Welcome to the United Network of Innovators, Researchers, and Outstanding Networks in Science (UNICORNS)
To address the digital divide and promote gender diversity in Information Communication Technology, we are excited to introduce this comprehensive database. This initiative, recommended during our recent validation workshop, aims to track and celebrate the contributions, achievements, and professional details of women in Technology in Nigeria.
Our Database is Designed to:
Women Making Waves in the Tech Industry
Here are some remarkable Nigerian women who have made significant contributions to the ICT sector.
Mary Uduma
MD Jaeno Digital Solutions
Mary Uduma is the current Managing Director of Jaeno Digital Solutions. Prior to this, she served as the President of the Executive Board of the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), she became President September 2010, after serving as Vice-President since 2009. She has also served as Member of NiRA's Interim Board of Trustees. She is also a Director of Consumer Affairs Bureau with the Nigerian Communications Commission, which is the Nigerian Telecomm Regulator. She has worked for the Regulatory Authority for over 16 years. Uduma is a trained Chartered Accountant. During her time at NiRA, Uduma was concerned with Telecommunications regulation. She advised the Commission on matters related to Licensing, Policy, and Telecommunications Market competition, Tariff regulation and approvals. She also ensured consumer compliance and managed consumer code of practice issues. Her work also focused on zonal coordination, corporate planning and research. She served as the focal person on International Relations covering the ITU, ICANN, CTO, AUC, ECOWAS, etc. Mary worked at Deloitte and Touché, before joining NiRA. Her portfolio also includes work at a public accounting firm and a bank. She is also a Member of the WSIS. Uduma was also included in ICANNWiki's 'Mothers of the Internet' article.
Adia Sowho
Chief Marketing Officer, MTN Nigeria
Adia Sowho Chief Marketing Officer, MTN Nigeria. Adia is the face of MTN’s brand refresh in Nigeria (which highlights the company’s ambitions and 2025 targets, aimed at leading digital platforms for Africa’s progress), Adia made history as the first female Chief Marketing Officer of MTN Nigeria. A former CEO, tech venture builder, and operator, she also sits on the Board of various companies. She is an experienced global executive who leverages her background in engineering, consulting, and product development to build and operate leading category-defining businesses. With deep expertise spanning technology, telecommunications, and finance, she has successfully designed, built, and scaled tech-driven platform companies in emerging markets valued at over USD $100+ million. Prior to joining MTN, Adia was the interim CEO of ThriveAgric where she was appointed to guide the company through a turnaround exercise in 2020. Before her appointment at ThriveAgric, she was the VP for Growth at Migo (formerly Mines.io) in San Francisco, CA. She joined the team to act as the Managing Director for Migo’s Nigerian Office. She also worked at Etisalat Nigeria (9mobile) for more than seven years where she held positions such as Head, Strategy and Business Development, Head of Digital Media, and Director of Digital Business. Prior to that, she worked as a consultant at Deloitte Consulting for about two years and Radio Frequency Engineer at US Cellular for about seven years. Adia holds a bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Electrical Engineering with a major in Communications from the University of Sheffield, United Kingdom and a Master of Business Administration from Kellogg School of Management with majors in Strategy, Analytical Consulting, Strategic Marketing and Entrepreneurship. She supports Africa’s tech ecosystems as a startup mentor and speaker, working with various Africa-focused VC firms to better prepare their portfolios for scale. She’s currently an advisor to Zimbali Networks, One Health, and venture funds Ventures Platform and Rally Cap. She made history in 2021 shattering glass ceilings to become the first female Chief Marketing Officer at MTN. She has spent her career designing, building, and scaling tech businesses and she’s passionate about revolutionising communication.
