In this part of Africa, particularly Nigeria, people previously saw the tech world as a male-only industry. When a woman enters the field, it is not uncommon to find people who often look sceptical, with whispers of “she’s not cut out for this”, doubting her capabilities simply because of her gender. Ada Nduka Oyom, a microbiology graduate, didn’t care about this when she stumbled into tech while studying at the University of Nigeria. She started as a self-taught developer and became intentional about building capacity in the tech industry when she realised that very few women were actively pursuing careers in technology.
Growing up, I had a vision of who I wanted to be, and if you asked me what my goal was, I would say, “For the average African girl out there to mention me as her role model” – Ada Nduka Oyom.
Her passion for tech started after she watched the movie The Intern. This movie depicted life at Google, which she found exciting. She later became an active member of the Google student club and spent her penultimate year attending tech industry events and taking design and coding classes.
She went on to become lead for the Google developer group chapter in school, which allowed her to network with some of the brightest Nigerian tech Gurus, and this exposed her to unique technical concepts and technologies.
Ada Nduka Oyom is now a Web Developer and advocate for Open Source expansion in Africa. She founded She Code Africa, an initiative dedicated to empowering African girls and women in technology. Through her organisation, she has created a supportive community where women and girls can learn, grow, and build successful careers in technology. She is also the co-founder of Open Source Community Africa – the largest community for open-source enthusiasts and experts in Africa.
She Code Africa is bridging the gender gap
She Code Africa, founded in 2016, offers training and resources and creates an environment where women can confidently pursue their ambitions in technology. The Tech Guru leading this movement is paving the way for a new generation of female tech leaders ready to redefine what is possible in the industry. Their goal is to see an Africa where women are equally represented across all career roles in technology.
The organisation’s objectives are clear and focuses on:
Education: they equip girls and women with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to thrive in tech careers through education and continuous learning. Their programs include workshops, coding boot camps, and development sessions led by industry experts and mentors.
Mentorship: She Code Africa has established robust mentorship opportunities. Here, aspiring female techies are paired with experienced professionals who guide them through the tech industry.
▪️ Networking: They host tech events that allow tech enthusiasts to gather, rub minds, and brainstorm on tech-related affairs.
These programmes have impacted participants on different levels.
“I wrote my first Python code with you and I also wrote my first technical article thanks to you. I’ve worked for the first time with an anglophone on a project thanks to you, and many more. I’m sure it’ll make doors open for me. THANK YOU SO MUCH ADA AND ALL THE INSIGHTFUL TEAM OF SHECODEAFRICA. Stay blessed!!!” – Atinouke Arinloye, a beneficiary.
Since its inception, She Code Africa has established over 40 chapter locations with over 40,000 community members. Additionally, over 50,000 women and girls have benefited from their programmes.
The founder is a passionate advocate for women in tech who champions the importance of open-source technologies. She encourages women to contribute to and learn from community-driven projects. She frequently organises workshops, coding boot camps, and networking events to provide a platform for women to share their experiences, learn from one another, and build lasting connections as female technologists.
Oyom has been recognised for her contributions to gender equality in tech by the African Union, UNICEF, and Google, amongst others.
She has a good number of international awards to her name, including the Women Who Code-Founder’s award, Future Awards Ytech 100 honoree, Booking.com Tech Playmaker award, HackerNoon’s Developer Advocate of the year, Education Change-maker by Women Of the World in London, and most recently the 2023 Digital Female Leadership award in Germany.
Ada Nduka Oyom has been invited to speak at numerous tech conferences and events. Currently, she serves as a Non-Executive Director on a U.S. board, working with governments and international bodies to mitigate the harmful use of AI technologies in policy-making and warfare.
