help young Africans, especially those from less-represented communities, gain tech skills and job opportunities.

Through her efforts in mentoring and tech advocacy, she has inspired and supported many budding developers across the continent. Salako continues to make a difference by promoting diversity and inclusion in the African tech space.

5. Esther Ninsiima Nyinamwiru

Esther Nyinamwiru is a skilled Product Owner and Tech Talent Manager with a proven record in the internet industry. She excels at overseeing software developers, handling recruitment, solving problems, negotiating, managing costs without sacrificing quality, and running projects smoothly.

Before diving into tech, Esther worked as a quantity surveyor in construction, where she honed her abilities in cost management and ensuring projects stayed on track and within budget.

Her background in construction provides her with a fresh perspective on managing tech projects, enhancing her effectiveness in the tech world.

6. Ire Aderinokun

Another African role model in technology who made it to our list is Ire Aderinokun. As a key figure in the tech space, Ire serves as the co-founder, COO, and VP of Engineering at Helicarrier, a YC 18 company focused on creating cryptocurrency solutions for Africa.

Helicarrier is behind popular products like Buycoins, Sendcash, and Sendcash Pay. Besides her tech achievements, Ire is a founding member of the Feminist Coalition, a group dedicated to promoting gender equality in Nigeria.

Her work is helping to shape the future of both tech and social change in Africa.

7. Tarneem Saeed

Tarneem Saeed is the CEO of Alsoug, the largest online marketplace in Sudan, which offers e-payment and logistics services.

In just six years, she has transformed Alsoug into the top e-commerce startup in the country, impressively raising $5 million from investors. Despite the challenges that female entrepreneurs face in Sudan, Tarneem remains focused on expanding Alsoug further.

She is preparing to enter the FinTech sector with a new national payment system designed to make transactions quick, easy, and secure for everyone in Sudan.

8. Abiola Rasaq

Abiola Rasaq is a leading figure in quality assurance and the founder of “The Bug Detective,” a community dedicated to software testers.

She views leadership as having a positive influence and making a real difference, a principle she upholds through her career and community work. Her love for software testing has helped her build a vibrant group of over 800 members, where she offers training and support to newcomers in the field.

Abiola’s dedication to helping others achieve their career goals is clear in her efforts to guide members toward their ideal jobs as software testers.

9. Angela Semwogerere

Angela Mirembe Semwogerere serves as the General Manager of Spidd Africa Ltd. She is also the founder of Coding In Heels, a social enterprise dedicated to encouraging girls and women to pursue STEM fields, especially technology.

Besides her role as a consultant, she is part of Uganda’s National Taskforce on emerging technologies and the International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP) Alumni.

Angela’s work is focused on driving innovation and inspiring future generations in the tech industry. Little wonder she is one of the African role models in tech.

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10. Tebogo Mokwena

Often confused with a South African cricketer of the same name, Temidayo Salako is the CEO and co-founder of Akiba Digital, a FinTech company.

She successfully secured a $1.1 million pre-seed investment for the company. Akiba Digital has since launched Insyts, a platform designed to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) easily apply for funding and keep track of their financial health all in one place.

11. Modupe Durosinmi-Etti

Modupe Durosinmi-Etti is a skilled expert in talent and project management, corporate transformation, and boosting operational efficiency.

She has worked with three unicorn companies, startups, and growing organizations, bringing valuable experience to the table.

Known for launching successful initiatives, she helps organizations reach their goals by drawing on her diverse global background and experience. Her focus on driving productivity has made a significant impact in the businesses she’s worked with.

12. Cynthia Wandia

Cynthia Wanda is the co-founder and CEO of Kwara, a fintech company she started with David Hwan in 2018. Kwara’s mission is to provide secure, easy-to-use, and affordable online and mobile banking services for cooperative financial institutions and their members.

Recently, Kwara raised $4 million in seed funding to create a Neobank specifically designed for credit unions. Yet again, this calibre of women keeps proving that the tech space has more African role models than we can imagine.

