Across Africa’s rapidly evolving technology and digital economy landscape, women are not just participating; they are building companies, shaping policy, driving digital inclusion, and mentoring the next generation of leaders.

In recognition of these impacts, Techeconomy proudly unveils its “100 Women Shaping the Future: Techeconomy Power List 2026.”

This special feature celebrates trailblazing women whose contributions are redefining technology, innovation, entrepreneurship, and digital transformation across Nigeria and the African continent.

“These women embody the spirit of Give to Gain. Through leadership, mentorship, advocacy, and innovation, they are giving their expertise, courage, and vision to industries that historically underrepresented them.

“In return, the ecosystem gains stronger institutions, inclusive innovation, economic growth, and a more balanced digital future”, says Joan Aimuengheuwa, managing editor at Techeconomy.

From technology executives and startup founders to policymakers, investors, and ecosystem builders, the women on this list represent the growing force shaping Africa’s digital narrative.

Their stories are not only about personal success; they are about creating pathways for others, expanding opportunities, and proving that when women lead, entire societies move forward.

100 Women Shaping the Future: Techeconomy Power List 2026

1. Uche Ofodile, CEO, MTN Benin

Uche Ofodile runs one of West Africa’s fast-growing telecom operations as Chief Executive Officer of MTN Benin. Since taking the role in 2020, she has focused on expanding digital services, improving network reach and strengthening the company’s role in Benin’s growing digital economy.

Her leadership combines strong commercial instincts with solid experience in brand development and customer strategy.

Stretching across Africa, Europe and the United States, covering advertising, marketing and executive management.

She entered the telecom sector in 2002 as Corporate Brand Manager at Econet, now Airtel Nigeria. That move opened the door to senior roles at MTS First Wireless and Nutricima before she joined Vodafone Ghana, where she served as Chief Marketing Officer and helped reposition the company during a period of intense competition.

Ofodile later moved into chief executive roles, first at Tigo Democratic Republic of Congo. There, she led a turnaround plan that delivered about 20% year-on-year growth while improving profitability.

The result drew attention across the industry. She later worked with Facebook’s Express Wi-Fi initiative as Regional Head for Africa and also served as CEO of MTN Liberia before taking charge at MTN Benin.

She studied Political Science at Ramapo College in the United States and completed a Strategic Marketing programme at Columbia Business School.

Over the years, the industry has recognised her work, including being named among the “Top 50 Women to Watch in Global Telecoms” in 2017. Beyond business results, Ofodile is known for mentoring teams and promoting leadership opportunities for young professionals and women across the sector.

| LinkedIn Profile

2. Dr. (Mrs.) Omowunmi HASSAN, CEO/ Presiding Officer, High Tech Centre for Nigerian Women and Youth

Dr. Omowunmi Hassan is an esteemed IT professional and policy strategist whose doctoral research at Obafemi Awolowo University and Oxford Internet Institute provided the foundational analysis for the creation of Nigeria’s Ministry of Communications Technology.

She has spearheaded critical national policy reviews, including the transition to the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation, and has designed strategic ICT frameworks for the Nigeria Police Force and the UNDP.

Her career spans significant roles as a systems analyst and researcher at institutions like Michelin and NACETEM, alongside her work as a certified Nigeria-Korea trainer for national e-Government capacity building.

As the Chief Executive of the High Tech Centre for Nigerian Women and Youth, she has spent nearly two decades empowering thousands of citizens through nationwide ICT camps and STEM initiatives. Currently serving as the Managing Director of HOJOB Consults and co-Chair of the TTSWG Board, Dr. Hassan remains a leading consultant for multiple federal ministries, driving the intersection of technology, sustainability, and governance in Nigeria.

| LinkedIn Profile.

3. Dr. Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji

Dr. Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji is a Nigerian technology entrepreneur, AI for development expert, and social innovator reshaping Africa’s digital and human capital landscape.

She is the Founder and CEO of Rise Networks, a Lagos-based data, artificial intelligence, and technology for development social enterprise dedicated to equipping young Africans with the skills, mindsets, and platforms needed to thrive in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Under her leadership, Rise Networks has delivered groundbreaking projects, including West Africa’s first AI-powered career chatbot, recognised by the United Nations AI for Good initiative, and positioned Nigeria at prominent global platforms such as the UK AI Safety Summit and the AI Impact Summit.

Dr. Akerele-Ogunsiji also leads Rise Interactive Studios, the production company behind Makemation, Africa’s first feature film centred on artificial intelligence, which harnesses storytelling to inspire youth engagement with technology. She champions ethical and inclusive AI, serving as a member of the UNDP AI for Development Reference Group and earning recognition as one of the Top 30 Global AI Ambassadors.

A Mid-Career Master in Public Administration alumnus of the Harvard Kennedy School and an Executive education graduate of Cambridge University’s Judge Business School, she also holds a PhD in Defence and Strategic Studies, exploring the intersection of digital transformation and national security.

Throughout her career, Dr. Akerele-Ogunsiji has been celebrated internationally, including being named by Forbes as one of the 20 Most Powerful Young Women in Africa, and remains a prominent voice in tech policy, youth development, and innovation across the continent. Her work continues to advance education, technology access, and responsible digital transformation for inclusive growth and opportunity.

| LinkedIn Page

4. Rimini Makama, Executive Commissioner Stakeholder Management, NCC

Rimini Makama is a distinguished lawyer and public policy expert currently serving as the Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

Appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, she plays a pivotal role in driving Nigeria’s digital economy agenda by fostering strategic partnerships between regulators and industry players.

Her extensive career includes seven years as Government Affairs Director for MEA Emerging Markets at Microsoft, where she shaped policies for public cloud adoption and served as an expert voice on AI Ethics.

Previously, she led strategic communications at Africa Practice for global giants like Google, Uber, and PayPal, and began her legal career at INTERPOL’s Office of Legal Affairs in France.

Recognized by Forbes as one of Africa’s most powerful young women, she holds an LLM in International Law and is also an accomplished creative producer behind acclaimed films acquired by Netflix.

| LinkedIn Profile

5. Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, DG, National Identity Management Agency (NIMC)

Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote has over eighteen (18) years of experience in information technology telecommunications, finance, oil & gas, healthcare, government, and public utilities.

She served as the Technology & Communications head at Bate Litwin (an engineering company, a former subsidiary of Litwin, France) on projects such as Chevron ESA (JV with Atlas, etc.).

Prior to her stint at Bate Litwin, she has held several key positions in different companies, where she was responsible for information technology policies and systems implementation, project management and software development, across Nigeria and the United Kingdom. With her expertise and wealth of experience in information technology and data management, she has consulted for various entities on development and implementation of robust electronic identity database management systems.

She was the General Manager/Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance and Regulatory Agency (“LASIMRA”).

As the General Manager of LASIMRA, her day-to-day functions, saw her managing key utility infrastructure providers, telecommunication, power, and gas operators, to promote standards and procedures in infrastructural development and maintenance, reducing damage to public utilities whilst fostering collaboration amongst the stakeholders in improving public safety and transforming Lagos state to a smart city.

Her innovative work at LASIMRA was impactful within the utility infrastructure space and well acknowledged amongst its stakeholders and the public, which saw her being recognised as one of the value-driven CEOs of excellence that powered Nigeria’s economic growth in 2022 based on LASIMRA’s contribution to digital infrastructure.

Engr. Bisoye Coker-Odusote is currently the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of NIMC.

| Profile

6. Jane Egerton-Idehen, MD/CEO, Nigerian Communications Telecommunications Satellite

Prior to leading NIGCOMSAT, Egerton-Idehen spent over two decades in the private sector, holding pivotal leadership positions including Head of Sales for Middle East and Africa at Meta (Facebook) and Country Manager for Avanti Communications.

Her extensive background also includes technical and sales management roles at Ericsson and Nokia Siemens Networks, providing her with the private-sector grit necessary to modernize Nigeria’s satellite agency.

Under her leadership, NIGCOMSAT has undergone a commercial transformation to compete with global entities like Starlink.

Key initiatives include a Strategic Blueprint focused on flexible pricing and the NIGCOMSAT Accelerator Programme, which fosters space-tech startups in agriculture, healthcare, and education.

She has also prioritized infrastructure by initiating the development of the NigComSat-2 and NigComSat-3 satellites to ensure uninterrupted service as the current satellite nears its 2026 lifespan limit.

Egerton-Idehen is a central figure in Nigeria’s digital inclusion efforts, particularly through Project 774 LG Connectivity, which targets broadband access for all 774 Local Government Areas.

Additionally, her Big Picture initiative, in partnership with the NBC, leverages sovereign satellite technology for Direct-to-Home digital broadcasting, significantly reducing reliance on terrestrial towers and promoting local content distribution across the continent.

Beyond her executive duties, Jane is a fierce advocate for women in STEM and the author of the Amazon bestseller, Be Fearless: Give Yourself Permission to Be You. Through her NGO, Women and Career, she mentors female professionals navigating male-dominated industries.

Her leadership represents a New NIGCOMSAT – one that is commercially driven, innovation-focused, and deeply committed to bridging the digital divide through private-sector efficiency and public-sector impact.

| LinkedIn Profile

7. Confidence Staveley, Founder/ Executive Director, CyberSafe Foundation

Confidence Staveley is a Cyber security professional, inclusion advocate and a cyber talent developer with over a decade experience in technology.

She is the founder and Executive Director of CyberSafe Foundation, a leading non-Governmental organisation dedicated to improving inclusive and safe digital access in Africa. Through her foundation, Staveley is helping to protect the most vulnerable people and businesses in our communities.

She graduated with a first class degree from the University of Middlesex where she studied IT and Business Information Systems, and also graduated with distinction from the University of Bradford where she studied IT Management.

Among her numerous professional certifications and industry recognitions, Staveley was recently named a 2021 African Obama Leader and is an awardee of the U.S State Department’s International Visitors Leadership Programme (IVLP) Impact Awards.

Staveley, an avid global speaker who has spoken at countless global and continental cybersecurity events, including EC Council Masterclass Webinar Series, World CyberSecurity Summit and Africa Cyber Defense Forum, shares her experiences in the cybersecurity space, and her effort to encourage more girls to embrace the field.

| LinkedIn Profile

8. Emelia Sunday-Edet, Head of Engineering/Product at FlashChange

Emelia Sunday-Edet is the Head of Engineering/Product at FlashChange, a fintech platform redefining secure digital asset exchange across Africa.

With a strong background in Quality Assurance, she has played a key role in shaping, building and delivering reliable financial products in emerging markets.

Drawing on her testing expertise, she brings a rare quality-first lens to product leadership, ensuring that reliability, security, and user trust are embedded from ideation through release.

Over the years, Emelia has led cross-functional teams across Product, QA, and Engineering, delivering resilient financial products tailored to emerging markets.

Her strength lies in translating complex financial and technical systems into seamless user experiences backed by structured execution and operational excellence.

Beyond her work at FlashChange, she serves as the Training Lead at The Bug Detectives, a global QA community where she mentors aspiring testers and supports professionals transitioning into tech.

Through this work, she is actively shaping the next generation of quality-driven innovators who understand that sustainable technology begins with precision and accountability.

Emelia is deeply passionate about trust-centered innovation and building inclusive financial systems across Africa.

She advocates for technology that solves real-world problems and drives measurable impact at scale.

LinkedIn Page

9. Kanessa Muluneh, Founder of Nyle

Kanessa Muluneh is a serial entrepreneur and investor with a remarkable track record, having led six businesses and achieved four successful exits totaling over $9.5 million, including a telehealth startup exit at just 21.

Born in Ethiopia and raised in the Netherlands, she leverages her global strategy and local insight as the founder of Nyle, an investment vehicle that deviates from traditional venture capital by utilizing a network of high-net-worth individuals to provide high-impact funding and hands-on operational support to African startups.

Beyond finance, Kanessa is the creator of Rise of Fearless, a battle-royale mobile game inspired by Ethiopia’s historic victory at the Battle of Adwa.

This project aims to reclaim the African narrative in a gaming industry that reached $1.8 billion in 2024 but remains dominated by Western content.

Through her diverse ventures in tech, healthcare, and manufacturing, Kanessa is dedicated to unlocking the continent’s investment potential.

She serves as a strategic bridge for the African diaspora, focusing on profitable, execution-first ventures across sectors such as entertainment, real estate, and mining.

LinkedIn Profile

10. Rashidat Adebisi, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Zenvolve Tech Limited

Rashidat Adebisi is a seasoned financial executive. She is the Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Zenvolve Tech Limited, a forward-thinking technology partner driving cultural and systemic transformation specialising in last-mile digital solutions at the intersection of innovation and real-world application focused on last mile delivery.

Promoters of FileAm a novel solution exclusively dedicated to revolutionizing the tax ecosystem. Designed to bridge the critical gap between tax authorities and taxpayers, transforming apprehension into empowerment.

With over 20 years of experience in the financial services value chain, she is recognized for her expertise in insurance, pension fund administration, and corporate strategy.

Her career is defined by a commitment to enhancing the customer experience through digital innovation and data-driven insights.

Prior to her current role, she served as the Executive Director of the Client Services Division at AXA Mansard Insurance, where she was instrumental in streamlining operational efficiencies and improving policyholder retention.

She has held several high-level positions within the AXA Mansard Group, including Head of Human Resources and Head of the Financial Control Group. Her versatile leadership has allowed her to navigate the complexities of both human capital management and rigorous financial auditing.

A passionate advocate for gender diversity and youth empowerment, Rashidat is a frequent speaker at summits focused on leadership and financial literacy.

She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and holds an MBA from the Lagos Business School. Her professional journey reflects a Winning Strategy of Intrapreneurial Leadership, having successfully led multiple diverse departments within a single global organization to drive localized impact.

Beyond her corporate responsibilities, she is known for her mentorship of young professionals and her efforts to bridge the financial inclusion gap in Nigeria. She embodies the modern executive who balances technical financial rigor with a human-centric approach to business, ensuring that technological advancements in the pension sector serve to simplify, rather than complicate, the user journey.

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11. Ememobong Udofot, Head, Branding & Corporate Communications, FlashChange

Ememobong Udofot is a high-impact brand and communications strategist currently leading the narrative and market positioning for FlashChange, a fast-growing Nigerian digital currency ecosystem. With a unique academic background in Agriculture, she applies a systems-thinking approach to branding, viewing it not as mere aesthetics but as the essential infrastructure behind consumer trust and market relevance.

