Speaking at the event, Chika Nwosu, managing director of PalmPay Nigeria, said the initiative was launched to address the low representation of women in fintech and the broader technology ecosystem.

“This initiative is because we noticed that there are not so many women in fintech and in the tech industry, and we intend to bridge that gap. We want to see a whole lot of women in leadership positions in fintech,” Nwosu said.

The programme, organised in commemoration of the 2026 International Women’s Day, forms part of PalmPay’s broader effort to create an inclusive digital economy and empower women with technology-driven skills.

According to Nwosu, empowering women produces long-term social and economic impact.

“Money in the hand of a man feeds a family, but money in the hand of a woman feeds generations,” he said, noting that women’s financial empowerment often translates to better education and opportunities for children and stronger households.

“In the past 3 years, we have empowered about 250 young women with the vision of fostering inclusivity in the fintech ecosystem. This year, over 1000 women submitted entries, and we shortlisted 100 of them to be a part of the 3-Day Masterclass on Human Resources, Data Analysis, Digital Marketing, Personal Financial Management, Ux/UI, Software Engineering, and Product Management.

At the end of the masterclass, 10 participants were selected for a six-month internship programme at PalmPay, where they will receive practical experience across different departments.

Explaining the selection process, Anthony Iwuala, Human Relations Manager at PalmPay, said the company used a merit-based system to identify the most qualified candidates.

“For us at PalmPay, we believe in equity and equality and following the right process. As a company, we believe in people who have skills and talent, so we ensure that we select qualified people,” Iwuala said.

According to him, participants were assessed through the classes and written tests conducted during the programme. Participants went through the classes and took tests for every class, he said.

Iwuala added that the selected interns will be deployed across departments such as marketing, human resources, administration, product development, sales and business intelligence, where they will receive mentorship and hands-on training.

“We assign mentors to them, and these mentors will provide on-the-job training for six months,” he said.

He stressed that the programme is designed not only to train participants but also to create employment opportunities.

“We are not just taking them to train them; we train them to employ them,” he said.

He noted that previous editions have already produced tangible results.

“The Purple Woman 2.0 programme saw the ten women we trained offered full employment at PalmPay, and they are still working with us currently, Iwuala said. “These will not be different.”

In her presentation, Nneka Okekearu, director of the enterprise development centre at Pan-Atlantic University, delivered a masterclass focused on self-worth, confidence and self- awareness for women.

Okekearu explained that many women grow up with unconscious biases that affect their confidence and career choices.

“A lot of women have grown up being told they cannot do certain things. Unlike their male counterparts, they are sometimes discouraged from pursuing opportunities,” she said.

According to her, the session focused on helping women recognise their abilities and build confidence.

“A lot of women have so much to give, but they are shackled by unconscious bias. The session focused on self-awareness, building confidence and realising that we know it and should own it,” she added.

She acknowledged that progress has been made in female leadership in Nigeria’s corporate sector.

“Today, we have more than 30 per cent of commercial banks with female CEOs. We now have women serving as bank chairpersons and more women on corporate boards,” she posited.

However, she highlighted what she described as the missing middle, where many women leave the workforce at critical career stages.

“When women enter the workforce, by the time they get married and have children, many leave. We need systems that allow them to return without losing their career progress,” Okekearu said.

The PalmPay Purple Woman 3.0 is a 3-Day Digital Financial & Technology Masterclass created to bridge the gender gap in tech.

The program is designed to equip women with practical, job  ready skills while also providing job opportunities for career growth.

Launched in 2024, the Purple Woman initiative has impacted 150 women in specialized fields, including Data Analysis, Software Engineering, and Product Management, with learning resources and hands-on skills to launch them into the competitive job market.

From March 5–7, 2026, 100 women aged 18–30 will be selected through a competitive application process to participate in this year’s cohort. Over three immersive days, participants will receive hands-on training from industry experts in digital finance and technology.

And it doesn’t end there.

Ten outstanding participants will secure a 3-6month internship with PalmPay, gaining practical fintech experience that can shape their professional journey.

For participants of this initiative, the Purple Woman Program isn’t just about learning new skills, it’s about building networks, gaining confidence and unlocking bigger opportunities that will positively impact the trajectory of their careers.

At the centre of that change is financial technology. Beyond payments and mobile wallets, fintech has become a growing engine for job creation, skills development, and economic inclusion.

Nigeria’s fintech ecosystem is now one of Africa’s fastest-growing. According to Financial Times Fastest Growing Fintech in Africa 2025, PalmPay was ranked the number 1 fintech in Africa.

The Dealroom 2025 Global Tech Ecosystem Report ranks Lagos among the world’s leading emerging tech hubs, while Fintech News Africa notes that the country hosts more than 430 fintech companies, a 70% increase in just one year.

Each new startup means more roles in engineering, product, customer experience, compliance, and operations.

The message is clear: fintech isn’t just building apps. It’s building careers.

How PalmPay Is Developing Talent

PalmPay is one of the companies turning this growth into an opportunity. Through its Purple Woman initiative, the company is investing directly in young Nigerians, especially women, with practical, career-ready skills.

Over the past two years, the PalmPay Purple Woman programme has trained young women in software engineering, data analysis, product management, DevOps, digital marketing, and UX/UI design.

Designed to close the gender gap in tech, the initiative combines hands-on learning with internships inside PalmPay’s teams, giving participants real workplace exposure and a pathway to employment.

This matters. Women currently represent just 17% of Nigeria’s tech workforce, according to Women in Tech Nigeria.

By focusing on access and experience, PalmPay isn’t just teaching skills, it’s opening doors.

Its graduate trainee programme follows a similar approach, helping recent graduates transition from classroom theory to real-world practice through mentorship, structured training, and performance-based employment opportunities.

Why It Matters in the fintech ecosystem 

Nigeria’s workforce is young, ambitious, and increasingly tech-savvy, yet many struggle to find jobs that match their skills. Fintech is helping close that gap.

By investing in training, internships, and graduate pathways, companies are not just hiring talent, they are actively building it.

As the sector scales, it is creating careers, strengthening skills, and laying the foundation for long-term economic growth and shared prosperity nationwide.