Tope Ogundipe
Founder/Director at TechSocietal Consulting
Tope is currently working with SDDirect as a regional specialist on the FCDO-funded Digital Access Programme to help create more inclusive, safe and secure digital access for excluded and underserved communities in Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Indonesia and Brazil. Her work with clients on similar themes includes a digital inclusion diagnostic and strategy development to bridge the digital divide for underserved communities and people with disabilities in the context of COVID-19; research to understand the digital gender gap and the related economic impacts; as well as stakeholder engagement and advisory services for major internet-based organisations. Tope is the Founder/Director at TechSocietal Consulting, a social enterprise specialising in technology policy and programme management for social good. TechSocietal engages with technology and digital policies, programmes and products to promote human rights, freedoms, and gender and inclusion. Tope's consulting experience involves work with clients from global internet-based organisations, consulting firms, and international aid organisations in the areas of research, advocacy, gender mainstreaming, programme management, capacity building, diagnostics, strategy development, and stakeholder engagement. Tope worked previously as the Chief Operating Officer and as the Africa Programs Director at Paradigm Initiative (a pan-African social enterprise with presence in eight African countries running digital inclusion and digital rights advocacy programmes) where she led the design, implementation and expansion of programmes for the development of public policy for internet freedoms throughout Africa. In these roles, she organised both the yearly bi-lingual Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum for six years, with participants from 30 African countries, and the annual 'Tech for Good Day' in Nigeria in association with Microsoft to empower the third sector to use technology to solve social problems. Tope is an advocate for women’s rights in the digital space and has worked on projects with the Worldwide Web Foundation which involves research and policy advocacy on mainstreaming gender in national information and communications technology (ICT) policies. Tope works with such regional and international networks as the Alliance for Affordable Internet, the IGF Best Practise Forum (on gender and access), the African Internet Rights Alliance and the Net Rights Africa Coalition to advance digital access and opportunities. She is an alumna of the Harvard Kennedy School, the Lagos Business School, the Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria and the University of York.
Adedoyin Odunfa
Founder/CEO at Digital Jewels Ltd
Adedoyin Odunfa, Founder/CEO at Digital Jewels Ltd Adedoyin is a techpreneur and founder of IT governance, risk management and compliance consulting firm, Digital Jewels. She is passionate about IT and business management and has given 30 years of her career to the IT industry; spanning Information/Cyber Security, IT Governance, Risk & Compliance, and Business Strategy amongst other roles
Aisha Mumuni
Chief Digital Officer, MTN Nigeria
A’isha Mumuni, Chief Digital Officer, MTN Nigeria. A’isha spends her time managing a team of people who are using technology and data to push MTN forward. With a vast array of qualifications and innovative digital solutions under her belt at MTN, she has made her mark in the digital services division by contributing to this division since it was formed. She has been pivotal to the growth of digital business services in MTN and Nigeria. She keeps MTN up to date with digital trends and makes sure the company remains a leader in digital innovation.
Funke Opeke
CEO / FOUNDER MainOne Cable
Funke Opeke, CEO, MainOne Cable. Founder of MainOne Cable companies, Funke Opeke has been passionate about improving communications in Africa. After working for two decades in the US including communications company Verizon, she returned to Nigeria and began working in Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL). Her passion has been to fix telecommunications in Nigeria. Her company, MainOne built the first privately-owned submarine network in West Africa extending 7,000 kilometres from Portugal to Lagos, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire and connecting West Africa to other major business communities. As CEO of Main One, she has raised over $240 million in funding and led her company from a fledgling startup to a multimillion-dollar communications giant which was acquired by Equinix for $320 million in 2021.
Kofo Akinkugbe
Founder/Group CEO, SecureID Ltd.
Kofo Akinkugbe, OON, Founder/Group CEO, SecureID Ltd. Kofo has made her mark in the African technology ecosystem as the founder and leader of the smart card manufacturing company SecureID. She was awarded the National Productivity Order of Merit (NPOM) award in 2022 for her excellence at SecureID and the company’s contributions to digital innovation in the country.
Abisola O. Laseindex
Founder, The CIO Club
Abisola O. Laseinde, Founder, The CIO Club, Africa A legal-tech enthusiast, Abisola is the founder of the Chief Information Officer (CIO) club and awards which honours IT experts excelling in their roles and driving IT growth in Africa. She is a governance and business operations expert and currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer at Edniesal Consulting, a business consulting firm. She believes that good CIOs are pivotal to advancing organisations
Elizabeth Eterigho
President (APWEN)
Elizabeth Eterigho, President, Association of Professional Women Engineers in Nigeria (APWEN). Senior Lecturer at the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Elizabeth has been an Academic researcher for 28 years. She is passionate about sustainable and renewable energy and getting more girls in STEM. APWEN sponsors scholarships for girls to study STEM courses at universities. They also provide training, coaching, and mentoring for young girls and help female engineers get employed in their fields
Bukola Ajayi
General Manager, Architecture and Engineering, MTN Nigeria.