Throughout her tenure, she has successfully guided FlashChange’s evolution from a niche gift card platform into a broader fintech powerhouse, translating complex digital products into human-centered stories. She is a staunch advocate for the measurable power of perception, bridging the gap between quantitative business data and qualitative brand value to drive long-term loyalty.

Beyond her corporate achievements, Ememobong is deeply committed to social responsibility, leading community initiatives focused on poverty alleviation and educational support for underserved populations. She embodies a leadership style that is both structured and imaginative, proving that business growth and social impact are most effective when integrated.

As a vocal advocate for women in technology and leadership, she uses platforms like International Women’s Day to reinforce the importance of female presence in boardrooms and strategy hubs. Ememobong represents a rising generation of African women leaders who are intentionally building influence and redefining the intersection of technology, narrative, and trust without waiting for permission.

| LinkedIn Page

12. Owen Odia, General Manager, Blockchain.com Africa

Owenize Odia is a prominent fintech leader and digital finance expert with over 15 years of experience scaling technology platforms in the African market.

Currently serving as the General Manager, Blockchain.com Africa. He was the pioneer Country Manager for Luno in Nigeria where she was instrumental in growing the platform’s user base to over 4 million customers while leading critical regulatory advocacy for blockchain and digital assets.

Her career is built on a strong foundation in traditional banking, having previously spearheaded the Mobile Payment division at Zenith Bank Plc, where she bridged the gap between legacy finance and emerging mobile money solutions.

With an academic background in Computer Science and an MSc in Data Communications and Software Engineering, she possesses a deep technical understanding of mobile computing and crypto-economics.

Owenize is widely recognized for her strategic leadership, particularly her ability to navigate complex regulatory landscapes and black swan economic events.

Beyond her corporate role, she is a dedicated educator and public speaker, frequently contributing to global discourse on financial inclusion, DeFi, and the empowerment of women in the digital economy.

| LinkedIn Page

13. Odulu Amos, Brand, Marketing, and Corporate Communications Manager, RedTech

Odulu Amos is a strategic marketing leader and the current Head of Brand Marketing & Corporate Communications at Redtech Limited, a subsidiary of Heirs Holdings, a prominent African investment company.

With over a decade of experience, including a foundational five-year tenure at Softcom Limited, she has established himself as an expert in bridging the gap between complex fintech solutions and human-centric storytelling.

A recognized mentor on ADPList and a frequent speaker at events like Social Media Week Lagos, she is a central figure in shaping the narrative of Nigeria’s digital transformation.

Beyond his corporate leadership, Amos is a thought leader in influencer strategy, advocating for a shift from viral moments to sustainable brand equity.

She categorizes influencers into five strategic groups, Amplifiers, Trendsetters, Opinion Leaders, Community Aggregators, and Brand Advocates, to help brands align their marketing spend with specific business outcomes.

Her core philosophy emphasizes the Belief Factor, suggesting that the most successful collaborations occur when an influencer’s persona aligns naturally with a brand’s values.

She maintains that quality engagement from a niche Opinion Leader often yields a higher ROI than mass-market Amplifiers with mismatched audiences.

As a guest contributor and advisory board member, Amos continues to champion brand strategy as a disciplined architecture for driving financial inclusion across Africa.

| LinkedIn Profile

14. Cynthia Alabi, Head of Customer Experience, Transactworld Digital

Cynthia Alabi is a technology business leader redefining the role of Customer Experience (CX) within Africa’s digital payments ecosystem.

As the Head of Customer Experience at Transactworld Digital, a CBN-licensed Payment Solution Service Provider, she champions the transition of CX from a traditional support cost into a high-impact revenue function.

By merging her background in business development with deep operational expertise, she implements service strategies and onboarding optimizations that do more than just resolve issues; they actively accelerate merchant adoption and strengthen trust in regulated fintech environments.

With nearly a decade of experience across the Fintech, Mobility, and Aviation sectors, Cynthia specializes in translating complex products into scalable commercial outcomes. She is a vocal advocate for CX as a proactive revenue center, focusing on data-driven engagement systems that reduce churn while identifying opportunities for upselling and expanded activation.

Her leadership in KYC and onboarding transformation initiatives has consistently unlocked new revenue streams by ensuring that the customer journey is built on a foundation of growth and retention.

Beyond her corporate leadership, Cynthia is an active architect of the African tech ecosystem through startup advisory and mentorship.

She is particularly passionate about expanding commercial leadership pathways for emerging talent and supporting early-stage founders.

By helping teams design scalable revenue systems and robust customer foundations from day one, she ensures that the next generation of African startups is equipped for sustainable, long-term growth.

| LinkedIn Page

15. Toyosi Badejo-Okusanya, Founder, Adaptive Atelier

Toyosi B-O. is a multi-disciplinary strategist and the founder of Adaptive Atelier, a venture operating at the intersection of design, accessibility, and lifestyle.

With a legal background from the University of Kent, she seamlessly blends analytical rigor with creative flair to build inclusive narratives and manage strategic reputations across the UK and African markets.

Her current work focuses on fostering inclusivity within the creative economy, ensuring that design and technology serve diverse and underserved audiences.

Her professional trajectory includes significant roles in both the social impact and luxury sectors, having served as a Communications Specialist for SignHealth and a Brand Specialist for Jo Malone London.

At SignHealth, she spearheaded efforts to make health information accessible to the Deaf community, while her tenure at Jo Malone and FOLA PR honed her expertise in high-end storytelling and premium market positioning.

Expert in inclusive communication and luxury brand strategy, Toyosi leverages her legal foundation to navigate complex areas of risk assessment, contracts, and advocacy.

She is a prime example of Non-Linear Tech Success, demonstrating how diverse expertise can be channeled into building adaptive tech-adjacent brands. Her leadership underscores a vital truth in the modern economy: that technical evolution requires strategists who prioritize human accessibility and social impact as much as digital innovation.

| LinkedIn Profile

16. Chioma Chimere, Coordinating MD (CMD), TD Africa

Mrs. Chioma Chimere is the Coordinating Managing Director (CMD) of TD Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa’s largest technology and lifestyle distribution company. A consummate marketing professional, she transitioned from a successful career in broadcasting at DBN Television to the IT sector, joining Task Systems Limited before rising through the ranks to her current executive leadership role.

She is responsible for the day-to-day execution of the company’s marketing blueprint, ensuring that internal structures align with shareholder objectives and global partnership standards.

Under her guidance, TD Africa has solidified its dominance in the African ICT ecosystem, expanding its regional footprint and strengthening alliances with global technology giants. Her leadership is defined by a commitment to data-driven decision-making, operational excellence, and a relentless focus on results.

She is widely recognized as a trailblazer within the Zinox Group, having consistently driven significant value across every layer of the organization’s supply chain.

Beyond her strategic and commercial impact, Mrs. Chimere is an admired mentor known for building high-performing teams and fostering a culture of innovation and integrity.

She has participated in numerous global executive development programs, further refining her expertise in business leadership and operational strategy.

A family-oriented leader, she balances her corporate influence with a dedication to personal growth and long-term value creation for the African tech industry.

| LinkedIn Profile

17. Oyebukola Alawiye, Product Manager, RedTech

Oyebukola is a product leader with deep expertise in building and scaling electronic voting solutions, payment ecosystems, virtual accounts, lending solutions, web acquiring, POS infrastructure, and mobile financial platforms across Africa.

She is committed to enabling business growth and organisational scalability by offering strategic advisory support to emerging and growing enterprises.

She leads prodsuct portfolios processing over ₦30trillion+ in annual transaction value and 5+ billion transactions, delivering high-growth digital financial products across consumer and SME segments.

Oyebukola led the market research and product development of solutions that have scaled across UEMOA markets (Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Benin, Mali and Senegal), improving customer accessibility and securing approval from the Central Bank of West Africa for interoperability services.

Oyebukola is passionate about people development, dedicating time to mentoring young professionals and school leavers through structured and unstructured programs that equip them to navigate career pathways with clarity and confidence.

| LinkedIn Profile

18. Sandra Ani, Founder, Helpsphere Foundation

Sandra Ani is a recognized Values Advancement Strategist and Moral Development Advocate, renowned for driving transformational initiatives that strengthen character and rebuild the moral fabric of society.

She leads the internationally acclaimed Values for Daily Living (VDL) movement, born from her groundbreaking book now used in schools across the world, providing a unifying framework that addresses moral decline and promotes value-driven living across cultures.

As founder of the Help-Sphere Foundation, Sandra steers high impact programs that empower young people, promote ethical leadership, and champion community transformation through conferences, essay initiatives, and widespread advocacy campaigns.

A sought-after speaker, Sandra is known for her compelling insights and her ability to inspire audiences toward ethical consciousness, personal responsibility, and purposeful leadership.

She is also the founder of the Parent Conclave, a vibrant community helping young mums raise value-grounded children, and the author of influential parenting guides, ROOTS and LIFE ALARM, which equip families with practical wisdom for intentional parenting Beyond her advocacy, Sandra serves as the Vice President of Mexygabriel Ltd, a leading African technology company.

Celebrated for her work with teens and youth, she continues to inspire ethical consciousness and purpose-driven living through her coaching, media engagements, and thought leadership. Grounded in her faith as a lover of Christ and devoted to her family as a wife and mother of four, Sandra Ani stands as a dynamic force shaping a values-driven generation and advancing moral renewal across the globe.

| LinkedIn Profile

19. Adedayo Adejokun, Deputy General Manager, eTranzact PLC

Adedayo Adejokun is a seasoned legal and business strategist whose work sits at the intersection of technology, policy, and corporate governance.

With deep expertise in commercial law and regulatory frameworks, she has worked with leading organisations to unlock strategic growth, navigate complex legal landscapes, and drive sustainable development across Africa’s digital economy.

She currently serves as a Senior Legal & Compliance Executive with a proven track record in advising technology firms, financial institutions, and multinationals on governance, risk management, and compliance matters.

Known for her razor-sharp insight and pragmatic leadership, Dayo has played an instrumental role in facilitating regulatory engagement, protecting intellectual property interests, and steering high-impact negotiations that have fortified business resilience in competitive markets.

Dayo is also an advocate for ethical tech and inclusive policy design, helping organisations build frameworks that balance innovation with accountability, data protection, and stakeholder trust. Her strategic contributions have strengthened institutional capacity and paved the way for more robust legal ecosystems that support tech-enabled growth across the continent.

Through mentoring emerging professionals and championing diversity in tech leadership, Dayo continues to elevate standards in legal practice and corporate strategy, amplifying the role of women in shaping Africa’s future digital landscape.

| LinkedIn Profile

20. Seyi Onasanya, Chief Operating Officer, Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA)

Seyi is a transformational C-suite executive, strategist, and technology advocate shaping Africa’s digital and knowledge economy. As Chief Operating Officer of the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), she leads strategic operations and initiatives that strengthen Nigeria’s internet governance ecosystem, advance digital inclusion, and support the growth of the nation’s digital economy.

With over two decades of leadership experience, Seyi has held senior roles at PwC, FITC, SNEVA Global Associates, and a leading Nigerian bank, driving large-scale transformation projects across financial services, aviation, energy, manufacturing, real estate, and the public sector in Nigeria, Ghana, The Gambia, South Africa, and Asia.

A respected thought leader in governance, leadership development, and organizational transformation, she has collaborated with governments, boards, and global institutions including the World Bank, DFID, and Nigeria’s Ministry of Finance on national reform programs such as MTSS, AMCON transformation initiatives, and the Lagos State Transformation Strategy amongst others.

With a First-Class degree in Psychology and a Master’s in Managerial Psychology, Seyi combines analytical rigor with deep insights into human behaviour, enabling her to lead complex digital transformation and organizational change initiatives across Africa.

Seyi also holds executive certifications in Digital Transformation from MIT Sloan and the University of Cambridge. Also, a Fellow of CIPM, BPS-accredited Competence Assessor, and executive coach, she is passionate about empowering leaders and building Africa’s digital future.

Through her leadership at the intersection of governance, technology, and strategy, Seyi continues to help build the digital foundations that will power Nigeria’s and Africa’s future economy.

| LinkedIn Profile

21. Ngozi Madueke-Dozie, Head of Nigeria & Ghana, Android Platform & Ecosystem Google

Ngozi Madueke-Dozie is a prominent Nigerian executive and a driving force in Africa’s digital economy. With over a decade of experience, she specializes in scaling technology, telecommunications, and digital media platforms across the continent.

Madueke-Dozie has held pivotal leadership roles at some of Africa’s most influential media-tech companies:

• Kwesé iflix: As General Manager for West Africa, she spearheaded market expansion and strategic partnerships with telecom operators to boost streaming adoption.
• IrokoTV: As Chief Partnerships Officer, she focused on consumer acquisition and diversifying mobile payment options to make digital content more accessible.
• Foundational Experience: Her career includes strategic roles at global and regional giants like MTN Group and MTV Base, focusing on digital distribution.
• Strategic Partnerships: Building bridges between content providers, tech stakeholders, and telecom giants.
• Digital Transformation: Advocating for high-level innovation that moves beyond “basic connectivity” toward African-owned tech solutions.
• Market Expansion: Navigating the complexities of the West African digital ecosystem to drive business growth and platform reach.

Beyond the boardroom, she is a vocal advocate for inclusive economic growth. She champions the idea that technology should be a tool for empowerment, encouraging the development of platforms that allow Africans to create and control their own digital narratives.

| LinkedIn Profile

22. IfeOluwa Dixon, Deputy Director, First Asset Management Limited

Ifeoluwa Dixon is a distinguished Nigerian investment professional and Deputy Director at FBNQuest Asset Management, where she specializes in fixed-income markets and institutional portfolio management.

With approximately 15 years of experience, she oversees substantial assets valued between ₦200 billion and ₦250 billion, managing diverse portfolios including money market, fixed-income, and Eurobond funds.

Her professional journey includes pivotal roles at Crusader Sterling Pensions and AXA Mansard Investments, where she led technical teams in structuring investment strategies for high-level clients.

Beyond her corporate duties, Dixon has actively shaped the industry as a leader within the Fund Managers Association of Nigeria, focusing on raising technical standards and market enlightenment.

She possesses a robust academic and professional foundation, holding specialized certifications such as Certified Treasury Professional (CTP) and Advanced Certified Islamic Finance Executive (ACIFE).

Through her expertise in macroeconomic forecasting and financial analysis, she remains a key figure in helping investors navigate the complexities of Nigeria’s evolving financial landscape.

| LinkedIn Profile

23. Dr. Adétọ́lá Aríyìíkẹ́ Salau, Special Adviser to the Honourable Minister of Education on STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medical Sciences) and Corporate Sector Engagement 

Dr. Adétọ́lá Aríyìíkẹ́ Salau is a Nigerian-American education policy strategist, STEM education advocate, and social innovator known for advancing science and technology education and building partnerships between government and industry to strengthen human capital development.

