Oladiwura Oladepo is bridging Africa’s digital divide through inclusive tech education and skills development.
The global economy is increasingly digitised, yet the disparity between those equipped with digital competencies and those excluded from technological advancement is becoming more pronounced, particularly in emerging markets. In sub-Saharan Africa, where youth unemployment remains high and digital infrastructure is unevenly distributed, the lack of foundational tech skills presents a structural barrier to inclusive growth. Tech4Dev, co-founded by Oladiwura (Diwura) Oladepo, is among the organisations striving to change this narrative, providing individuals with the tools they need to thrive in a tech-driven world.
How a public health crisis sparked a tech movement
The origin of Tech4Dev dates back to the 2014 Ebola outbreak in Nigeria. Oladepo, whose father is a Professor of Public Health, observed the growing concern about the lack of accessible information about the virus. In response, she and her husband, Joel Ogunsola—then a Microsoft employee—collaborated to build an informational website called Stop Ebola.
The platform attracted nearly one million unique visits, offering critical updates during the health crisis. That experience laid the foundation for Tech4Dev, initially aiming to address gaps in public health communication, civic engagement, and digital education.
However, in 2019, after participating in the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women and engaging with policy advisors, the organisation shifted its focus to digital education. According to its founders, this area offered the most tremendous potential for long-term impact.
Tech4Dev’s evolving mission
Tech4Dev now positions itself as a nonprofit dedicated to creating access to digital skills and improving employment and entrepreneurial outcomes for Africans. The organisation works across multiple countries and partners with governments and private sector players to implement training and capacity-building programmes.
According to internal metrics, Tech4Dev has reached over 190,000 direct beneficiaries and nearly 900,000 indirect beneficiaries across 30 African countries. Its programs target women, youth, and underserved communities, aiming to close the digital divide and enhance economic mobility.
Initiatives focused on gender and skills development
One of the organisation’s flagship programs is the Women Techsters Initiative, launched in collaboration with Microsoft in 2021. The initiative addresses the gender gap in technology by training women and girls in software development, game design, and the Internet of Things, particularly those from low-income communities.
The pilot phase trained approximately 2,500 women aged between 16 and 40 in Nigeria. Tech4Dev reports that 70% of participants went on to start careers in tech, 25% enrolled in STEM-related higher education, and 5% began building their startups.
The initiative has since expanded to 22 African countries, providing technical and soft skills training. According to participants, the programme has helped build their confidence and prepare them for careers in the tech industry.
“The experience in the Women Techsters Fellowship has been a stepping stone to my success. I obtained my first global certificate (Certified in Cybersecurity) in October 2022, two months after the training started. Tech4Dev has given me the courage, knowledge, and skills to pass my Certified in Cybersecurity exam, and ace interviews,” said Oluwabusayo Aseto.
In 2024, Tech4Dev launched the DigitalForAll Challenge, a national digital literacy competition with a reward pool of ₦150 million (about $96,000). The initiative, supported by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), aims to incentivise digital skills acquisition among Nigerian youth.
While Tech4Dev continues to expand its programmes across Africa, its leadership asserts that the core objective remains unchanged: equipping individuals with the skills needed to engage in an increasingly digital economy. Through her work with the organisation, Oladiwura Oladepo has emerged as one of the most prominent figures in Africa’s nonprofit tech sector, championing digital transformation.