Bukola Ajayi, General Manager, Architecture and Engineering, MTN Nigeria. Bukola is a business and technology professional who has built a career leveraging her skills in business analysis, strategy and planning, application development, and people management. She has a career in MTN spanning two decades, where she has in the past provided business design service models for enterprise solutions, enterprise-wide process optimization and re-engineering with automation and digitisation, ensured product, service, platform, and overall design is aligned with architectural principles and business requirements of the Information Systems in the organisation.
Lola Masha
Deputy Managing Director, Babban Gona
Lola Masha, Deputy Managing Director, Babban Gona. Lola is the co-founder and deputy managing director for Babban Gona in Nigeria. Lola has had a notable career in technology with experiences in Google and Nigerian start-ups OLX and Babban Gona. She has been focused on entrepreneurship in Africa for over a decade, empowering young Entrepreneurs in agriculture and e-commerce.
Lynda Saint-Nwafor
Chief Enterprise Business Officer, MTN
Lynda Saint-Nwafor, Chief Enterprise Business Officer, MTN Nigeria. A graduate of Engineering, Lynda obtained her BSc from Enugu State University in 1996, and became a valuable addition to the MTN team when she joined as Systems Planning Engineer in the Networks Division in 2002. Lynda began her career in 1994, as a Trainee System Analyst with Data Sciences Nigeria Limited, where she amassed a wealth of experience, before leaving to head the Engineering, Development & Project Management Department at EMIS Telecoms Nigeria in 2001. Since joining MTN Nigeria in 2002, she has been on the rise. In 2011, she became the Chief Technical Officer, the first woman to occupy this position in the country. In June 2016, she assumed the position of Chief Enterprise Business Officer, where she currently steers the ship that leads enterprise and ICT strategy in MTN. She has also served in various key advisory positions such as being a Member of the Presidential Committee for Broadband development instituted by Former President Goodluck Jonathan. With over 20 years of experience at MTN, Lynda Saint-Nwafor has served as the Chief Technical Officer and General at MTN Nigeria and has also been a member of the Presidential Committee under Former President Goodluck Jonathan. She is passionate about small businesses and how they contribute to the innovation of the country and she spends her time as CEBO working towards the growth of these businesses and their founders.
Juliet Ehimuan-Chiazor
Country Manager, Google, Nig.
Juliet Ehimuan-Chiazor, Country Manager, Google, Nigeria Juliet was one of Forbes’ 2011 “20 Youngest Power Women In Africa” and has been featured in BBC Africa’s Power Women series and CNN’s Innovate for her accomplishments. A high-achiever, she has worked as a Program Manager at Microsoft, General Manager, Strategic Business Units at Chams PLC, and now at Google as Country Director, leading business strategy in West Africa. As a go-getter herself, she champions opportunity for others through her initiative called Beyond Limits Africa which offers coaching, leadership programs, and workshops to individuals in Africa.
Nkemdilim Uwaje Begho
MD & CEO, Future Software Resources Ltd.
Nkemdilim Uwaje Begho (F.SCGN), MD & CEO, Future Software Resources Ltd.. Nkemdili Is the founder and MD of Future Software Resources. She is a speaker and has made her mark on the next generation by educating young girls across universities in Nigeria on opportunities in the tech industry. She is passionate about the inclusion of women in all industries. She has also worked with the Lagos state government on science and innovation and has led teams creating strategy and implementation in Digital Marketing in one of Nigeria’s leading digital & technology solutions companies. She has been honoured as an Obama Africa Leader and also Forbes’s Top Ten Female Tech Founders in Africa.
Nnenna Nwakanma
Chief Web Advocate
Nnenna Nwakanma, Chief Web Advocate, World Wide Web Foundation. Free and Open-Source Software (FOSS) activist and community organiser, Nnenna Nwakanma is passionate about making data accessible to all on the internet. Her desire to advocate for women and general equity has led her to roles in the UN, the African Open Source Foundation, FOSSFA and now Chief Web Advocate at the World Wide Web Foundation. She describes herself as ‘Nnenna from the Internet’
Odunayo Ewewniyi
Co-Founder, PiggyVest
Odunayo Ewewniyi, Co-Founder, PiggyVest. Featured in the latest Forbes’ 30 under 30 list, Odun is enthusiastic about technology and helping women do great things through technology. As a tech entrepreneur, she co-founded Piggyvest Nigeria where she now serves as Chief Operating Officer. She is also the co-founder of FirstCheck Africa, an early-stage venture capital investing in female-led businesses in Africa. Outside of technology, Odun is an activist, lending voice to women’s issues in Africa. She is a founding member of The Feminist Coalition (FEMCO). She also speaks at conferences across the globe, educating people on saving, entrepreneurship, and women issues.