Dr. Salau currently serves as Special Adviser to the Honourable Minister of Education on STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medical Sciences) and Corporate Sector Engagement, where she works to strengthen collaboration between government, industry, and education stakeholders to promote innovation, workforce readiness, and modern learning systems in Nigeria.

She has more than two decades of experience in education policy, curriculum innovation, and STEM advocacy, focusing on transforming African education systems to be more inclusive, future-ready, and aligned with global development goals.

Before her federal appointment, she served as Special Adviser on Education, Policy Formulation and Human Capital Development to the Governor of Kwara State, and Senior Special Assistant on Education to the Governor of Lagos State, where she led initiatives promoting STEAM education and teacher capacity development.

Dr. Salau is also the founder of Carisma4U Educational Foundation, a nonprofit that promotes equitable STEM education, especially for girls and underserved communities across Nigeria.

She is also an author of multiple books on STEM education and innovative thinking, and has contributed to policy discussions on education reform, workforce development, and digital transformation in learning.

Dr. Adétọ́lá Salau is a leading voice in Nigeria’s education transformation, working at the intersection of STEM education, policy reform, and public-private collaboration to prepare young Africans for the future economy.

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24. Funke Shobanjo, Chief Operating Officer, FBNQuest

Funke Shobanjo is a Nigerian financial services executive, strategy leader, and transformation specialist with more than two decades of experience across global investment banking, financial markets, and enterprise transformation.

She currently serves as Chief Operating Officer at FBNQuest, the investment banking and asset management arm of FBN Holdings Plc. In this role, she oversees group operations, strategic planning, innovation initiatives, brand strategy, talent development, and digital transformation programmes across the organisation.

Before becoming COO, Shobanjo served as Head of Strategy and Transformation, where she led enterprise-wide strategy articulation and execution, including major digital and operational transformation initiatives designed to improve organisational efficiency and long-term competitiveness.

Shobanjo began her international career at Goldman Sachs in London, where she joined as a graduate trainee and spent nearly a decade rising to the position of Executive Director responsible for product development in the firm’s execution and clearing business. She later worked with Bloomberg LP, managing strategic relationships with stock exchanges and onboarding new market data services, and also held a senior programme management role at Traiana, where she led initiatives focused on straight-through processing (STP) for foreign exchange trade flows across global financial institutions.

Her career has focused on strategy development, operational leadership, digital transformation, and financial market infrastructure, helping institutions adapt to rapidly changing technological and regulatory environments.

Academically, Shobanjo holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Birmingham and a Master’s degree in Finance, Economics and Econometrics from Cass Business School (City, University of London). She has also completed executive leadership programmes at London Business School, Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, and Lagos Business School.

In addition to her academic qualifications, she holds professional certifications including the Certificate in Risk Governance from the DCRO Institute, reflecting her commitment to strengthening governance and responsible risk-taking in corporate institutions.

Through her leadership in strategy, governance, and digital transformation, Funke Shobanjo continues to contribute to the evolution of Nigeria’s financial services sector, promoting innovation, strong governance frameworks, and sustainable organisational growth.

| LinkedIn Profile

25. Chioma Nwoke, Executive Director/Group Strategic HR Management, Zinox Technologies

A motivated, result-driven Executive with hands-on experience in Human Resource and Administrative functions. Chioma is a certified Human Resource Practitioner with over 13 years of experience in the ICT industry.

She is adept in people and project management and holds a BSc. in Geography from the University of Lagos, Akoka and an MSc. in Environmental Engineering and Project Management from the University of Leeds, United Kingdom.

She also has a Certificate in Strategic Human Resource Management from Harvard University, Massachusetts, and Lagos Business School.

As a strategic HR practitioner, Chioma has been able to successfully steer the execution of Human Resource and Administrative strategies and champion the transformation of HR into a function that proactively contributes to the achievement of key business objectives.

Chioma is known for her excellent interpersonal skills which enables her build strong relationships with employees at various levels thereby promoting a positive work environment and culture.

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26. Dr. Ruth Karachi Benson Oji, Head of the English Unit, Pan-Atlantic University

Dr. Ruth Karachi Benson Oji is an Associate Professor at Pan-Atlantic University’s Institute of Humanities and a pioneering voice at the intersection of language, technology, and education.

As former Head of the English Unit (PAU) and former Writing Centre Lead at the Nigerian University of Technology and Management, she is reshaping how institutions leverage communication and AI to address 21st-century challenges.

Dr. Oji’s research in pragmatics and digital discourse analysis has produced over 25 peer-reviewed publications in prestigious international journals, examining how language shapes social narratives in media, politics, and digital spaces. Her work on misinformation, digital activism, and algorithmic communication provides critical frameworks for organizations navigating the complexities of digital transformation.

A certified IBM Data Analytics professional and thought leader on AI in higher education, Dr. Oji recently addressed the Association of Commonwealth Universities Congress on “AI and the Future of Higher Education in the Commonwealth.”

She serves as ACU Ambassador for Pan-Atlantic University, Associate Editor of JELTAN, and panel chair for the International Pragmatics Association, where she convenes global conversations on language as a catalyst for societal change.

Through her syndicated column in three national newspapers and training programs for organizations including Lagos Business School and the Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr. Oji translates complex linguistic insights into practical communication strategies that drive organizational effectiveness and social impact across Africa and beyond.

| LinkedIn Profile

27. Professor Kate Azuka Omenugha, Ag. VC, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University

Professor Kate Azuka Omenugha is a trailblazing academic and public servant currently serving as the Acting Vice Chancellor of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University.

A distinguished Professor of Mass Communication, she made history as the first Professor of Gender and Communication in Nigeria and the second female Professor in her field nationwide.

Her eight-year tenure as Anambra State’s Commissioner for Education (2014–2022) is marked by enviable legacies, most notably the Teaching on Air initiative which maintained educational continuity during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Beyond the classroom, she serves as a Southeast Regional Consultant on Human Capital Development for the Office of the Vice President of Nigeria and is a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).

Her leadership at Nnamdi Azikiwe University saw the rise of UNIZIK 94.1 FM, which was recognized as Nigeria’s best campus radio station under her guidance.

An alumna of the Harvard Kennedy School, Professor Omenugha balances her extensive corporate and board roles with a deep commitment to philanthropy, mentorship, and her family.

| LinkedIn Profile

28. Amal Hassan, Founder and CEO, Outsource Global

Amal Hassan is a leading Nigerian technopreneur with diverse interests across different technology verticals.

In 2003, Amal set up the first organized ICT training institute in Kano that provides IT training to young Nigerians especially women.

Her passion to unlock Nigeria’s developmental potentials through technology-driven innovation and value addition led her to build, capitalize and restructure a series of technology-related businesses that succeed in developing talents and creating employment for young Nigerians.

In 2013, she founded the Outsource Global, a contact center business process outsourcing that now has offices in Abuja, Lagos, and Kaduna.

Under her leadership, Outsource Global has emerged as the leading Nigerian contact center provider servicing the international market, turning the company into a truly global BPO giant, creating over 700 jobs and putting Nigeria on the global map for contact center business process outsourcing.

Amal’s entrepreneurial prowess and business acumen continue to set her apart as a highly regarded emerging business leader in Nigeria.

Over the years, she has participated in local and international business missions and attended various professional and leadership courses, conferences and seminars both locally and abroad.

Widely regarded as a role model for the girl-child and women especially in northern Nigeria, she has continued to mentor young leaders across her industry.

Amal earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administrations from Bayero University Kano, Nigeria and a Master degree in Business Administration from the same university.

Amal is a partner in Bluetag Group the holding company for Parkway Projects, HealthStation, Bluetag Technologies, Bluetag Synergy and Outsource Global.

Amal is also an Alumna of Fortune-US Department of State Global Women’s Mentoring Programme- which links young female leaders to Fortune‘s most powerful women.

| LinkedIn Profile

29. Adepeju Ajayi, Manager of Mobile Advertising, MTN Nigeria

Adepeju Ajayi is a powerhouse in Nigeria’s digital economy, currently serving as the Manager of Mobile Advertising at MTN Nigeria.

She is most notably recognized as a revenue growth catalyst, having orchestrated an extraordinary transformation of MTN’s Mobile Ads division by scaling monthly revenue from ₦20 million to ₦1 billion, a 5,000% increase.

With over a decade of experience across telecommunications and marketing operations at firms like Smile Communications, Ajayi excels at bridging the gap between complex telco data and consumer behaviour.

Beyond her corporate achievements, she is a dedicated mentor and thought leader, frequently appearing in the Techeconomy Business Series and at the ICTEL Expo to advocate for the professionalization of tech sales in Africa.

Currently advancing her expertise through the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), she remains a pivotal figure in ensuring Nigeria’s digital advertising landscape is both highly productive and ethically grounded.

| LinkedIn Profile

30. Omobola Emmanuel-Ogbolu, Brand Strategist

Omobola Emmanuel-Ogbolu is a premier Brand Clarity Strategist and communications leader with over 12 years of experience at the intersection of PR, corporate communications, and brand strategy.

Known for her radical clarity philosophy, she has dedicated her career to closing the gap between the world-class value Nigerian companies build and how they are perceived globally.

Her expertise spans reputation management, executive positioning, and sustainability programs, with a proven track record of securing high-level coverage in global outlets like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Vogue.

Unlike traditional publicists, Emmanuel-Ogbolu focuses on building long-term communication systems and cultural fluency, ensuring that ambitious organizations find a voice built on conviction rather than imitation.

She helps Nigerian founders and executives move away from asking for permission to be taken seriously, instead helping them own their narrative on their own terms.

Recognized as both a high-level strategist and an expert executor, she builds communications functions from the ground up that deliver compounding value over time.

Her work is viewed as a contribution to the broader story of Nigeria, empowering local brands to expand the global narrative of African excellence.

31. Nyifamu Ogechi Manzo, Founder and CEO, Farmatrix

Nyifamu Ogechi Manzo is the founder of Farmatrix Agro Allied and Technology Company, a Nigerian-based AgriTech company committed to leveraging technology to empower smallholder farmers with Climate Smart Agricultural Practices and bridge the gap between agricultural producers and markets.

In the last 6 years, she has created strategic partnerships with leading industry players and positioned Farmatrix as a key player in the agricultural value chain.

Nyifamu is also an alumnus of the Young African Leadership Initiative (YALI) RLC where she was being trained on distinctive leadership and entrepreneurial skills, A Global Shaper of the World Economic Forum and a Climate Reality Leader.

She has been a speaker at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos and the Trade Connect Africa Conference in Cambridge, UK where she passionately shares her engagement with small-holder farmers in Northern Nigeria to improve food security. Sharing the impact of Farmatrix on platforms like GITEX Africa and The Africa Food Systems Forum has further amplified the work she does with over 2000 small-holder farmers.

She is a Fate Foundation alumnus and a Tony Elumelu Entrepreneur. Farmatrix was part of the 100 startups in Africa that were sponsored by the SAFEEM X Seedstars team.

She is an advocate and a young leader committed to fulfilling the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and has contributed immensely in the areas of Zero Hunger, No Poverty, Decent Work, and Economic Growth. She strongly believes that entrepreneurship is the gateway to national prosperity, so she is so passionate about building sustainable businesses.

| LinkedIn Profile

32. Aisha Shuaibu, Founder, SWA Global & SWA Sports

Aisha Shuaibu is an entrepreneur with the experience and skill set for business management and brand development.

She is the founder of restaurant business Waffle Way, the managing director of business solutions company, SWA Global, and the president of sports marketing agency, SWA Sports.

Aisha is a creative with a gift for ideation and strategic growth, providing value to industries in Nigeria and across the African continent.

Outside the business world, Aisha is passionate about gender equality and inclusion advocacy. She champions the rights of women and youth by bringing attention to systemic barriers faced by marginalised communities. She is an editorial board member for Nigeria’s leading newspaper, Thisday Newspaper.

Aisha is committed to using her experiences in business and social impact to create a more equitable world, one where all people particularly young women such as herself can thrive and reach their full potential. With her tireless energy and unwavering dedication to her work, Aisha is a force to be reckoned with on her daily mission to live purposefully for the greater good.

| LinkedIn Page

33. Tola Odeyemi, Postmaster General/CEO, NIPOST

Tola Odeyemi is a transformative engineer and public administrator who serves as the 11th Postmaster General and CEO of the Nigerian Postal Service.

Since her appointment in October 2023, she has leveraged her extensive background at global tech giants like Uber and Binance to instill a digital-first culture within the legacy agency.

Her tenure is highlighted by the landmark 2026 approval of a GIS-enabled Alphanumeric Digital Postcode System, a critical infrastructure project that finally addresses Nigeria’s long-standing last-mile delivery challenges.

Under her leadership, NIPOST achieved an extraordinary 275% revenue increase in the 2024 fiscal year through rigorous leakage plugging and the enforcement of logistics licensing compliance.

She further modernized the institution by mandating a 100% cashless policy in 2025 to improve transparency and financial inclusion across its nationwide network.

Beyond internal reforms, Odeyemi has repositioned the post office as a vital economic engine by partnering with SMEDAN to offer discounted shipping for small businesses and launching logistics initiatives to reduce post-harvest losses for rural farmers.

By upgrading half of the agency’s physical locations and expanding its transport fleet, she has successfully turned a traditional government body into a high-speed, 21st-century technology and logistics hub.

| LinkedIn Profile

34. Enitan Tanimowo, Public Relations Manager, PalmPay

Enitan Tanimowo is a distinguished strategic communications leader who has played a pivotal role in advancing financial inclusion and building consumer trust within Nigeria’s fintech landscape.

Over the past two years at PalmPay, she has successfully bridged the gap between complex digital infrastructure and everyday users through high-impact initiatives like the Purple Woman program.

This leadership brand has empowered approximately 250 young women over three years, providing them with strategic visibility and direct employment opportunities within the technology ecosystem.

Beyond gender-focused advocacy, she designed and led the comprehensive PalmPay Fraud Awareness Week campaigns, which reached millions of Nigerians through executive-led education and anti-fraud walks in major hubs like Lagos and Kano.

These efforts significantly boosted positive brand sentiment and positioned the company’s leadership as authoritative voices in digital governance and security.

