Women across Nigeria are not just participating in the digital revolution; they are leading it, breaking barriers, driving innovation, and empowering the next generation in the country’s fast-growing tech ecosystem.
Form those creating fintech platforms, and internet systems to those using technology as a platform for empowerment and education; Nigerian women are all in; and not left behind in the field of technology.
FUNKE OPEKE
Funke Opeke, the visionary founder and CEO of MainOne, West Africa’s largest digital infrastructure companiy. MainOne is the network solutions provider that built West Africa’s first privately owned, open access 7000km undersea high capacity cable submarine; a $240m project that connected Nigeria and Europe which was completed in 2010 improving Africa’s access to internet and digital technology.
Through her leadership, Ms. Opeke has set a high standard for women in infrastructure and digital technology. MainOne also built West Africa’s largest Tier III Data Center, MDX-i’s Lekki Data Center, a $40 million investment with a capacity for 600 racks.
She obtained a first degree in Electrical Engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife Nigeria and a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Columbia University, New York.
Ms. Opeke returned to Nigeria in 2005 as the Chief Technical Officer of MTN after a twenty-year career in the United States. She was the Executive Director of Verizon Communications Wholesale Division and advised Transcorp on the acquisition of NITEL subsequently briefly served as the interim Chief Operating Officer, post-acquisition of NITEL.
ODUNAYO EWENIYI
Odunayo Eweniyi, Co-founder and COO of PiggyVest, Nigeria’s leading savings and investment platform. A fintech innovator and social advocate, Eweniyi has been instrumental in promoting financial inclusion while co-founding the Feminist Coalition, an organization that champions women’s rights and social justice. Her work reflects a blend of technological innovation and community empowerment.
IRE ADERINOKUN
Is a the first Nigerian female Google Developer Expert in Web Technologies and has become a role model for aspiring software engineers. Through her educational platform, Bits of Code, she teaches and mentors women who wish to pursue careers in web development.
FARA SHIRU JITUBOH
Similarly, Fara Ashiru Jituboh, Co-founder and CEO of Okra, is reshaping financial systems through open banking technology. Her company connects fintech’s to essential financial data, creating a more inclusive digital economy.
ABIMBOLA ALALE
Abimbola Alale, Managing Director and CEO of NigComSat, holds the distinction of being the first Nigerian woman to lead the satellite communications company. Her work ensures that Nigeria remains connected through improved broadband and satellite infrastructure, contributing to national development and security.
Abimbola is a fellow of the African Scientific Institute (FASI, Certified Forensic Investigation Professional (CFIP), Member International Academy of Forensics (MIAF), Fellow of Chartered Public Diplomacy and Management (FCPDM).
Having pursued an active career in the Space Sector for over 20 years, she is currently a Council Member of the World Economic Forum for Global Future Council on Space.
ADAORA NWODO
Adaora Nwodo, a senior software engineer and founder of NexaScale, focuses on cloud computing and tech inclusion. She writes, speaks, and mentors young developers, encouraging more women to join the tech industry.
Recently appointed an executive-in-residence at MIVA University, Adaora is a member of Microsoft’s Mesh team in Africa, which developed Global Village the platform allowing world leaders at the World Economic Forum to virtually visualise problems and solutions, test strategies, and interact with a simulated world. She also ran NexaScale, an ed-tech nonprofit that has since provided simulated work experience for about 11,000 software engineers, designers, and product managers.
As an undergraduate at the University of Lagos (Unilag) Nwodo developed Krypt, an app that enabled users store their passwords securely, and in her final year, she developed ‘Third Eye,’ a plagiarism detection tool designed for Nigerian universities, as part of her coursework.
She also wrote a paper about it, in collaboration with some lecturers, which helped Unilag win a grant. Later, in 2016, she built an e-commerce platform, MyFortShop, selling made-in-Nigeria shoes she sourced from artisans.
Adaora was one of the premier staff of Microsoft in Nigeria, where she worked until 2023, 2 years after she became an author. Her publishing journey took off with her debut book, Cloud Engineering for Beginners. Its success drew Wiley’s attention, leading to her second book, Beginning Azure DevOps, a guide for Microsoft’s DevOps platform. o author Confident Cloud, one of a series of books in the Confident Series. Then followed Azure Bicep, her fourth book and by early 2025, her fifth, an Azure study guide for Microsoft certification exams, was in early release, with a full version due in late 2025 or early 2026.
Adaora is now an engineering manager at a leading knowledge-sharing platform.
TOPE OMOTOLANI
Co-founder and CEO of CrowdyVest, connects smallholder farmers with investors to promote food sustainability and financial inclusion. Her work demonstrates how technology can solve real-world problems and improve livelihoods.
Recognized as one of the few women, who has contributed to the growth of communities in Nigeria, Tope is a philanthropist who is helping put local farmers on the world-scale to modify farming and monetize it.
She is also the co-founder of Crowdyvest, a financial institution. and one of the five founders of Farmcrowdy, an agricultural digital platform connecting small scale farmers to investors in and outside Nigeria. In 2021, she was appointed the CEO of Crowdyvest where she opened doors to new investors and introduce flexible saving packages under Crowdyvest.
CHIOMA AGUWEGBO
Chioma Agwuegbo, founder of TechHerNG, rounds out the list with her advocacy for digital literacy among women. RechHerNG demystifies technology for women and apply tech solutions towards societal problems, especially as they affect women. Through training, mentorship, and storytelling, Chioma helps women embrace technology as a tool for empowerment and civic participation.
She has an array of interests that revolves around women, media, politics, and technology. Her strategies advance causes, build businesses, and foster engagement between government and citizens.
Chioma’s foray into advocacy began in 2008, with the Light Up Nigeria Movement. Since then, she has functioned in leadership teams for campaigns such as Enough is Enough, Gen Voices, Occupy Nigeria, Bring Back Our Girls, Not Too Young To Run, and now, StateofEmergencyGBV.
With a Master’s Degree in Social Media and a first degree in Mass Communication, Chioma is a speaker, who has graced podiums from The Hague to The House of Lords in London, and across the continent.
Her work with women and politics is recognized worldwide, which earned her the spot of the inaugural speaker at the Global Women Leaders Forum in Iceland in November 2018.
Chioma is an alumnus of the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers. She served as Deputy Curator and Communications Director of the Abuja Hub, is an associate member of the Nigeria Leadership Initiative, a Commonwealth Associate Fellow, and a member of the British Red Cross and Mo Ibrahim Foundation Now Generation Network.
Inspiring a New Generation
Collectively, these women represent the power of innovation, resilience, and purpose.
They show that the tech industry is not just about coding or software, but about solving problems, building systems, and creating opportunities. Their achievements reflect the growing recognition of women’s role in shaping Nigeria’s digital future.
Beyond their professional success, these women leaders are paving the way for young girls to believe that they too, can excel in technology.
Through mentorship, advocacy, and visibility, they are helping to close the gender gap in one of the world’s most dynamic industries.
A Call to Action
The success stories of these eight women highlight both progress and potential. While women continue to face challenges such as limited access to funding and representation in leadership, their stories are a testament to what is possible when opportunity meets determination.
Nigeria’s digital future depends on nurturing talent, promoting inclusion, and supporting women who dare to innovate. These trailblazers have proven that when women rise in tech, entire communities rise with them.
Rose-Mary Obiasogu
Abuja Nigeria.