Ogo Ofomata
Director of Sales and Marketing at Airtel Nigeria.
Ogo Ofomata, Director of Sales and Marketing at Airtel Nigeria. Ogo is a director of sales and marketing at Airtel Nigeria. With a degree in Computer science, she has filled several senior roles in telecommunications companies . She is passionate about ICT and has held roles in Vodacom Business Africa, Gateway Communications Africa, and GS Telcom Nigeria.
Olatomiwa Williams
Country Manager, Nigeria & Ghana, Microsoft.
Olatomiwa Williams, Country Manager, Nigeria & Ghana, Microsoft. Olatomiwa has decades of experience in information technology. As a tech and business guru she builds strategic partnerships between Microsoft and businesses in Nigeria and Ghana. In her off time she mentors young leaders and she leads female focused initiatives to support and encourage women and girls in her region to get involved in information technology and engineering.
Olayinka David-West
Professor of Information Systems Pan-Atlantic University
Olayinka David-West, Associate Dean & Professor of Information Systems at Lagos Business School, Pan-Atlantic University. Olayinka is the Associate Dean of Lagos Business School (LBS), a Professor of Information Systems and she sits on the management board of LBS. She is passionate about financial inclusion and the use of technology to advance business and society. One career milestone for professor Olayinka was becoming a professor within a decade of being awarded a doctoral degree and according to her, she believes that “tech is an enabler of social and business change and I’m motivated by the opportunities in Africa!”
Omobola Johnson
Co-Founder, PiggyVest
Omobola Johnson, Nigerian Technocrat and Chairperson Global Alliance for Affordable Internet. Omobola is the first and former Minister of Communication Technology in Nigeria under President Goodluck Jonathan. A champion of women’s empowerment, she is one of the co-founders of Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ), a non-profit that helps women become leaders in business and public service. She is often described as a technocrat and believes in the collaboration between government and the ICT industry. She also sits on the Board of MTN Nigeria and many other companies.
Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka
General Manager, Fixed Broadband, MTN Nigeria
Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, General Manager, Fixed Broadband, MTN Nigeria. Onyinye oversees operations for broadband services at MTN. She began her career at MTN in 2001 as a sales executive in the business development team and has since led various high-profile teams within the company. Onyinye played a key role in the establishment of the Enterprise Business division where she worked as General Manager for seven years, leading nationwide sales efforts, delivering consistent YoY growth for the business and driving expansion into new markets. She developed and managed profitable business models for high-end enterprise and digital initiatives within the MTN Enterprise Business division serving SMEs, Large and Multinational Organisations. She currently provides leadership and sets standards for fixed broadband operations, as well as establishes resources to meet customer requirements, in line with the Nigerian National Broadband Plan 2020-2025. She is a business leader with over 23 years experience in the telecommunications, logistics and education sectors. Onyinye holds a Master of Business Administration in General Management from the University of Manchester, United Kingdom and a Bachelor’s Degree in Geology from the University of Calabar, Cross River state. She is also a member of the Forbes Business Development Council.
Teju Ajani
Managing Director, Apple, Nigeria.
Teju Ajani, Managing Director, Apple, NigeriaTeju has built her career as a woman in tech contributing to global fortune 500 companies including Google, Oracle and now Apple. She is considered a tech, technical sales, and content expert. She combines her extensive experience in software engineering, product and business management to now lead strategic partnerships at Apple. While working at Google she led the Women at Google group in Sub Saharan Africa. She is passionate about equality and how tech can provide opportunities for economic growth for everyone.
Uzoma Ekwebelem
Cloud Country Leader, Oracle Technology
Uzoma Ekwebelem, Cloud Country Leader, Oracle Technology. Uzoma has had a career in technology spanning decades, during which she has worked with leading names like MTN and IBM. She has become a household name in the ICT industry as an IT leader with skills in business strategy, business development and relationship development. Uzoma is a mastermind at closing deals and has closed multinational deals at individual and government levels and now spends her time managing relationships at Oracle.