Ultimately, Tanimowo’s work exemplifies a commitment to consumer education and transparent communication, contributing to the development of a secure and trusted payment infrastructure across Africa.

| LinkedIn Profile

35. Linda Ochugbua, Seasoned Marketing and Sales Professional

Linda Ochugbua is a seasoned marketing and sales professional with over 13 years of working experience.

She started her marketing career in 2008 in Ryden Oil and Gas where she worked for a few years before proceeding to the United Kingdom where she barked a First class honors from the prestigious University of Surrey– with an MSC degree in Management.

She recently got an Entrepreneurship certificate from Harvard Business School, she is also an alumni of the prestigious Lagos Business School. After her studies, Linda worked a few years in ERAC Ltd where rose to becoming a team lead.

On returning to Nigeria she joined BusinessDay Media Limited the leading business newspaper in West Africa.

Linda joined BusinessDay in 2012 and led the strategic digital transformation of the advert department leading to increased revenue sources for the company. Linda is an avid panel speaker having spoken at notable conferences like Social Media Week and other conferences worldwide.

She loves to watch movies and reviews movies weekly across various platforms. She anchors an IGLive series “The African SME Story”, she anchors a podcast weekly “Growing Your Business With Linda” on her platforms and on Africa Business Radio. Linda is also the anchor of a new show she is working on called “Linda’s Nuggets” where she reviews books, life issues and business tips.

| LinkedIn Profile

36. Imelda Usoro Olaoye, CEO ThinkMint Nigeria

Imelda Usoro-Olaoye is steadily changing how Nigerians approach property ownership. As founder and CEO of ThinkMint Nigeria, she blends marketing expertise with digital tools to make housing easier to access.

Her goal is to open the door to affordable homes for more Nigerians, especially first-time buyers who usually find it difficult to enter the property market.

Her background cuts across marketing, communications, and business development. Imelda studied at the University of Port Harcourt and later strengthened her professional training at Edinburgh Business School and the University of Sunderland in the United Kingdom.

That mix of education and practical experience helped her build ThinkMint into a respected marketing and real estate consultancy firm with offices in Lagos and Estonia.

She has also pushed innovation within Nigeria’s housing finance space. Through Green Mortgage, she introduced a fully online mortgage facilitation platform designed to simplify access to home financing.

The platform works with key housing funds to help Nigerians secure lower-interest mortgage loans. In an industry constantly criticised for complexity, she focuses on removing limitations and making the process more transparent.

Beyond business, Imelda invests time in growing the ecosystem around her and has received numerous recognitions, including the T.I.M.E. Special Recognition Award (2024) and Time Magazine’s 40 Under 40.

She founded the Real Estate Discussions and Awards (REDA), an industry event that gathers developers, investors and policymakers each year. At the same time, her NGO, Business Women Hub, supports female entrepreneurs with mentorship and guidance. Imelda believes that business success carries a responsibility to open doors for others and ensure more women take their place in the economy.

| LinkedIn Profile

37. Dr Jameelah Sharrieff-Ayedun, MD/CEO, CreditRegistry

Dr Jameelah Sharrieff-Ayedun has spent decades working at the meeting point of technology and finance. Today, as Managing Director and CEO of CreditRegistry Nigeria, she helps in strengthening the country’s credit system.

Her work helps banks and financial institutions make better lending decisions while expanding access to finance for individuals and businesses.

She took over leadership of CreditRegistry Nigeria in 2014 after serving as Executive Vice President for Business Development.

Since then, she has helped grow the organisation’s presence across Nigeria’s banking sector. Under her watch, the company expanded its subscriber base and strengthened the use of credit data across financial institutions. That progress has supported a stronger credit culture and improved risk management across the industry.

Before moving into fintech, Sharrieff-Ayedun built an international engineering career. She worked at Microsoft as a global programme manager, focusing on identity management and online services. Earlier roles with General Motors took her across several regions, including North America, Europe, Asia and South America. Those experiences impacted her global outlook on technology and enterprise leadership.

Her influence is seen across the fintech ecosystem. She co-founded CreditRegistry Corporation in the United States and serves as Vice President of FintechNGR. Through platforms such as the Africa Credit Expo, she promotes financial literacy and responsible borrowing.

With more than 30 years of experience behind her, Sharrieff-Ayedun continues to advocate a simple idea: reliable credit data can unlock opportunity and drive economic growth.

| LinkedIn Profile

38. Bimbo Ikumariegbe, Deputy Managing Director/COO at VDT Communications Limited

Bimbo Ikumariegbe has spent more than two decades helping to build Nigeria’s broadband and enterprise connectivity sector. As Deputy Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of VDT Communications, she oversees operations that keep businesses and institutions connected in the digital economy.

Her journey with the company began in 2001 when she joined as a sales executive. Over the years, she moved through several leadership roles, steadily enhancing the organisation’s commercial direction. As General Manager of Sales and Marketing, she helped strengthen the company’s sales structure and expanded its market reach, contributing to the steady growth of the VDT brand within Nigeria’s telecommunications sector.

Today, Ikumariegbe focuses on operational strategy and service delivery. She works closely with technical teams to ensure reliable broadband services for enterprise clients across the country. Her leadership has also supported improvements in service quality and the successful recertification of the company’s international quality management standards.

Ikumariegbe studied English Language at Obafemi Awolowo University and later earned an MBA from the same institution. She also completed executive programmes at Lagos Business School and holds certifications in IT service management and ISO quality systems. Her career has been consistently focused on operational excellence and digital infrastructure, two pillars that highly support Nigeria’s growing tech-driven economy.

| LinkedIn Profile

39. Aderonke Adeyegbe, Managing Director, Comercio

Aderonke Adeyegbe has spent more than two decades working across technology, telecommunications and enterprise services. Today, she leads Comercio Limited and Comercio Cloud Computing, where she oversees the delivery of cloud infrastructure and digital services to organisations across Nigeria.

Her work focuses on helping businesses move their operations to secure and reliable cloud platforms while strengthening their technology backbone.

Her professional journey started in international organisations, including Swiss International Air Lines, Panasonic, and Sitel UK/British Telecommunications.

Those roles exposed her to global standards in customer service, sales strategy and business development. Over time, she built strong experience in client management and marketing communications, skills that later proved vital in steering technology services companies.

At Comercio, Adeyegbe has guided the company’s expansion into key areas such as enterprise cloud services, cybersecurity, IT support, software development and cloud hosting.

She has also built strategic partnerships with technology manufacturers and original equipment makers, allowing the company to supply both hardware and software solutions to businesses across Nigeria. Through these partnerships, Comercio supports organisations focused on digital change.

Again, Adeyegbe is active within the ICT community where she has served on boards and committees of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria, contributing to discussions around policy and industry sustainability.

A graduate of the University of Ibadan with a master’s degree in Marketing Communications from Pan-Atlantic University, she also mentors young entrepreneurs through programmes organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women. Her work attracts recognition among Nigeria’s leading ICT and telecom professionals.

| LinkedIn Profile

40. Dr. Ebehijie Juliet Momoh, Managing Director/ CEO, AfriGOPay Financial Services Limited

Dr Ebehijie Juliet Momoh has built a long career within banking and digital payments, spanning more than 30 years. She now leads AfriGOPay Financial Services Limited, a subsidiary of the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System, where she drives the rollout and growth of AfriGO, Nigeria’s domestic payment card scheme.

The initiative aims to give the country a secure and cost-effective card system designed to support digital transactions nationwide.

Her role involves overseeing strategy, partnerships and market acceptance for the AfriGO card. The goal is to expand card usage while strengthening the country’s payment infrastructure. Under her leadership, the programme ensures wide access to electronic payments, particularly for individuals and small businesses that remain outside the formal financial system.

Before taking on this role, Momoh spent several years with Mastercard, where she served as Senior Vice President and Country Head for West Africa. She managed operations across Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia and The Gambia, working with banks and governments to deepen digital payment adoption.

Earlier in her career, she held senior roles at Standard Chartered Bank, First City Monument Bank, Diamond Bank and Guaranty Trust Bank, building experience across retail, SME and commercial banking.

Momoh studied Chemistry at the University of Lagos before earning MBA degrees from the University of Benin and Bangor University.

She also belongs to several professional bodies, including the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, the Chartered Banker Institute in the United Kingdom and the Chartered Institute of Directors.

Over the years, she has become widely respected for her contribution to Nigeria’s payment systems and her role in improving financial access across the region.

| LinkedIn Profile

41. Folakemi Onipede, Business Lead, TROISSITINI

Folakemi Onipede has spent more than 20 years working across entertainment, media production and marketing communications. Known for her storytelling ability, she has built a career that moves easily between television, advertising, digital content and brand strategy.

Today, she leads projects at TROISSITINI, bringing creative direction and communication expertise to brands looking to connect with audiences in meaningful ways.

Her journey into the creative industry began in entertainment. Folakemi gained early visibility as a Pepsi ambassador during the 2010 FIFA World Cup. From there, she moved into content creation, writing and producing scripts for television and digital platforms.

Her work soon appeared on networks such as Channels TV, MTV Base, TVC and Glitz Network, while she also produced television commercials for brands including Mastercard and VConnect.

Over time, her role expanded from content production to marketing communications strategy. She began helping companies build their brand voice and develop campaigns that speak clearly to their audience.

Her portfolio includes work with organisations such as 9mobile, Fidelity Bank, First Bank, Wema Bank, Power Oil, Hero Lager, Wild Turkey, Evercare Hospital, BetKing and McVities, among many others. Several of these campaigns earned industry recognition.

Folakemi is also known for her voice work, having featured in projects linked to MTV Base, Cussons Baby, Hero Lager, McVities and the Indomie “Indomitables” series, as well as collaborations with artists including Ladipoe, Blackmagic and Wizkid. Across media, advertising and entertainment, she combines creativity with strategy, helping brands tell stories that stay with their audiences.

| LinkedIn Profile

42. Mapouna Calixte, Country Manager, pawaPay

Mapouna Calixte is a prominent Cameroonian fintech leader and operations expert, currently serving as the Country Director for pawaPay in Cameroon.

With a multi-disciplinary academic background in Law, Sustainable Development (IRIC), and an MBA in Operations Management (ESSEC), she is uniquely equipped to navigate the dual linguistic and complex regulatory environments of the CEMAC region.

Under her leadership, pawaPay Cameroon has consistently ranked among the top five market aggregators, and she has successfully spearheaded the company’s expansion into Gabon and the Central African Republic.

Her professional journey began at Orange Cameroon, where she honed her skills in customer experience and corporate social responsibility before transitioning to the fast-paced world of digital financial services.

Affectionately known as Queen Calixte, she is celebrated for a leadership style that balances high-level strategic discipline with a natural ability to foster institutional partnerships.

She views technology not merely as a business venture, but as a critical tool for securing transactions and driving inclusive economic growth across Africa.

Outside of her executive role, she is a multi-talented individual who enjoys travel, swimming, and basketball, embodying a modern, balanced approach to African corporate excellence.

| LinkedIn Profile

43. Ngozi (Ndidi Okonkwo) Nwuneli, President/ CEO, ONE Campaign

Ngozi Nwuneli has built her reputation around one idea, which is that development must ensure opportunities for people.

Now President and Chief Executive Officer of the ONE Campaign, she leads the global organisation’s work to combat extreme poverty and preventable diseases while advocating stronger economic opportunities for African communities.

Her professional journey began at McKinsey & Company before she returned to Nigeria to lead the FATE Foundation, an organisation that supports entrepreneurs.

That experience strengthened her interest in leadership development and social impact. In 2002, she founded LEAP Africa, a non-profit focused on nurturing ethical and effective leaders across the continent.

Nwuneli’s work later expanded into agriculture and food systems. She founded Sahel Consulting Agriculture & Nutrition, AACE Foods and the African Food Changemakers initiative, organisations working to strengthen agribusiness and improve nutrition across more than 30 African countries. These ventures support farmers, entrepreneurs and food companies building sustainable supply chains.

Her academic background includes a degree in Economics from the Wharton School and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Nwuneli also serves on several international boards, including the Rockefeller Foundation, Chanel Foundation and Stanbic IBTC Group.

She has written widely on social enterprise, publishing books such as Social Innovation in Africa and Food Entrepreneurs in Africa. Recognitions including the World Economic Forum Young Global Leader honour and the Schwab Foundation fellowship reiterate the influence her work carries across the development space.

44. Angela Wamola, Head of Sub-Saharan Africa, GSMA

Angela Wamola works at the centre of Africa’s mobile and digital policy space. She is the Head of sub-Saharan Africa at the GSMA, coordinating regional programmes aimed at expanding mobile connectivity, strengthening digital infrastructure and promoting policies that support inclusive growth across the continent.

Her responsibilities involve working with governments, telecom operators and development partners to expand broadband access and encourage investment in digital services. The programmes she oversees also support initiatives around digital identity, mobile innovation and sustainable network expansion, areas many African economies rely on as digital adoption grows.

Before joining the GSMA in 2022, Wamola spent more than a decade at Safaricom in Kenya, where she rose through the technology division to senior leadership roles. During that time, she contributed to projects that improved the operator’s network infrastructure and supported the rollout of Kenya’s early undersea cable connections, helping to strengthen internet access across the country.

Wamola studied Civil Engineering at the University of Nairobi and later earned an Executive MBA from the University of Cape Town. She also founded the Safaricom Women in Technology initiative in 2011, a programme created to support women pursuing careers in science and engineering. Her contributions have earned several recognitions, including the Safaricom Technology Heko Award and honours from the Kenya ICT Authority for promoting women in STEM.

| LinkedIn Profile

45. Yemi Keri, Heckerbella Limited

Yemi Keri moves comfortably between technology leadership, investment and mentorship. She heads Heckerbella Limited, a digital transformation company that builds technology solutions for governments and large organisations.

The firm focuses on practical systems such as biometric payroll platforms and automation tools designed to improve efficiency and accountability in public institutions and corporate operations.

Her experience stretches across both the private and public sectors. Keri previously worked with SAP Africa, where she served as Regional Manager, supporting enterprise technology adoption across several markets.

She later became the pioneer Managing Director of the Edo State Directorate of Information Communications and Technology Agency, helping to introduce digital systems aimed at modernising government operations and service delivery.

Beyond technology leadership, she is highly involved in Africa’s investment ecosystem. Keri co-founded Rising Tide Africa, a women-led angel investment network encouraging more women to participate in venture funding and cross-border investing.

She has also served as president of the African Business Angel Network and sits on the Board of Governors of the Lagos Angel Network.

Her investment work extends to the Acumen Resilient Agriculture Fund, where she contributes to decisions supporting African agribusiness ventures.