13. Atinuke Oluwabamikemi

Atinuke Oluwabamikemi is a powerful advocate for diversity in the tech world, focusing on building supportive communities. Her passion for community building has driven her to create and manage spaces where people are encouraged to share knowledge, learn openly, and give back through content creation and public speaking.

Bami is especially committed to getting more women into tech and actively supports #womenintech through her work with SheCodeAfrica.

She also encourages beginners to explore open-source projects, regardless of their tech background. Her open-mindedness and team spirit make her a key player in any project, while her dedication to diversity and knowledge-sharing has made her a standout figure in the tech industry.

14. Thato Schermer

Thato Schermer, the founder of Zoie Health Technologies, grew up in Pretoria, South Africa, and Wisconsin, USA. She created Zoie Health to use technology to make women’s healthcare more accessible for millions of women across Africa.

The app provides virtual consultations with women’s health specialists and also offers a subscription service for contraceptives. Through Zoie Health, Thato is helping improve healthcare access and support for women using tech solutions.

15. Ada Nduka

Ada Nduka is a skilled software developer and a passionate advocate for open source technology, currently leading Developer Relations at Interswitch Group.

She founded She Code Africa and Open Source Community Africa to support women in tech and promote open-source projects.

Besides her work in software and open source, Ada hosts a podcast for forLoop Africa, one of Africa’s largest developer communities, where she discusses tech topics and interviews tech leaders.

16. Oladiwura Oladepo

Oladiwura Oladepo is a dedicated social entrepreneur who is passionate about improving people’s lives and communities. She loves using her skills to help individuals and organizations create meaningful impact and solve social problems in new and sustainable ways.

As one of the African role models in technology, she is always on the lookout for ways to make the world a better place and motivate others to join her in making positive changes.

17. Ivy Barley

Ivy Barley is a Ghanaian entrepreneur and program manager who is a strong advocate for women in tech. She co-founded Developers in Vogue, an organization that helps more African women enter the tech field.

In January 2022, GhanaWeb highlighted her as one of the top three Ghanaian women making waves in the international tech scene. Interestingly, in 2024, Ivy still ranks tops as one of the African role models in technology.

18. Chisom Nwokwu

Chisom Nwokwu is a Software Engineer in Lagos, Nigeria, working with Microsoft’s sustainability team to help the company become carbon negative by 2030.

She focuses on creating user-friendly experiences, services, and tools, and is skilled at handling and analyzing large amounts of data.

Her work includes building customer dashboards and improving data reporting to enhance performance.

19. Nneile Nkholise

Nneile Nkholise began her career as a mechanical engineer at the Free State’s Public Works Department in 2011 before starting iMed Tech in 2015.

At iMed Tech, she focuses on using CAD and 3D printing to create breast prostheses, which has earned her several honors, including being listed in Forbes 30 Under 30 and receiving the presidential award for Science, Innovation, and Technology at the South African Youth Awards in 2017.

Nkholise is passionate about empowering young women in Africa and aims to use iMed Tech to open doors for women in the tech industry.

20. Sethebe Manake

Sethebe Manake is an ambitious, self-driven individual passionate about e-commerce, entrepreneurship, and SME development. Coming from a Property Finance and Investment background, she has founded real estate, prop tech, entrepreneurship development, and mentoring businesses.

Before living an entrepreneurship life, she developed her career by specializing in real estate asset management through different investment vehicles.

Having a strong and dynamic business orientation and a strong head on her shoulders, she has driven various initiatives in both the start-up and real estate communities. Hence, making it to the list of tech influencers in Nigeria.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Their successes and leadership show what can be achieved with clear goals, hard work, and talent. As African women make strides in technology, they’re not just paving the way for future generations but also have become game-changers on a global scale.

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References

• Tunga.io – 50 Outstanding African Women in Tech
• Wazoplus.com – Top 18 Leading Women Voices in Tech in Africa
• ALXafrica.com – 10 African Women in Tech

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