Meet Ekwutosi Cynthia Okeh whose edtech platform Digital Witch has trained 40,000 global tech talents

As the world advances further into the age of technology, one of its stiffest challenges remains the ability to produce more tech talents in an ever-changing space. This is especially true in Africa, a continent struggling to catch up with the rest of the advanced world. Progressive governments have invested huge sums to tackle the challenge but their efforts have merely scratched the surface.

This buttresses the need for private players to undertake the arduous albeit all-important task. Ekwutosi Cynthia Okeh, a Nigerian edtech leader is one such private player that is responding to this need through her education technology platform, Digital Witch.

Founded in April 2021, Ekwutosi said the idea behind the edtech platform was conceived after observing that a lot of women in marriages, were stuck as stay-at-home wives despite their penchant to become more. This realisation became even clearer upon the demise of her father, a tragedy which left her mum unable to fend for herself due to her lack of skill.

“Digital Witch Ltd was driven by my deep passion for empowering women. As I read stories on social media, I noticed that many married women felt stuck and needed opportunities to grow. They needed skills that would not only open doors locally but also connect them to international opportunities. My initial motivation was the hunger to see women succeed. However, after our first cohort started achieving real success, interest in our training grew rapidly, proving the demand for these valuable skills,” she said.

The name, Digital Witch, comes off as a bit curious and Ekwutosi said she wouldn’t have it any other way. She also explained that it was simply an ode to her deftness and resourcefulness in finding digital solutions to problems presented by her friends and the people around her.

“People around me were always intrigued by how much I knew and how I could find a workaround for almost any digital problem. My close friends started calling me a ‘digital witch,’ and over time, more people joined in. When it was time to start our community, I couldn’t think of a better name—it just felt right. I also love that it sparks curiosity in anyone who hears it,” she said.

 From sales rep to creating 40,000 digital witches and wizards in 4 years

Just like many other women in tech, Ekwutosi Cynthia Okeh discovered tech entirely by accident. Upon completing her national youth service, the Enugu-born techpreneur decided to leave her state of origin in search of better opportunities in Lagos. Here she began working as a Sales Representative and Business Developer at a real estate company.

One day, she stumbled upon a Cloud Computing training channel on YouTube. While the topic sounded very technical, it nonetheless piqued her interest enough to become inquisitive. She continued watching and found herself developing a deep interest in the topic. She went ahead to subscribe to the channel, watched at least two videos a day, and thus began her journey into tech.

Three years later, she would found Digital Witch an edtech startup that focuses on equipping adults with the IT support skills they require to work and earn remotely. Skills taught include Virtual Assistance and Customer Support, Telemarketing, Telehealth Technical Support, Air BNB and Itinerary management, Tech sales, Workflow Automation, Calendar management, Lead generation/cold calling, Email management/Email marketing, Project management tools, Telehealth, How to use Ai tools like ChatGPT etc.

The platform also offers more advanced tech courses like cloud computing/ cybersecurity, Project management/Business Analysis programs, Data Analysis etc. Aside from these skills, the platform also helps its users in their job-search process by coaching them on how to create upwork profiles, write job proposals and cover letters, apply for jobs on freelancing platforms, answer interview questions and others.

For Ekwutosi, one of the biggest challenges on the platform is providing students, mostly adults, with the basic computer programming knowledge required to succeed in the program. She pointed out that many incoming students lack this knowledge and this makes the training process more challenging and sometimes frustrating for both learners and instructors.

The platform was able to surmount this challenge by putting in place a special program for that. The program imparts computer knowledge from the very basics, ensuring that everyone is carried along and no one is left behind in their learning journey.

Despite that challenge, her biggest milestone is successfully training over 40,000 students on the platform in less than four years.

“My biggest milestone has been successfully training over 40,000 students in less than four years, witnessing countless success stories from those who have gone through our programs. Contributing to reducing unemployment in Nigeria through education and skill development is something I take great pride in,” she said.

Impostor syndrome hindering women switching to tech

While the Nigerian tech space is experiencing tremendous growth, it still appears to generally be a man’s world. Being in tech can be quite demanding, especially for women. Speaking about the barriers women face in tech, Ekwutosi Cynthia Okeh believes one of the biggest challenges is imposter syndrome. She noted that many women struggle with self-doubt and questioning their ability to learn and succeed in tech.

She said for married women, the challenge is often compounded by a lack of support from their partners, some of whom discourage them from pursuing opportunities that could contribute to their growth.

“As a result, many women join our programs in secret, determined to prove to themselves—and sometimes to their partners—that they are capable,” she said.

To overcome this, continuous awareness and education are essential. Women need to be reminded that they can achieve anything they set their minds to, and more importantly, they can succeed. At the same time, men need to be more supportive, as encouragement from a partner can significantly boost a woman’s confidence and motivation.

Despite these challenges, she believes this trend is changing quite rapidly as more women are rising up to the occasion in their bid to stand out and contribute

“Honestly, the number of women in tech is no longer minimal. In our community alone, women outnumber men, and many of them have achieved remarkable success. It’s incredibly rewarding to see our efforts making a real impact, and I’m proud to be part of the pioneers driving this change,” she said.

So what’s next for Ekwutosi and Digital Witch? The CEO said the immediate focus is on expanding the platform’s impact even further.

“While we’ve successfully trained over 40,000 students in under four years, we recognize that there are still many people—especially in rural areas—who lack access to quality tech education and mentorship. Our goal is to bridge this gap by extending our training programs to underserved communities, empowering more individuals with the skills they need to succeed in the digital world,” she said.

The team is also actively negotiating with agencies and organizations that can help place their alumni in jobs, internships, and other career opportunities. She noted that skills acquisition is just one part of the equation and real success comes when those skills translate into tangible career growth. By forming these strategic partnerships, we aim to create more pathways for our students to secure meaningful employment and thrive in their chosen fields.

“Ultimately, our mission remains the same: to equip people with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to break barriers, achieve success, and transform their lives through technology. And this is just the beginning,” she said.

See also: Tour of Beta Glass’ fully automated plant in Nigeria that produces 650 million bottles yearly