Keri studied Accounting at the University of Maiduguri and later earned a master’s degree in IT Project Management from the American InterContinental University in Illinois. Her contributions to technology leadership were recognised with Nigeria’s Most Outstanding Public Sector CIO award at the ICT Centenary Awards in 2014.

She also serves on several boards, including First City Monument Bank, Investment One Financial Services, the Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre and GAIA Africa. Through teaching and mentoring at the Enterprise Development Centre of Pan-Atlantic University, she guides entrepreneurs and professionals exploring digital innovation.

| LinkedIn Profile

46. Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa, CEO Naspers South Africa

Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa occupies one of the most influential corporate roles in Africa’s technology and investment sector.

She serves as South Africa Chief Executive Officer of Naspers, the global technology investor known for building businesses in e-commerce, fintech and digital media. Her appointment in 2019 made her the first Black woman to lead the company’s South African operations.

Her career spans finance, infrastructure investment and private equity. She began in project finance at Fieldstone in New York before returning to South Africa to work with the Development Bank of Southern Africa. From there, she moved into leadership at Shanduka Group, serving as chief executive for more than a decade and expanding the investment company’s presence across energy, mining and property.

Mahanyele-Dabengwa later co-founded Sigma Capital, an investment firm focused on African growth opportunities. At Naspers, she oversees top businesses including e-commerce platform Takealot, fintech operation PayU and media group Media24. She also supports programmes such as Naspers Foundry and Naspers Labs, which fund entrepreneurs and create opportunities for young innovators across South Africa.

Her work has earned global recognition having been named among Fortune’s Most Powerful Women International in 2020 and earlier received the Forbes Woman Africa Businesswoman of the Year award.

Mahanyele-Dabengwa studied Economics at Rutgers University and later completed an MBA at De Montfort University. She also serves on boards including Vodacom Group and Discovery Insure while contributing to initiatives linked to the United Nations Global Compact Network South Africa and the BRICS Business Council.

| LinkedIn Profile

47. Oyin Solebo, Partner, Cone Ventures Studio

Oyin Solebo is well focused on venture investment, entrepreneurship and global talent networks. She is a Partner at Cone Ventures Studio and also serves as an Operating Partner at Cascador.org. Her work focuses on helping African startups access capital, mentorship and international partnerships.

Her professional journey began in investment management at Goldman Sachs, where she advised high-net-worth clients across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. She later joined the global consultancy Roland Berger and helped establish its Sub-Saharan Africa practice. Along the way, she also managed investment portfolios for several London-based family offices.

In 2014, Solebo co-founded Movemeback, a platform connecting global professionals with opportunities across Africa. The initiative received attention for helping skilled diaspora talent reconnect with companies and startups across the continent. The platform’s impact earned recognition from the London Stock Exchange and support from Google.

Her influence in the startup sector expanded further when she became the founding Managing Director of the ARM Labs Lagos Techstars Accelerator in 2022. During her time leading the programme, it backed 24 startups working in areas such as fintech, logistics, health technology and clean energy. Nearly half of those companies were founded by women.

Solebo studied Economics at the London School of Economics and later earned an Executive MBA with distinction from London Business School. She also sits on the board of GiveDirectly and mentors founders while advocating wider access to venture capital across Africa.

| LinkedIn Profile

48. Eloho Omame, Co-Founder & General Partner at FirstCheck Africa

Venture capital in Africa has gotten new voices in recent years, and Eloho Omame stands among those driving the conversation forward.

She is a Partner at TLcom Capital and also co-founded FirstCheck Africa, a female-led investment fund backing early-stage startups across the continent. Her work focuses on giving promising founders the first financial support and guidance they need to build sustainable companies.

Omame’s professional background blends finance, corporate strategy and entrepreneurship. She began in investment banking with Credit Suisse and Renaissance Capital before moving into corporate development at First Bank of Nigeria. Later, she joined global growth-equity firm General Atlantic, where she worked on investment opportunities across sub-Saharan Africa.

Her involvement in the startup ecosystem grew further when she founded Amari Business Advisory and later launched Endeavor Nigeria, serving as its founding Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer from 2018 to 2021. During that period, she helped establish a strong network for high-growth Nigerian entrepreneurs, connecting them with global mentors, investors and markets.

Today, Omame influences Africa’s venture space through TLcom Capital, which manages funds of over 200 million dollars and has backed companies such as Andela, Twiga Foods and uLesson. Through FirstCheck Africa, launched in 2021, she works directly with women founders across Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt and South Africa.

She also contributes to national policy discussions as a member of Nigeria’s National Council for Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship under the Nigeria Startup Act.

| LinkedIn Profile

49. Kemi Adetiba, Creative Tech Entrepreneur

Few filmmakers have altered the tone of modern Nollywood quite like Kemi Adetiba. Her work blends strong storytelling with bold visual style, drawing audiences both in Nigeria and beyond. Through films, documentaries and music videos, she has built a creative brand that influences how African stories reach global screens.

Adetiba grew up in a Lagos household where media and engineering were everyday conversations. Her father, Dele Adetiba, worked in broadcasting while her mother, Mayen Adetiba, was one of Nigeria’s early female civil engineers.

She initially studied law at the University of Lagos and was called to the Nigerian Bar before deciding to pursue filmmaking, later attending the New York Film Academy.

Her career first got public attention in broadcasting. She worked as a radio presenter at Rhythm 93.7 FM and later appeared on television programmes including Studio 53, Temptation Nigeria and Maltina Dance All. From there, she moved into directing music videos for artists such as Wizkid, Olamide and TY Bello, earning recognition for her distinctive visual approach.

Adetiba’s breakthrough in cinema came with The Wedding Party in 2016, which became the highest-grossing Nigerian film of its time. She followed with the political drama King of Boys, later expanding the story into a Netflix series. Her 2025 release To Kill a Monkey further extended her reach on global streaming platforms. Through her production company, Kemi Adetiba Visuals, and projects like the documentary series King Women, she continues to mentor emerging creatives while amplifying the voices of African women.

| Profile

50. Hadiza Umar, Director of Corporate Communications, NITDA

At the National Information Technology Development Agency, Hadiza Umar manages one of the most visible communication roles within Nigeria’s digital policy landscape. As Director of Corporate Communications and Media Relations, she leads the messaging and public engagement initiative that explains government technology programmes to citizens, businesses and industry stakeholders.

Her work places strong emphasis on clarity and accessibility. Under her guidance, NITDA’s communication approach highlights issues such as data protection, digital literacy and support for local technology innovation. The goal is to ensure people understand how national technology policies affect everyday life and economic opportunity.

Umar’s approach has brought fresh energy to public-sector communication. She promotes open dialogue with the technology community while helping position NITDA as an agency that listens as well as informs. Campaigns around digital inclusion and responsible technology use have strengthened public awareness of Nigeria’s growing digital economy.

Her contribution to the profession gained national recognition in 2025 when she was named among Nigeria’s Top 50 Public Relations Professionals by GLG Communications and The Guardian, under the PR Power List’s Rising Voices category.

A Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Umar also mentors young communicators and takes part in initiatives that encourage more women to pursue careers in technology and public communication.

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51. Prof. Emeje Chizomam Ann, Managing Director of Troop Pharmaceuticals Limited

For more than four decades, Professor Emeje Chizomam Ann has combined academic work with business leadership in Nigeria’s pharmaceutical sector. She currently leads Troop Pharmaceuticals Limited while also serving as Head of the Department of Logistics and Supply Chain Management at Trinity University, Lagos. Her career reflects a rare mix of pharmacy practice, entrepreneurship and supply chain expertise.

Her academic background is extensive, studying Pharmacy at Obafemi Awolowo University before pursuing further training in Entrepreneurship and Supply Chain Management.

She later earned two doctoral degrees in Logistics Entrepreneurship, a field still developing globally. Through teaching and research, she has helped expand understanding of logistics and supply systems within healthcare delivery.

At Troop Pharmaceuticals, Professor Emeje introduced early computerisation into community pharmacy operations, improving record keeping and service efficiency. She also encouraged diversification among pharmacy practitioners, promoting contract manufacturing and other business models within the industry. Long before it gained acceptance, she also supported telehealth services as a practical way to extend medical access to more communities.

Her professional influence extends beyond business and academia. She is a Fellow and Vice Chairman of the Courier and Logistics Management Institute and participates actively in several professional and entrepreneurial bodies. Through publications, training programmes and community health education initiatives, she contributes to the growth of pharmaceutical practice and healthcare awareness in Nigeria.

52. Tinuade Oguntuyi, GM, Technical, Information Connectivity Solutions Limited (ICSL)

Delivering reliable connectivity across difficult terrain usually requires both technical depth and determination. Tinuade Oguntuyi brings both to her role as General Manager, Technical at Information Connectivity Solutions Limited. Her work focuses on expanding network infrastructure and improving digital access, particularly in communities that remain outside Nigeria’s main connectivity grid.

Over the past 15 years, she has led technical teams responsible for designing and deploying network systems across several African markets. Her projects cover fibre networks, microwave systems, satellite connectivity and other infrastructure that supports enterprise communications and internet services. Many of these initiatives focus on bringing connectivity to underserved areas where reliable access has remained limited.

Oguntuyi studied Computer Science at Olabisi Onabanjo University and later completed specialised training in telecommunications and business innovation.

She is also pursuing an Executive Master’s degree in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Rome Business School.

Her work in the industry has drawn international recognition, including the Paul Muchene Award from the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers and fellowship participation at ICANN events.

She is active in global conversations on digital infrastructure, speaking at technology gatherings such as MWC Barcelona, AfricaCom and BIG Tech Tunisia. Beyond engineering and policy discussions, Oguntuyi advocates greater participation of women in technology fields.

Through the TinuAdeniyi Tech Foundation, which she co-founded, she supports young women and underserved communities seeking opportunities in STEM careers.

| LinkedIn Profile

53. Gbemisola Osunrinde, CEO, Smartcomply

Cybersecurity has become a huge concern for businesses moving deeper into the digital economy. Gbemisola Osunrinde works at the front line of that challenge as Chief Executive Officer of Smartcomply, a company focused on helping organisations manage cybersecurity risks while meeting regulatory requirements.

Her background combines technical expertise with operational leadership. Osunrinde holds a master’s degree in Cybersecurity and Management from the University of Warwick and studied Information and Communication Technology at Covenant University. She also holds several professional certifications, including Certified Ethical Hacker, ISO 27001 Lead Implementer, CCNA and CCNP.

Before launching Smartcomply, she worked with several technology and cybersecurity firms, including Inlaks, MainOne, Halogen Group’s cybersecurity division, Cybervergent and Esentry. During that period, she led projects involving security monitoring, risk assessment and compliance frameworks for organisations undergoing digital transformation.

At Smartcomply, she leads efforts to simplify complex security and compliance processes through automated tools designed for African businesses. Her work focuses on frameworks such as ISO standards, PCI DSS, SOC 2 and GDPR. Beyond corporate work, Osunrinde trains professionals across the continent on cybersecurity awareness and regulatory best practice, helping organisations build stronger digital trust.

| LinkedIn Profile

54. Martina Ogbebor, CEO, Pawnith Limited

Access to capital is one of the toughest challenges for many small businesses in Nigeria. Martina Ogbebor is working to address that gap through Pawnith Limited, a private credit and capital deployment platform she leads as Chief Executive Officer. The company focuses on providing structured financing that helps small and medium-sized businesses grow and expand.

Her professional journey began in the telecommunications sector with 9Mobile, then known as Etisalat Nigeria. There, she worked on national marketing campaigns and youth-focused engagement programmes that reached millions of consumers. The experience introduced her to large-scale brand strategy and market development.

Ogbebor later moved into senior marketing leadership at inq. Digital Nigeria, formerly Vodacom Business Nigeria. In that role, she led integrated campaigns across cloud services, connectivity, security and digital infrastructure solutions. Her work helped strengthen brand visibility while driving customer growth through targeted partnerships and data-driven marketing.

Today, she focuses on finance and enterprise development. Through Pawnith, she supports businesses looking for alternative funding options outside traditional banking channels. Ogbebor studied Microbiology at the University of Benin and holds professional certification in Integrated Marketing Communications from the Chartered Institute of Marketing. She also completed executive training at Harvard University focused on evaluating and scaling new business ideas.

| LinkedIn Profile

55. Dr. Ogechi Assumpta Ibeh Obinna, Head, Procurement, National Assembly Library Trust Fund (NALTF)

Dr. Ogechi Assumpta Ibeh Obinna is a procurement strategist, academic, and public-sector leader specializing in technology-driven financial governance. She serves as Head of Procurement at the National Assembly Library Trust Fund (NALTF) in Abuja, where she leads initiatives to modernize procurement systems and strengthen transparency within Nigeria’s legislative knowledge infrastructure.

She earned a Ph.D. in Accountancy in 2025 from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, focusing on government e-payment platforms and corruption in procurement, particularly the role of the Government Integrated Financial Management System (GIFMIS). Her work combines academic research with practical implementation in public financial management.

Dr. Ogechi’s core expertise includes digital procurement transformation, financial governance and forensic accounting, strategic procurement leadership, and gender advocacy in technology governance. At NALTF, she has overseen strategic sourcing for projects such as the National Assembly Digital Archiving System and implemented digital compliance mechanisms to strengthen accountability and reduce procedural risks.

Beyond her professional role, she is a strong advocate for women’s inclusion in finance and technology. She mentors young female professionals in the public sector and holds leadership positions in alumni networks, including President of the Owerri Girls Alumnae Association (Enugu Chapter) and National Financial Secretary of the Imo State University Alumni Association.

Looking ahead, Dr. Ogechi aims to advance the integration of technologies such as blockchain, AI, and smart contracts into Nigeria’s public procurement systems to improve transparency and efficiency while fostering gender-inclusive leadership in governance.

| LinkedIn Profile

56. Nonye Ujam, Director, Government Affairs, West Africa, Microsoft

    

    Nonye (Nonyelum Adanma) Ujam is a Nigerian technology policy expert, development practitioner, and public-private sector strategist with more than 17 years of experience spanning technology, government affairs, financial systems, and socio-economic development.

    She currently serves as Director of Government Affairs for Nigeria and emerging markets in Africa at Microsoft, where she leads engagement with policymakers, regulators, and stakeholders on issues such as digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and technology policy reform. Her role involves advancing collaboration between government and industry to support responsible digital innovation and economic development.

    Before joining Microsoft, Ujam worked with the Central Bank of Nigeria, where she contributed to initiatives in information technology, development finance, and financial inclusion. During her time at the bank, she helped design and implement programmes aimed at addressing development finance gaps and strengthening regulatory frameworks for Nigeria’s financial ecosystem.

