Technext’s top 5 women that defined the Nigerian tech space in 2022

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Top 5 women that defined the Nigerian tech space in 2022
Top 5 women that defined the Nigerian tech space in 2022

Whew! It is no surprise that the global tech space has seen many ups and downs, but despite this, several major players have shaken the tech space.

In Nigeria, for example, among these major tech space shakers are some women who have made significant contributions to the Nigerian tech space this year, including creating tech-inclusive opportunities, milestone achievements, and impactful leadership roles, among many other things.

However, among the thousands of women making a massive impact, this article highlights the top 5 women who shaped the Nigerian tech space in 2022. These women founded or invested in innovative startups, mentored upcoming techies,

Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes

5 women that defined the Nigerian tech space in 2022

Adesuwa is a leading investment expert and CEO with over 14 years of experience in investment banking and private equity in developed and emerging economies across various sectors in the Nigerian tech space, including healthcare, financial services, technology, and consumer products.

She founded Aruwa Capital Management, one of the few female-owned private equity fund management platforms, and serves as its managing partner. She is focused on addressing and closing the investment gap that affects women-led businesses in Nigeria.

It has invested in startups like Wemy Industries and Lifestores Healthcare, PngMe and Crowdforce, Koolboks, Agroeknor, and Taeillo. This year, Aruwa Capital Management, during the close of its first institutional fund, surpassed its $20 million target.

Adesuwa’s mission is to support especially the potential of private investment to transform her community and the startup ecosystem, including the Nigerian tech space.

Jessica Anuna

Jessica Anuna is a techpreneur and the founder/CEO of Klasha; a tech company focused on building software to drive African commerce.

Jessica worked for various companies before founding Klasha, including Net-A-Porter and Amazon. During her time in Shanghai, where she studied Chinese at Jiao Tong University, she also founded the Restock China company.

She has been featured in Forbes, WWD, and BBC London News and delivered keynote speeches at the UN Headquarters in Geneva, Nairobi, and the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa.

This year, her company, Klasha, which has quite a large percentage of female staff, became the first company in Nigeria to introduce a menstrual leave policy. This is a major development in the Nigerian tech space.

Confidence Staveley

5 women that defined the Nigerian tech space in 2022

Confidence Staveley is one of the most celebrated female Cybersecurity Leaders in Africa. This year, she became an official member and the first Nigerian woman inducted into the Forbes Technology Council.

Confidence has received numerous awards this year, including the CyberSecurity Woman of the Year Award at the Cybersecurity Merit Awards presented by the Cyber Security Experts Association of Nigeria (CSEAN).

She is also the founder of the Cybersafe foundation. This organization has used its various initiatives to assist and educate the masses on the importance of being extremely cautious of the internet space.

One of her initiatives focuses on empowering young girls with cybersecurity knowledge and skills to impact and promote gender inclusivity in the Nigerian tech space and beyond.

Read Also: Confidence Staveley: Many factors contribute to the gender gap in Tech

Ada Nduka Oyom

Ada Oyom has over 7 years of experience as a software developer despite holding a Bachelor’s in microbiology. She is also an open-source advocate and oversaw the Interswitch Group’s Developer Relations team from 2018 to 2019.

She founded She Code Africa and Open Source Community Africa, focusing on women in technology and open source issues, respectively.

This year, she hosted the first-ever community summit of She Code Africa after 6 years of its launch.

The organization has since impacted over 17,000 women members across 20 African countries while championing gender diversity in tech and the Nigerian tech space.

Funke Opeke

 5 women that defined the Nigerian tech space in 2022 - Funke Opeke

Ms. Funke Opeke is a seasoned telecom executive with more than 20 years of experience.

She is the founder and CEO of MainOne, a West African communications services and network solutions provider that built the continent’s first privately owned, open-access 7,000-kilometer undersea high-capacity cable submarine.

She was the Executive Director of Verizon Communications Wholesale Division and the Chief Technical Officer of MTN before founding MainOne. She also served as interim Chief Operating Officer following the acquisition of NITEL.

This year, the $320 million acquisition deal for MainOne by Equinix, was finalised. This was to extend Equinix reach in the African market, a great impact in the Nigerian tech space.

Read Also: Equinix expands to Africa, closes US$320 million acquisition of MainOne

The end

That’s our list of women that made an impact in the Nigerian tech space in 2022

The fact that these women inspire is a common thread that runs through the snippets of their stories. Their stories demonstrate that women have much more to offer than coding skills. So you need to identify your skill niche, learn, stay updated and become impactful to society.

Hit us up in the comment section to share your thoughts with us, and let us know if you have a favourite leading woman that did not make the list.


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