Africa’s digital future cannot be fully realised if women remain underrepresented in the systems building it. That message shaped the fifth edition of the Women in Technology and Engineering Summit, held at the MUSON Centre in Lagos, where leaders from government, business, and academia gathered to push for a more inclusive tech ecosystem.
Organised by Womenovate in partnership with the MTN Foundation, the summit focused on practical ways to close the digital gender gap and strengthen the pipeline of female talent across technology and engineering.
From dialogue to direct impact.
WITESA 5.0 went beyond panel discussions and corporate language. The summit brought female secondary school and university students into the room, giving them direct access to senior professionals, mentorship, and exposure to emerging technologies.
Representing Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Olatunbosun Alake, said innovation cannot thrive without deliberate inclusion. He noted that young women must be made visible and supported in fields such as artificial intelligence, renewable energy, data science, and engineering.
His message reflected a broader truth: infrastructure alone is not enough. For digital transformation to be meaningful, it must be built on access, representation, and opportunity.
MTN’s equity model.
MTN Nigeria used the summit to show how gender inclusion can be built into corporate strategy rather than treated as an afterthought. According to Njideka Jack, General Manager for Enterprise Marketing, closing the digital divide requires intentional action backed by data.
The company reported that:
- Women make up 41.4% of its total workforce.
- Women hold 46.4% of executive leadership roles.
Its Y’ellopreneur initiative has empowered more than 5,700 female entrepreneurs across Nigeria.
Those figures positioned MTN as an example of what deliberate equity can look like when it is embedded into business operations.
Changing the narrative
For Womenovate CEO and summit convener Motunrayo Opayinka, the challenge goes beyond access. It also involves shifting how society sees women in technical fields.
That means normalizing female excellence in spaces where women have historically been underrepresented, while also creating the support systems that allow more of them to stay, grow, and lead.
Honouring trailblazers.
The summit ended with an awards ceremony recognising leaders whose work continues to shape Africa’s technology story. Honourees included Bukola Ajayi of MTN Nigeria, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede of Access Holdings PLC and Coronation Group, Ude Enebeli of MTN Cameroon, and Nkemdilim Uwaje Begho of Future Software Resources Limited. Source Guardian News.
WITESA 5.0 made one thing clear: if Africa wants a stronger digital economy, inclusion cannot remain a side conversation. It has to be part of the plan from the start.
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