    She also served as Technical Adviser on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the office of Nigeria’s Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development. In that role, she supported the design and implementation of policies and social intervention programmes focused on inclusion, education access, and poverty reduction.

    In 2024, Ujam received the Dean’s Prize for Outstanding ALM Capstone from Harvard University Extension School for her master’s thesis on improving access to basic education in Nigeria. Her research explored community-driven approaches and social intervention programmes aimed at addressing the country’s out-of-school children crisis.

    Academically, she holds a Master’s degree in Global Development Practice from Harvard University, an MSc in Computing, IT Law and Management from King’s College London, and a BSc (Hons) in Computer Science.

    Her academic work and policy research focus on technology for development, digital governance, gender equity, and education access.

    Beyond her corporate and policy roles, Ujam is an advocate for sustainable development and social impact.

    She founded Azar Initiative for Development in Africa (AID Africa), a non-governmental organisation dedicated to supporting disadvantaged children and youth through education, mentorship, and capacity-building programmes.

    Through her work across technology, public policy, and development initiatives, Nonye Ujam continues to contribute to shaping Africa’s digital policy landscape while advancing inclusive growth and sustainable development.

    | LinkedIn Profil

57. Odunayo Eweniyi – Co-founder, PiggyVest
58. Rebecca Enonchong – Founder/CEO, AppsTech
59. Uche Pedro – Founder/CEO, BellaNaija
60. Ada Nduka Oyom – Founder, She Code Africa
61. Temie Giwa-Tubosun – Founder, LifeBank
62. Aisha Abdullahi – Executive Director, Credit and Portfolio Management, Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation (CREDICORP)
63. Tomilola Majekodunmi – Managing Partner at Salem Advisory Services
64. Uche Uzoebo – CEO, SANEF
65. Nkemdilim Uwaje Begho – Founder/CEO Futuresoft
66. Ireti Samuel-Ogbu – Chairman, Africa Finance Corporation Board Chairman
67. Dr. Joy Buolamwini – AI ethics researcher
68. Timnit Gebru – Founder & Executive Director at The Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR)
69. Tokunboh Ishmael – MD and Co-Founder, Alitheia Capital
70. Bernice Omiunu – Operations Lead at Women in Blockchain Africa.
71. Hilda Mugasia – Specialist Lawyer in Crypto and IP at Thompsons Legal Alliance.
72. Cheryl Owala – Technical Lead at Web3wayAfrica.
73. Juliet Ehimuan – Founder, Beyond Limits
74. Esther Kimani – Founder of Farmer Lifeline Technologies, using AI for pest detection.
75. Leonora Tima – Founder of Gender Rights in Tech (GRIT), using data to support survivors of GBV
76. Nkiru Balonwu – Strategy and leadership advisor
77. Nkiru Olumide-Ojo, PhD – Edtech leader
78. Nnenna Nwakanma – Internet governance leader
79. Amina Mohammed – UN Deputy Secretary-General
80. Thato Schermer – Founder of Zoie Health, making quality women’s healthcare accessible.
81. Chinwe Udo-Davis – Founder of Instollar, a green-tech platform for renewable energy jobs.
82. Jihane Ouhejjou – Developer of AI systems for water distribution and resource management.
83. Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe – MD/CEO of Fidelity Bank, driving major digital expansion and SME funding.
84. Dr. Noxolo Kubheka-Dlamini – Founder of Zowiumi Holdings, a key voice in digital transformation and security.
85. Ethel Cofie – Founder of Women in Tech Africa and CEO of EDEL Technology Consulting.
86. Angela Semwogerere – Founder of Coding In Heels and consultant on 4IR technologies.
87. Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa – CEO of Naspers South Africa, overseeing massive tech investments.
88. Jihan Abass – Founder of Lami Insurance Technology, digitizing insurance across the continent.
89. Solape Akinpelu – Founder of HerVest, providing financial tools for women farmers and SMEs.
90. Oluwatosin Olaseinde – Founder of Money Africa and Ladda, leading financial literacy through tech.
91. Chioma Okotcha – Co-founder/COO of PayHippo, providing instant credit to SMEs.
92. Folayemi Agusto – Co-founder of Tix Africa, building event-tech and payment infrastructure.
93. Nelly Chatue Diop – Founder of Ejara, a leading crypto and investment platform in Francophone Africa.
94. Mai Massoud – Founder of Taiseer, a Sharia-compliant digital micro-investment platform.
95. Kesheni Moodley – Regional Director for Africa at Paymentology.
96. Betelhem Dessie – Founder of Anyone Can Code, a pioneer in robotics and AI education.
97. Blessing Ikpia – Co-founder of Elite Global AI, driving growth for AI brands.
98. Ire Aderinokun – Co-founder/VP of Engineering at Helicarrier (Buycoins), building crypto infrastructure.
99. Sarah Idahosa – Founder of Women in DeFi, bridging the gender gap in decentralized finance.
100. Yvonne Kagondu – Founder of ICP Hub Kenya, leading blockchain adoption.

“This Techeconomy Power List is more than recognition. It is a celebration of influence, resilience, and the transformative power of women who continue to give their talents and leadership to build a future where innovation works for everyone. Congratulations to the Celebrants!”, says Oluwatosin Aloba, Brand Manager at Techeconomy.

The programme targets hospitals, schools, non-profits, helplines, media organisations and other institutions that provide essential services but lack the resources to defend against growing cyber threats. 

The initiative will begin in Nigeria and Kenya, before launching in Ghana and South Africa later this year, covering 200 organisations in its first phase.

Speaking at the launch, the Executive Director of Cybersafe Foundation, Confidence Staveley, said the project was designed to close the gap between awareness of cyber risks and real action.

“What happens is that the conversation drops off where it gets to the point of taking action,” she said. “One of the major reasons we’ve seen with that is not just the lack of will, it’s also the lack of financial budgets to cover the cost.”

She explained that Resilio Africa will provide more than 10,000 hours of cybersecurity consulting at no cost to participating institutions, support she said would normally cost over one million dollars.

“That is all being provided by the best of experts in those four countries for free, and that’s what Google.org has helped us offset as a load,” she said.

Staveley stated that the foundation remains a non-profit focused on supporting vulnerable organisations and communities across Africa, adding that the initiative is intended to strengthen digital trust and protect services people rely on every day.

During her welcome address, she pointed to growing cyber activity across sub-Saharan Africa, citing data that showed over 95 million malware-based attacks in the first half of 2025, with spyware, password-stealing malware and backdoor tools among the most common threats.

Staveley said many community institutions operate with outdated systems, limited staff and little or no cybersecurity budget, leaving them exposed. “Attacks are not a matter of if, it is when,” she said.

The keynote address, delivered by Anna Collard, senior vice president for Content Strategy at KnowBe4 Africa, described cyber resilience as a people-centred issue rather than a purely technical one.

“When we think about resilience or cyber resilience, we often think about technology and firewalls and maybe viruses, but actually it’s about people,” Collard said. “We’re doing this to protect people and to ensure we deliver critical services to our people.”

She warned that community institutions such as hospitals and schools are attractive targets because they usually lack the budgets and skills of large financial institutions, but the impact of attacks on them can be severe.

Collard called for cybersecurity to be treated as a shared responsibility and a common good, comparable to public health.

“You can’t just expect one institution to solve those problems by itself,” she said. “We need to ensure that everyone gets up to a certain level of baseline protection.”

Google.org’s support for the initiative was outlined by Haviva Kohl, senior programme manager for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

“Resilio Africa isn’t just another training workshop,” Kohl said. “It is a holistic resilience programme designed specifically for organisations that lack the resources to sustain a complex security programme.”

She elaborated that Africa recorded a 23% increase in ransomware attacks in 2023, with public and non-profit institutions among the most affected. Many of these organisations, she said, operate with zero security budget and outdated systems.

“This is why Google.org has committed a grant to support the launch of Resilio Africa,” she said.

Introducing the programme in detail, Cybersafe Foundation Programmes Lead, Success Tawo, said the initiative is built to meet institutions “where they are” and not impose one-size-fits-all solutions.

“Resilio Africa is a project dedicated to helping critical community institutions just like yourself,” she said. “The goal is not perfection. The goal is risk reduction, stronger systems and long-term resilience.”

Tawo said participating organisations will receive cybersecurity health checks, phishing simulations, staff training, incident response playbooks, real-time threat intelligence and access to a regional support network.

She stressed that the programme aims to help protect the records of at least two million people across the four participating countries and build a community of institutions that can share information and support each other.

“We are protecting 200 organisations, which means you have access to 199 other organisations that are similarly positioned like you,” she said.

A panel discussion followed, focusing on shared responsibility between governments, technology partners and community institutions.

Panellists included Gbolabo Awelewa, chief business officer at Essentry; Joylynn Kirui, head of Information Security at Prime Bank Africa; Dr Bright Mawudor, founder of CyberGuard Africa; Confidence Osein, founder of Internet Safe Kids Africa; and Juliet Ohahuru-Obiora, executive director of the Action Against Child Sexual Abuse Initiative.

Speakers agreed that cyber resilience must be driven from leadership but embedded across entire organisations, from management to frontline staff.

“It doesn’t sit with the experts and it doesn’t sit with any department,” Osein said. “It’s something that is shared across teams.”

The Resilio Africa programme will run for three years, with plans to scale to additional countries subject to funding. Cybersafe Foundation said the initiative is free for participating institutions but stressed that sustainability will depend on continued support.

Applications for eligible organisations are now open in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and South Africa.

The CyberSafe API (Application Programming Interface) Security Training Program is a 12-week intensive learning experience designed to equip aspiring cybersecurity professionals with the skills to secure APIs.

Participants gain hands-on training in API fundamentals, authentication, encryption, and advanced penetration testing techniques.

Through expert-led instruction and practical labs, learners build technical expertise and develop the confidence to thrive in global cybersecurity careers.

Speaking on the next Cohort, Confidence Staveley, executive director, CyberSafe Foundation, disclosed that, unlike the first Cohort, this next Cohort will accommodate, not only the CyberGirls Alumni Community, but all interested women.

She announced:

“Looking ahead, this October, Applications will reopen for our API Academy. And for the first time, we will be admitting women, not only from the CyberGirls Alumni Community,but from anywhere in the world, from ages 20-40, who want to master the art of securing APIs. So keep an eye out for our Call For Applications, until then, stay Cyber Safe.”

She further noted:

“At cybersafe Foundation, we envision a future where every woman trained at our API Academy, is not just skilled, but empowered to lead, innovate and transform the way APIs are secured across industries.”

Reflecting on past cohorts, Staveley disclosed that the programme has been highly impactful and successful, especially going by the testimonials of the participants from across Africa.

She said:

“The journey has been nothing short of transformative. In fact, a participant shared that although she was employed in a GRC role, she was recently tasked with testing a web application with API calls. Thanks to the training we provided her, she identifies dozens of vulnerabilities that have now been remediated by her company.

Several other participants who had never touched API testing tools before, are now working at expert level proficiency, and some others have even decided to pivot their careers into application securities building on the solid foundation this programme has given them.”

According to Staveley, to achieve this result, students went through an intensive hands-on journey covering API security fundamentals, OWASP API Security Top 10, Authentication, Documentation best practices, securing API servers, Gateway Security best practices, PCI Compliance, APIs Security for connected cars and fleets, penetration testing, securing LLM and NLP APIs and API products management.

“This was, no doubt, a high pressure, high accountability programme where every participant submitted weekly technical reports on their security tasks. So today, I am super proud to celebrate the incredible women who successfully completed the programme,” she concluded.

Also speaking, CyberSafe Foundation Trainer and CyberGirls Alumna, Damilola Abiona said:

“Leading the CyberSafe API Academy has been a deeply rewarding experience. Watching women who started with little to no offensive security background grow into confident vulnerability hunters in just twelve weeks shows how powerful structured and hands-on learning can be.

This program is not only breaking barriers in cybersecurity education but also positioning Africa as a hub for the next generation of API security leaders.”

Aside the CyberSafe API Security Training Program, CyberSafe Foundation also organises CyberGirls+, an advanced professional development program by CyberSafe Foundation, in partnership with the SANS Institute, designed exclusively for CyberGirls Fellowship alumni.

Other programmes in the Foundation’s kitty are:

• CyberGirls Fellowship, a free 1-year cybersecurity training, mentorship, and placement program for young African women, which has empowered 1500+ girls and women from 27 African countries with globally sought-after cybersecurity skills, positioning them to start a career in cybersecurity.
• The PCI DSS Academy, a flagship women practitioner bootcamp and capacity building hub across emerging markets, empowering businesses, cybersecurity professionals, and payment ecosystem stakeholders with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to achieve and maintain global payment security standards.
• The HerAI Fellowship, designed to close the gender and opportunity gaps in emerging tech fields, is an initiative aimed at equipping 5,000 underserved young women across Africa with advanced skills in AI and cybersecurity, including AI development and governance.

Launched in 2019 with its flagship initiative #NoGoFallMaga, CyberSafe Foundation has in recent past launched cybersecurity awareness campaigns reaching over 20,000,000 people, organised cybersecurity awareness training for over 4000 SMEs, educating over 11000 employees of these organisations, upskilled over 17,000 women and girls in 27 African countries, launched Africa’s first storified cybersecurity awareness handbook and possibly Africa’s first afrobeat cybersecurity awareness song.

These, and many more contributions to technology education and empowerment, have earned it global recognition.

“Through hands-on training, strategic partnerships, and community engagement, we are building a safer, more equitable future, ensuring that no one is left behind in the rapidly evolving digital landscape. By equipping underserved communities with the knowledge and tools to excel in cybersecurity and AI, we are fueling local innovation, expanding career pathways, and strengthening digital resilience across Africa, Asia, and beyond,” a statement from the Foundation reiterated. The Foundation will announce the application and opening dates for the API Academy.

Cybercrime will cost the global economy an estimated $10.5 trillion this year. Phishing attacks have surged over 4000% since 2022, cloud intrusions are up 75%, and only 4% of organisations feel confident in the security of their connected devices. 

Meanwhile, 66% of companies believe AI and machine learning will impact the sustainability of cybersecurity, but less than 40% have the systems in place to assess the risks of those very tools.

The threat is beyond technical; it’s human. The cybersecurity workforce gap has widened to over 4.1 million unfilled roles globally, and Africa alone faces a shortage of more than 3.5 million skilled professionals. 

