Every month at Lionesses of Africa, we shine a spotlight on a particular industry sector where Africa’s women entrepreneurs are making a real impact, through their businesses, their innovation, their products and services, and their passion for what they do. This month (March), we are turning our attention to the truly inspirational African Women in Tech, those truly innovative pioneers who are building unique, high impact businesses and shaking up the tech world at the same time through their efforts.
If you look at the fast-paced and ever-changing world of technology, IT solutions, innovative new app development, and e-commerce in Africa, you will see a number of businesses and brand names making some considerable noise in the sector - and, many of them have been created by an exciting new breed of women entrepreneurs on the African continent. So, all this month at Lionesses of Africa, we are featuring and paying tribute to some of these amazing African Women in Tech who have inspired us this year, and who are each making such a difference to the technology entrepreneurial landscape for women in Africa.
"There is still a woeful lack of women in technology globally and Africa is unfortunately not any better. Development roles, leadership pipelines and leadership development all need attention. We need more role models for women in technology...."
- Nkemdilim Begho is founder and Managing Director of Future Software Resources Limited
Take for example, women such as Ethel Cofie, the amazing Ghanaian techpreneur who is also a pioneering member of the "Women in Tech" group, working to form an African alliance of women technologists; Njeri Rionge, one of Africa’s leading and perhaps best-known women techpreneurs and a celebrated East-African serial entrepreneur in the sector; Dorcas Muthoni, a globally respected, leading African computer scientist and techpreneur who has been inducted into the renowned Internet Hall of Fame; Rapelang Rabana, the South African tech trailblazer and founder of Rekindle Learning, a truly innovative and game-changing company looking to improve education across Africa; Juliana Rotich, the inspirational technologist and social entrepreneur and co-founder of the game-changing Ushahidi Inc; or Nkemdilim Begho, a leading woman in Nigeria's information technology industry and founder of Future Software Resources. Each of these African Women in Tech are leading the continent’s drive to be a tech force to be reckoned with on the global stage - and we are so inspired by what they are doing.
“My greatest wish is to see a global community where our society is embracing internet technology to positively change lives and improve the efficiency of work done in our offices.”
- Dorcas Muthoni is a leading Kenyan entrepreneur, computer scientist and CEO and founder of OPENWORLD
This month, we also want to shine a spotlight on all those young tech women startups in Africa that are leading a new charge in Africa, and whose passion for innovation and making real, positive change happen on the continent is quite awe-inspiring. We will be featuring many of these new, young African Women in Tech over the coming month and introducing both them and their amazing new tech companies to our readers. (For one such example, check out the story of InstaHealth currently being featured on the Lionesses of Africa website, a company developing a new mobile app to connect Ugandan mobile phone users which access to much needed medical care).
At Lionesses of Africa, we also encourage everyone visiting our website and social media platforms to nominate those African Women in Tech that inspire them, and we will happily profile them during the coming weeks. Our month-long Focus on African Women in Tech is all about showcasing the best and most inspirational women and their businesses, so be part of the process and make a difference to a women-owned tech company that inspires you.
Nominate your African Woman in Tech here.