Dr Veronica Onaja Babayemi
Co-Founder, PiggyVest
Dr Veronica Onaja Babayemi, Managing Director, Telko MS. Veronica is the Managing Director at Telko Managed Service where she is focused on driving strategic growth at businesses in Africa. A graduate of the University of Warwick, Veronica has had a 20 year career in telecommunications holding various positions at Airtel Nigeria and now as Managing Director at Telko Managed service.
Yetunde Ojo
General Manager, IT Operations, MTN Nig
Yetunde Ojo, General Manager, IT Operations, MTN NigeriaYetunde manages IT operations at MTN Nigeria. She was the Head of Technology at The Nigerian Stock Exchange from 2014 till 2016. She is an advisor, thought leader, and businesswoman. She has built her career in operations across various industries including, insurance, telecommunication, banking and capital markets.
Sa’adat Aliyu
Founder of Shamrock Innovations
Saadat Aliyu is the founder of Shamrock Innovations, a women and youth-centric innovation hub focusing on helping women and youth build sustainable businesses and innovative solutions. She is a woman in tech advocate and an advocate against gender-based violence. She is passionate about advocating for the use of digital technologies to drive social change. With over six years of experience in building tech communities and advocacy, she has trained thousands of women in technological and entrepreneurship empowerment skills, as well as in using modern technologies.
Aida Isah El-Hassan
Manager Startup Kano
Aida Isah El-Hassan, Manager of the Hub/Community at Startup Kano, also known as The Heartbeat of Community. She is a certified professional in Management Studies, Digital Marketing, and Project Management Foundations. She ensures the day-to-day hub operations run smoothly. She organizes engaging events, fosters partnerships, and tailors programs that cater to the community’s needs. She is not just about managing; she’s also into creating meaningful interactions and sparking collaborative ventures. Effective communication, creative problem-solving, organizational finesse, and emotional intelligence are a few from Aida’s versatile set of skills. She is adept at building networks, and infusing a touch of creativity and research. Her projects reflect her commitment to making a difference. She is a key player in shaping innovative narratives.She led the British Council’s Creative Economy E-Learning Program (CEEP) in 2022 and coordinated PitchStar.
Rakiya Shaibu Mohammed
Chief Information Security Officer (CCISO)
Mrs. Mohammed is a civil servant and a certified IT Business Manager, Chief Information Security Officer (CCISO), Certified Enterprise and Solution Architect, Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) and a Chartered Accountant (ICAN). She has worked in various environments spanning financial, telecommunications and technology with over 25 years’ experience of which over 15 years were in top leadership roles. She has a passion for mentoring young girls in the field of ICT. Mrs muhammed was the director of IT, central bank of Nigeria as of 2021
Chizoba Delphine Onuoha
Certified Information Systems Manager (CISM)
Chizoba Delphine Onuoha is a certified Information Systems Manager (CISM), Certified ISO27001 Lead Implementer, Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) and seasoned IT Project Manager and ITIL expert.
Dr Juliet Ehimuan
Tech industry leader
Dr Juliet Ehimuan is a respected tech industry leader with over 25 years’ experience. She recently concluded her 12-year tenure at Google, where she served as a pioneering Country Director of Google Nigeria and later as Director for West Africa. With a focus on driving innovation and growth, Juliet played a pivotal role in expanding Google’s presence in Nigeria and the wider West Africa region. Throughout her career, Juliet has been at the forefront of shaping the African digital technology landscape. She has championed public policy initiatives to increase digital access and affordability, forged strategic partnerships with key stakeholders, and localized Google products to meet the unique needs of the African market. Beyond her corporate role, Juliet is recognized as a thought leader, mentor, and advocate for personal growth and leadership development. Her book, “30 Days of Excellence,” inspires individuals to reach their full potential and make a positive impact in their communities. In addition, Juliet serves on the boards of various organizations, further contributing to her extensive professional profile. Her board memberships demonstrate her commitment to driving impact and shaping key industry players. Her involvement on various boards highlights her influence and dedication to serving her community. Juliet Ehimuan’s diverse professional experiences, coupled with her board involvement, solidify her position as a respected leader and influential figure in the tech industry and beyond.
Chioma Agwuegbo
Founder of TechHer
Chioma Agwuegbo is a Nigerian gender advocate, journalist, and the founder of TechHer, an organization focused on bridging the gender gap in technology by empowering women with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in the tech industry. She is also a public speaker and has been involved in various initiatives aimed at promoting gender equality and increasing women's participation in technology and other sectors. Chioma has a background in communications and has used her platform to raise awareness about issues related to gender, technology, and social justice.