In Nigeria, over 68,000 cybersecurity roles are vacant, an issue worsened by migration and insufficient training pipelines.

The situation is compounded by digital illiteracy in the country, regulatory gaps, and a talent exodus driven by the ongoing Japa wave. However, despite this challenge, a guard of cybersecurity leaders are not relenting.

These ten personalities are building companies that secure mobile payments and smart homes, they’re impacting policy frameworks, training armies of young professionals, and leading cross-border collaborations. 

This list is a look into the minds ensuring the global cybersecurity revolution in 2025. Be it Lagos, London, or Nairobi, their impact is unmistakable, cutting across sectors, banking, energy, e-commerce, public safety and continents.

Let’s meet the top ten personalities, not limited to these, driving cybersecurity resilience in 2025.

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1. Confidence Staveley: The Relatable Cybersecurity Leader

Beyond a cybersecurity expert, Confidence Staveley is a movement. Her name has become synonymous with resilience, inclusion, and strategy in Nigeria’s digital security sector. 

Staveley is the founder of CyberSafe Foundation and MerkleFence, leading with conviction and vision; building secure-by-design systems and empowering the next generation of African cybersecurity professionals.

Her journey spans over a decade of building secure products, embedding security deep into development lifecycles, and leading high-performing teams across continents. She’s both a theorist and a doer, integrating automated security into CI/CD pipelines, publishing the bestselling book API Security for White Hat Hackers, and delivering results, raising the bar.

Through CyberGirls Fellowship, Africa’s largest female-focused cybersecurity training initiative, Confidence opens doors for young women who might otherwise be excluded from the tech revolution. She mentors, she teaches, and she amplifies voices that matter.

Her recognition includes SC Media’s Women in IT Security Power Player, Cybersecurity Woman of the World, and Top 40 Global Thought Leader in Security and Safety, among others. Her superpower isn’t just the certifications or accolades, but her ability to make security human, accessible, and empowering. When she says she’s “The Relatable CyberSecurity Leader,” it’s not just branding, it’s truth.

2. Professor Obadare Peter Adewale: Nigeria’s First Cybersecurity Professor and Visionary Technopreneur

Professor Obadare Peter Adewale is a name you’ll find etched into Nigeria’s cybersecurity history. A pioneer and one of the continent’s most credentialled cybersecurity leaders, Obadare combines academia, entrepreneurship, and policy advocacy with unmatched precision.

As the Chief Visionary Officer of Digital Encode, Obadare has spent over two decades helping institutions navigate the highly technical and rapidly changing cybersecurity ecosystem. His expertise spans penetration testing, risk management, GRC (Governance, Risk, and Compliance), digital forensics, and AI governance. 

He holds elite global credentials and fellowships, including with the British Computer Society, Forbes Technology Council, and as Africa’s first EC-Council Licensed Pen Tester.

In 2024, he was appointed Nigeria’s first Professor of Practice in Cybersecurity, a role that bridges the gap between classroom theory and industry reality. Through this position at Miva Open University, he brings real-world exposure into academia, helping produce a new generation of industry-ready professionals.

His work on AI governance at the Centre for Artificial Intelligence Governance, combined with certifications from Oxford, Harvard, and MIT, stressed his relentless pursuit of innovation and relevance. 

From designing ISO-compliant security architectures to mentoring C-level executives, Obadare is not just part of the cybersecurity revolution; he helped start it.

His current projects, including AI risk management frameworks and digital sovereignty initiatives, have implications far beyond Nigeria. They position him as a global authority on digital trust and national cyber resilience. In Obadare, Nigeria has a cybersecurity leader and a visionary building bridges to the future.

3. Peter Ejiofor: Building Resilience from the Ground Up

Peter Ejiofor is the embodiment of locally-grown innovation in Nigeria’s cybersecurity ecosystem. As CEO of Ethnos IT Solutions, he has created one of the most respected indigenous cybersecurity firms on the continent, rooted in technical excellence, community engagement, and strategic foresight.

Ejiofor’s career spans two decades of enterprise-level cybersecurity architecture, particularly in financial services and telecoms. But what sets him apart is his focus on making cybersecurity accessible and affordable, especially for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), the most vulnerable segment in Nigeria’s digital economy.

Under his leadership, Ethnos developed Aquila, an AI-driven mobile app that scans and secures devices for SMEs, and Castellum, a next-gen encryption framework tailored for African businesses. These tools are not theoretical, they’re already changing how companies approach security.

Beyond tools, Ejiofor invests in talent. Through the Ethnos Cybersecurity Academy, he trains beginners and career switchers, providing them with hands-on, practical skills that go beyond theory. 

His commitment to demystifying cybersecurity has led to real impact, clients prepared for compliance audits, SMEs winning contracts thanks to improved security posture, and graduates joining elite security teams.

He’s also a respected certified ISO/IEC 27001 auditor and senior pen tester, and a member of leading African cybersecurity associations. When Zenith Bank showcased Aquila and Castellum at its Tech Fair, it went beyond a product launch to show how local expertise can deliver world-class solutions.

4. Innocent Paul Ojo: Building Cybersecurity Where IT Meets OT

Few professionals navigate as fluidly between IT and operational technology (OT) environments as Innocent Paul Ojo. A rare blend of strategist, analyst, and researcher, Innocent brings together real-world execution and academic rigour into one streamlined career focused on securing systems where the digital converges with the physical.

As the founder of CoreDefense, Innocent is redefining how cybersecurity is approached holistically and contextually. Whether it’s securing smart factories, industrial control systems, or fintech APIs, he’s known for designing and implementing end-to-end security architectures that go far beyond baseline protections.

At Persimmon Homes, he worked closely with OT stakeholders to improve the cybersecurity posture of smart factory assets. From hardening programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and securing building automation systems to deploying network segmentation, asset visibility tools like Nozomi Networks, and SIEM integrations using Splunk, Innocent helped reduce detection and incident triage time by over 60%. His approach: fusing security-by-design with deep visibility across the operational stack.

But it’s not just the technologies he uses, Wireshark, Ghidra, PE-bear, Burp Suite, OWASP ZAP, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, Azure Lighthouse, Kali Linux, and Tenable Nessus, it’s how he uses them that distinguishes his work. His detailed work in threat modelling, subdomain takeover testing, firmware analysis, and network protocol dissection has earned him trust in highly regulated sectors such as healthcare, fintech, and industrial manufacturing.

Innocent brings clarity to complexity, aligning controls with frameworks like NIST CSF, ISO 27001, and DORA, ensuring governance and compliance objectives are met with technical precision and strategic foresight.

Certified by ISC2 and CompTIA, Innocent’s work reflects a force-multiplier mindset, fusing technical excellence with leadership and execution.

Whether volunteering with the Centre for Cyber Safety and Education, mentoring emerging talent, or performing red team-style assessments at fintech platforms like CreditCliq, Innocent demonstrates an unwavering commitment to uplifting the cybersecurity community while building secure, resilient systems.

He’s not just participating in the cybersecurity revolution; he’s helping engineer its foundation, particularly where traditional infrastructure meets cloud-native and cyber-physical systems.

5. Timmy Iwoni: The Cross-Sector Engineer Turning Cybersecurity Into Solutions

Timmy Iwoni is a cybersecurity expert and a builder—of systems, teams, and companies. He is CEO of Reconnaissance Technologies, where he leads one of Nigeria’s fastest-growing tech firms at the cutting edge of digital defence, artificial intelligence, and fintech infrastructure.

What makes Timmy’s journey commendable is his ability to move seamlessly across sectors. He’s as comfortable talking about AI-powered CRMs like Nebula as he is explaining penetration testing protocols. Under his leadership, Reconnaissance launched secure platforms like AgoPay and Fricana Mart, products that merge security-first fintech and e-commerce into everyday solutions.

Trained in Computer Engineering (JAIN College, India) and Chemical Engineering (FUT Yola), Timmy blends analytical rigour with technical depth. His early years managing IT infrastructure at BOSIP Enterprises and later leading software development at ISF Technologies, India, shaped a mindset focused on resilience, optimisation, and usability.

His secret? A vision that scales. Timmy doesn’t isolate cybersecurity from innovation; he integrates it, embedding security into product design and cloud systems from day one. His work helps SMEs and corporates alike avoid vulnerabilities without sacrificing performance.

Timmy is part of a new generation of cybersecurity leaders in Nigeria: problem solvers and solution builders, rooted in code, powered by strategy, and driven by purpose.

6. Abdulqudus Isa: Driving Cybersecurity Transformation

Abdulqudus Isa is a leading voice in cybersecurity, renowned for bridging the gap between cyber risk strategy and real-world implementation.

With a strong background in Cybersecurity, Risk Management, Governance, and IT Audit, Abdulqudus has been instrumental in helping organizations build resilient digital infrastructures, particularly within regulated industries like banking, insurance, fintech, and energy.

At KPMG Nigeria, Abdulqudus Isa served within the Cyber and Privacy Advisory unit, helping clients navigate the complexities of digital transformation while staying secure and compliant.

His work ranged across: Cybersecurity Assessments & Audits; ISO 27001 and NIST Compliance Implementation; IT General Controls (ITGC) Testing; Cloud and Application Security Reviews; Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Planning, and .Vulnerability and Threat Management Frameworks

His KPMG experience positioned him as a trusted advisor to large corporations seeking guidance on end-to-end cyber risk governance and digital trust.

Abdulqudus holds multiple industry-recognized certifications and has deep technical fluency in frameworks such as: ISO 27001; NIST CSF; PCI-DSS; SWIFT Customer Security Programme (CSP), and Microsoft Security tools & environments.

He also holds a degree in Engineering and has consistently upskilled across cybersecurity trends including cloud security, penetration testing, and risk analysis.

With a deep understanding of attacker tactics and evolving threat landscapes, Abdulqudus Isa represents a new generation of cybersecurity professionals who combine policy-level governance with frontline threat intelligence. He is known for crafting proactive strategies that help organizations predict, prevent, and respond to cybersecurity threats.

His influence is felt across boardrooms and operational security teams alike, as he drives awareness, compliance, and resilience in the face of increasingly sophisticated cyber risks.

7. Dr. Basil Udotai: The Strategist Who Wrote Nigeria’s Cybersecurity Playbook

When the conversation turns to the architects of Nigeria’s cybersecurity framework, Dr. Basil Udotai is impossible to overlook. He is a huge part of the digital security conversation and helped write its earliest chapters.

As the pioneer Director of Cybersecurity at Nigeria’s Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Dr. Udotai was key in establishing the very Directorate for Cybersecurity, an office now central to Nigeria’s defence against digital threats. 

His legal background, paired with deep policy insight, gave him a unique ability to design protections and entire governance structures for national cybersecurity.

Before entering the policy arena, Dr. Udotai was General Counsel and Legal Adviser at NITDA, where he helped drive the implementation of the National IT Policy. This dual fluency, in law and technology, is rare, making him one of the most trusted advisors in Nigeria’s cyber policy circles.

Today, as Managing Partner at Technology Advisors LLP, he consults for both government and enterprise clients, shaping digital transformation and compliance strategies across industries. His legal precision makes him a go-to figure for navigating cybercrime laws, data protection regulations, and emerging tech risks.

Dr. Udotai is a key voice at international conferences, including the National Cybersecurity Conference 2025, where his contributions to Nigeria’s digital resilience strategy were widely acknowledged.

His legacy is in laying the foundation. While others manage cyber risk, Dr. Basil Udotai helped define what that risk means for a nation. Beyond being a part of Nigeria’s cybersecurity revolution, he was there at its inception.

8. Dr. Vincent Olatunji: Bridging Data Protection and Cybersecurity for National Impact

Dr. Vincent Olatunji, as the National Commissioner and CEO of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), leads a mission that sits at the heart of Nigeria’s digital trust: protecting data in the complex cyber space.

While his mandate centres on data protection, the overlap with cybersecurity is direct and undeniable. Under his leadership, the NDPC has moved beyond bureaucratic compliance and into active transformation, launching the Virtual Privacy Academy, conducting sector-wide regulatory audits, and enforcing policies in healthcare, oil and gas, and hospitality.

But Dr. Olatunji’s impact is not confined to national borders. In April 2025, he was appointed Chair of the Anglophone Countries Committee within NADPA, tasked with coordinating data privacy strategies across English-speaking African nations. That role gives him a direct hand in shaping policies that affect over 1.4 billion people.

His global credentials are also solid. He participated in a cybersecurity study tour of Estonia, widely regarded as a pioneer in national digital infrastructure. The experience influenced his approach to cross-border data governance and the localisation of international best practices.

Under his watch, Nigeria has created a Digital Sovereignty Framework, aligned itself with global privacy standards, and taken an active role in the governance of emerging technologies.

Dr. Olatunji is not a traditional cybersecurity practitioner, but in 2025, cybersecurity is no longer just about firewalls and encryption; it’s about trust, transparency, and control. Few embody this transformation better than he.

9. Dr. David Isiavwe: Securing Nigeria’s Financial Systems, One Layer at a Time

In Nigeria’s financial sector, where billions are moved digitally every day, Dr. David Isiavwe is one of the most trusted minds working behind the scenes to ensure everything runs safely and securely.

President of the Information Security Society of Africa – Nigeria (ISSAN), Dr. Isiavwe leads capacity building, public-private collaboration, and financial sector readiness. His organisation has hosted some of the most impactful cybersecurity conferences in the region, including the Q1 2025 Cybersecurity Roundtable, which tackled real-world issues like identity access management in zero-trust environments.

Beyond advocacy, Dr. Isiavwe wears a different hat as Executive Director of Operations and IT at Nova Bank. With past roles at Ecobank, UBA Africa, and Union Bank, his perspective is unmatched when it comes to the fusion of banking operations and digital risk management.

His academic credentials only reinforce his standing. He holds a PhD in Accounting, is a CISSP, a CGEIT, and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria. His training at Harvard, Oxford, MIT, and Boston University speaks volumes about his commitment to global best practices.

Dr. Isiavwe is also a loud voice in the talent retention debate. At the 2024 ISSAN Cybersecurity Conference, he called for curriculum reform, competitive incentives, and continuous learning pathways to retain Nigeria’s top cyber talent.

10. Olufemi Ake: Bolstering Cybersecurity Through Education and Strategy

If Nigeria is serious about closing its widening cybersecurity talent gap, it needs more leaders like Olufemi Ake, a professional who combines technical insight with a deep passion for education, policy, and youth empowerment.

He’s the Managing Director of ESET West Africa, who oversees operations in key Anglophone markets such as Nigeria and Ghana. But his impact runs deeper than business development. He has worked tirelessly to embed cybersecurity awareness into institutions and communities that were once far removed from the conversation.

What truly sets Ake apart, however, is his work in academia and curriculum reform. He’s played a huge role in developing cybersecurity training frameworks adopted by Nigerian universities and professional bodies. His advocacy has led to structured education pathways that didn’t exist a decade ago, helping hundreds of professionals earn globally relevant credentials and enter critical security roles.

Ake has also lent his expertise to government policymaking, advising on issues ranging from digital identity and cybercrime legislation to cloud compliance and cross-border data regulation. 

Through hackathons, CTF competitions, and NITDA-backed bootcamps, Ake has created training and mentorship opportunities that give Nigerian youth a stake in the cybersecurity industry. He speaks often, and with urgency, about the 68,000+ unfilled cybersecurity jobs across the country, and the need to develop home-grown talent fast.

He is also part of regional alliances like the African Union Cybersecurity Experts Group, where he helps shape continental policy on cyber norms, shared threat intelligence, and digital inclusion.

The UK Government’s investment in women in Nigeria has been described as the means to accelerating progress, considering that a recent USAID report indicates, 90% of jobs worldwide will have a digital component in the near future and without digital skills, women are automatically disadvantaged and do not have the confidence to participate in the digital workforce or the digital economy at large.

Speaking at International Women’s Day (IWD) Digihubs Awards held in Lagos on March 08, 2024, in Lagos, Jonny Baxter, British deputy high commissioner in Nigeria, pledged the commitment of the UK Government to close the digital divide in the country.

He said the Government has been a leading partner in working with the Nigerian people to close the digital gender divide in Nigeria.

Baxter said: “We have championed inclusion for women and girls into the digital economy through projects such as DigiGirls. This is because we know that the data says that inclusion leads to an increase in economic power.

“We know that women and girls are disproportionately impacted by climate change, natural disasters and conflict because they exacerbate existing inequality and barriers in accessing services and support.

“Yet women are critical front-line responders when crisis hits and are crucial voices in decision making processes – if given the space to be heard”.

He noted that, the participation of civil society groups, including women’s organisations, makes a peace agreement of 64% less likely to fail, and “we know that the benefit of reducing conflict in other countries is felt in many other countries of the world.

“Gender inequality is particularly entrenched for women and girls who face multiple-discrimination, because of their age, religion, disability, sexuality, race or other difference,” he added.

Mr. Baxter while reflecting on the Digital Access Programme in Nigeria expressed the UK’s commitment to being a global science and technology partner, working with others to develop solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges, including on digital skills.

He said the UK firmly believes in the future growth story of Nigeria’s digital sector. “To continue to drive this growth, Nigeria needs a combination of increased access to safe, affordable, faster and better-quality internet, an encouraging regulatory environment, a skilled talent pool, and access to investment and partnership opportunities.

“Our in-country digital strategy focuses on working with both the government and private sector to improve infrastructure, build cyber resilience, reduce barriers to digital innovation, drive the upskilling of a digital workforce and improve policy and regulatory frameworks.

“Through the Digital Access Programme, we work with the Federal Government, State governments and policy makers as well as the Private Sector on removing systemic barriers to connectivity expansion”.

One of such programmes is the DigiGirls programme where last year on International Women Day, the UK launched a 10-year Women and girls’ strategy which showcases its commitment to tackling gender inequality across the globe.

“The first two cohorts of the DigiGirls programme saw the training and upskilling of 6,800 women and girls. While that might look like a large number it was only 6.3% of the people that applied for the opportunity to be trained for free.

“For us, it felt like we needed to do more. We thought about how we could make this project reach more people and have a wider impact yet still be sustainable.  We then decided to experiment with using local technology hubs to deliver upskilling to women and girls. This would strengthen the hubs as well as provide a physical space where women and girls could learn undisturbed.

“Our experiment paid off and in this present phase of the project Cybersafe was able to train 59,900 women and girls. We did this with support of 200 volunteer Alumni DigiGirls called DigiChampions and a partnership with 60 hubs across 22 states in Nigeria.

“We believe that this programme has helped in addressing the digital inequality in Nigeria – and we will continue to support programmes like this,” he stated.

On her part, Mrs. Confidence Staveley, founder and executive director of CyberSafe Foundation highlighted education as the true means to getting more women into STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and a door to innovation.

In her words, “Inclusion of women will not happen by chance, it will take intentional, tailored and targeted investment in women to accelerate progress that we so desperately need”.

Continuing Mrs. Staveley said, “Investing in women also includes not just investing in implementing impactful progranms like DigiGirls. We need to mainstream solutions through the vehicle of policy. We must mainstream digital skills especially for women in our school curriculums, we must address discrimination and gender-bias practices in hiring processes…making them illegal.

“We must take a stand on educating men, our allies on what the challenges are and getting them on our side of this war against exclusion.

“The lack of women’s inclusion in technology comes at a massive cost. Infact, women’s exclusion from the digital worid has shaved US$1 trillion from the gross domestic product of low- and middle-income countries in the last decade – a loss that will grow to US$1.5 trillion by 2025 without action according to a 2022 Gender Snapshot report.

“But today, we celebrate the resilience of women like Azeez Omowunmi, a DigiGirl in our third cohort, who faced the classic challenge of electricity blackouts and economic constraints. These blackouts were standing in the way of her enjoying the free training we provided directly to over 60,000 women in this cohort. Azeez found a clever way to navigate these challenges. She made the tough decision to spend all her weekends sleeping over in church where she will have access to electricity to charge her computing device, consume our on-demand learning content and do her assessments throughout the programmme.

“We celebrate our Digichampions who in true spirit of generosity and service that Women are known for, they are ach after getting trained by us, training 100 women each in their local community…creating an organic ripple effect of digital skills transfer

“We celebrate the nursing mothers at our hubs and our excellent hub partner in Kaduna who brought their children to the Hub so their gift of motherhood does not deny them the digital skills required for today’s technology driven workplace”.

IWD Digihubs Awards

Five hubs were recognized at the auspicious event among 60 of the hub partners, spread across the geopolitical zones in Nigeria.

Award Categories:

1. Mission Champion Award (A.K.A Overall Best Hub)

Award Recipient: Development Hub, Borno – Abbas Baba

The award recognized Development Hub with the highest retention rate and a strong commitment to the sustainability of the digital skills training for women in the long term.

“The hub implemented effective methods for monitoring progress and evaluating the impact of the training and has the highest number of graduating fellows”, the Cybersafe Foundation ED said.

2. Impact Amplifier Award

Award Recipient: Guru Innovation Hub, Cross River – Oyo Effiom

This awards Guru Innovation Hub that demonstrated a strong commitment to the vision and enrolled the greatest number of fellows. The nominated hub exceeded the number of enrollments they initially pledged.

3. Inclusive Excellence Champion Award

Award Recipient: NHub Incubator, Plateau – Shamsiyah Bashir

The award recognized the hub that has created the most supportive and inclusive learning environment for the participants.

According to the organisers, this hub implemented innovative and effective training methods to enhance the learning experience for the beneficiaries.

4. Community Engagement and Outreach Award

Award Recipient: Dignity International Consults, Imo – Ihemegbulem Chukwuebuka Gerald

“The award recognizes the hub that excelled in community engagement and outreach, reaching, and positively impacting a broad audience.

“”The nominated hub did this by opening two hubs for the training to enable them to reach more people”, Mrs. Staveley said.

5. Outstanding Community Impact Award (A.K.A Grassroot Empowerer Award)

Award Recipient: Jbest ICT, Kaduna – Anna Tanko (Female Led Hub)

This awards a hub in an underprivileged or severely disadvantaged neighborhood that has showcased remarkable achievements in fostering positive change within their local community.

“Their exceptional problem-solving abilities have been instrumental in ensuring that their community participates in the training”, she explained at the DigiGirls programme.

The collaboration aims to empower young women in Africa by equipping them with essential cybersecurity skills and knowledge through the innovative CyberGirls program.

At the heart of this partnership lies Check Point’s SecureAcademy program, which offers cutting-edge cyber educational content. This collaboration will integrate SecureAcademy’s courses into Cybersafe Foundation’s CyberGirls initiative, a one-year free program meticulously designed to provide technical skills to women aged 18 to 28. 

Cybersafe Foundation, dedicated to promoting cybersecurity awareness and ensuring digital safety, has tailored the CyberGirls program to bridge the gender gap in the industry. The initiative not only imparts hands-on training but also offers mentorship, certification preparation, and opportunities for internships and shadowing placements. 

Through this program, Cybersafe Foundation aims to uplift women in underserved African communities, improving their socio-economic status while addressing the escalating threat of cybercrime.

Confidence Staveley, the Founder and Executive Director of Cybersafe Foundation, expressed her enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, “We are extremely proud of the impact our programs have had on the lives of many of our fellows, helping young women gain access to life-changing opportunities. Our partnership with Check Point will contribute immensely to our disruptive educational model by providing free quality cybersecurity training to the CyberGirls community.”

Pankaj Bhula, Regional Director, Africa at Check Point, reiterated the role of education in combating cybercrime. He stated, “Education is fundamental to combating the increasing volume of cybercrime both at home and abroad. Partnerships such as this one are key in closing the skills gap and helping to create a future employee pipeline in the cybersecurity sector. We are thrilled to be partnering with an organization that has had so much success in not only this aspect but also one which has made a real impact on the lives of their fellows through upskilling and education.”

Through SecureAcademy, Check Point is already collaborating with more than 160 academic partners, benefiting over 45,000 students in over 60 countries. This initiative addresses the staggering 3.5 million cybersecurity job vacancies existing globally. Check Point’s partnership with Cybersafe Foundation marks a significant step towards a more secure digital future, ensuring that the next generation of cybersecurity professionals is well-equipped to face the challenges of our ever-evolving digital landscape.

In a letter communicating the decision to Staveley, the Founder of Forbes Tec​​hnology Council, Scott Gerber said: “We are honoured to welcome Confidence Staveley into the Community. Our Mission with Forbes Technology Councils is to bring together proven leaders from every industry, creating a curated, social capital-driven network that helps every member grow professionally and make an even greater impact on the business world.”

In a social media post by Confidence Staveley, a cybersecurity expert and Founder/Executive Director, Cybersafe Foundation, appreciated the honour and further explained the process: “I was vetted and selected by a review Committee based on the depth and diversity of my experience. Criteria for acceptance include a track record of successfully impacting business growth metrics, as well as personal and professional achievements and honours.”

Staveley, who popularly refers herself to as a “Sisi and also a nerd”, due to her youthfulness and passion towards influencing youths in the technology ecosystem, is arguably Africa’s most celebrated female cybersecurity leader, cybersecurity talent developer, global speaker, cybersecurity awareness evangelist and inclusion advocate.

She is also an award-winning cybersecurity professional, digital development enthusiast, author and entrepreneur with over a decade experience in technology.

She believes that Africans, especially the most vulnerable, should have access to technology and be equipped with cyber-risk and mitigation strategies. Confidence has facilitated CyberSafe Foundation’s multiple project collaborations with the UK Government.

While hoping that more Nigerian women will be included in the Forbes Technology Council, Staveley Cybersafe Foundation, through its social media platform @cybersafehq, has recorded huge strides in driving inclusive and safe digital access in Africa, “and we are enthusiastic that this membership will help us achieve more.”

With Cybersafe Foundation as implementation partner, and in partnership with the UK FCDO and KPMG, Confidence Staveley played a major role in the launch of a cybersecurity toolkit for SMEs in Nigeria. She is also passionate about protecting senior citizens who are particularly vulnerable to financial scams and identity theft.

Through her organization, Cybersafe Foundation, Staveley has recently launched the Pan-African cybersecurity awareness tool called The Sabi Toolkit.

This tool provides users with proactive, preventive measures and practical steps to stay safe as they navigate the digital world. She is also passionate about closing the gender gap in technology through her two initiatives – DigiGirls and CyberGirls.

Her induction into the Forbes Technology Council is a great testament to her works and further provides a platform to reach the wider world with her expertise.

The Council is an Invitation-Only organisation for senior-level technology executives.

Members of the Forbes Technology Council are respected tech leaders, including CEOs, CIOs, CTOs, and others, selected for the Council based on their deep knowledge and diverse experience in the industry.

According to information on the Council’s website, “Members of our elite business communities receive three pillars of value: connections, visibility, and growth.”

Members have exclusive opportunity to publish their expert insights on Forbes.com. Working with skilled editors, members participate in expert panels and write bylined articles to enhance their reputation as thought leaders.

The programme also indirectly benefited over 10,000 additional women through the train-the-trainer programme.

These employable digital skills would drive positive livelihood outcomes for beneficiaries, improve their employment prospects and prepare them for digital entrepreneurship in today’s digital economy.

The DigiGirls program aims to lower the digital gender imbalance against women in Nigeria by empowering more women and girls with employable digital skills through intensive training, mentorship, internship/job placements, and entrepreneurship opportunities.

The learning paths for the program include Digital marketing, UI/UX, graphics design, E-commerce, and Data analysis.

Speaking at the virtual graduation event for the DigiGirls 2.0 beneficiaries held on Tuesday 30th August 2022, Alessandra Lustrati, Head of Digital Development and Global Lead of the Digital Access Programme in the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), congratulated the trainees on their achievements.

According to her, “building digital capacity at a local level, and testing digital skills development models that work well with specific target groups – like in the DigiGirls approach – is central to FCDO’s overall effort to support the inclusive, responsible and sustainable digital transformation of partner countries like Nigeria.”

Alessandra further highlighted the huge potential of Nigeria’s digital economy, recalling that the ICT sector was the fastest growing sector of Nigeria’s economy in 2020 and 2021, and is estimated to contribute 16.2% of Nigeria’s GDP at Q1 of 2022. 

She said: “The digital economy can thrive much more and generate opportunities and skilled job only if we make an effort to close the digital gender gap, which in Nigeria is currently estimated at about 25%. The DigiGirls project with our partner CyberSafe Foundation, as part of the wider UK Digital Access Programme is a great example of how we can help close that gender gap and drive digital inclusion.”

Confidence Staveley, the Founder, and Executive Director of Cybersafe Foundation, specially thanked the UK government for their continuous support in making the program a success and improving the lives of the beneficiaries.

She said, “Thanks to the UK government through the FCDO, the DigiGirls program from inception has now directly empowered over 6000 women with Digital skills from both cohorts held.

She went on to encourage the latest graduands to make use of their newfound skills and learnings, “You are the value, don’t stop adding value”, she added.