News
How Business can Build Future Career Paths for Women in AI and Emerging Tech
The underrepresentation of women in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields continues to persist. This is despite progress being made in gender equality and equity over the last decade.
According to the latest UNESCO report on gender-responsive education, too many girls and women are held back by biases, social norms and expectations influencing the quality of the education they receive and the subjects they study. Girls are particularly under-represented in developing countries in the African continent; particularly around STEM education and, consequently, in STEM careers.
This gender disparity is alarming, especially as STEM careers are the jobs of the future. Think AI, workplace 4.0, driving innovation, social wellbeing, inclusive growth and sustainable development. This article seeks to understand the role of business in breaking the gender divide and how businesses can bridge this gap and create women leaders of the future.
Salesforce empowers women in AI
The greatest challenge to advancing gender equality in the workplace, particularly in the technology industry, is addressing women’s under-representation in emerging roles, such as AI as well as in cloud computing, engineering and Data, according to Ursula Fear, Senior Talent Programme Manager at Salesforce.
Across all sectors, systems need to become more equitable. To open up the technology industry specifically, the role of business to address the issue of equity should begin with education. Encouraging more women to enter STEM fields will help businesses address women’s under-representation in emerging roles such as cloud computing, engineering, data and AI.
“Addressing this challenge starts long before a woman enters the workforce. We need to work together – as education institutes, as business, as caregivers – to help cultivate an interest in ICT among young girls by exposing them to all the possibilities ICT holds,” says Fear.
“A successful outcome would be the day that we no longer need to talk about girls or women in ICT as a specific focus area. In the meantime we need to keep nurturing potential, interrogating how to make ICT more appealing to girls and women, and actively debunk any remaining stigmas, myths and stereotypes around ICT being a male field,” adds Fear.
Beyond Bias: Huawei’s Drive for Women in STEM Unlocks Futures
It is imperative to acknowledge the progress made towards gender equality in STEM despite the ongoing societal and educational challenges deterring women from these fields.
According to Vanashree Govender, Senior Communications Manager at Huawei South Africa, Huawei’s commitment to ICT education and empowerment is demonstrated through initiatives like the Seeds for the Future and the Huawei Bursary Programme which actively targets a 50-50 gender split.
“Our commitment to connecting more South Africans to the internet, with our telco partners, and bringing the very latest technologies to SA, means that we are well placed to run big ICT training programmes in the country. These programmes actively target women participants, from students to women entrepreneurs.”
Huawei’s Women in Tech programme, in partnership with the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies in South Africa, provides crucial exposure to new technologies like 5G, Cloud and AI to women entrepreneurs and ICT students to advance their digital skills and prepare for the future workplace.
These initiatives are integral to creating an inclusive environment and equipping women with the necessary tools to excel in STEM without being limited by gender roles or accessibility challenges.
Uber champions female entrepreneurship, empowering women to drive
Over the years, the e-haling industry has been male-dominated. In recent times, however, there has been a shift towards female e-hailing drivers taking up opportunities in this tech platform economy.
To aid and support women’s active participation and champion entrepreneurship in the South African economy, and through technology, Uber has launched several initiatives and in-app features to help women overcome the barriers that they face in their businesses. These include Women Rider Preferred, a feature that provides women with a choice in opting to be connected to women riders.
“We are especially proud to have been able to empower women in South Africa with access to new and flexible earning opportunities by providing them with the necessary resources to thrive and continue to improve their mobility and independence,” says Lorraine Onduru, Head of Communications, Sub-Saharan Africa, Uber
“Uber is committed to women earners and working with industry partners to remove any barriers that exist for women to get on the platform,” adds Lorraine
Future Forex take proactive steps to empower women in fintech sector
As part of our commitment to addressing the gender divide in STEM roles, Future Forex has taken proactive steps to empower and support women within the fintech sector. “We’re proud to have a strong representation of women, particularly in key leadership positions, across various departments within our organisation,” says Harry Scherzer, CEO of Future Forex.
“These talented women and all the females within their teams bring diverse skills, perspectives and expertise, contributing significantly to our company’s success and growth.
“An example of this is that, as part of our software engineering department, we have a seasoned female professional who has been instrumental in driving our technological advancements forward, demonstrating exceptional proficiency and dedication in her role,” says Scherzer. “Similarly, our Head of Trading is a science graduate who possesses a wealth of industry knowledge and strategic acumen, guiding our trading operations with precision and insight,” he adds.
Future Forex aren’t only addressing the gender divide by investing in the empowerment and capacity of women in STEM, but also cultivating a talented and diverse female workforce that drives innovation and success for the future.
Creating purposeful spaces conducive for women in STEM
Study after study across the world and various sectors have shown that by including and empowering women you accelerate sustainable development across all metrics, from health and education to food security and finance. “It is how we achieve a higher return on investment (ROI) in our quest to solve the challenges that plague our communities,” says Ayanda Mvandaba, CA(SA) and Entrepreneur.
“We must be purposeful about curating spaces that are conducive for women in STEM to create magic,” adds Mvandaba. In bridging the gap, the first point of call is, and always will be, access to information and opportunities. Mvandaba says businesses need to be intentional in how they choose to expose women in STEM in ways that boost their confidence and their skills and grow their networks.
“In order to address the gender divide with women in STEM roles, in my capacity as CEO of Drink Nil , I engage in mentorship relationships, provide sponsorships, emphasise continuous professional development, expose women to my network while teaching them to use the network effectively and the importance of social capital.” Mvandaba, this year, has also launched the Ayanda Vabaza-Mvandaba Bursary for students going into any field within the commerce faculty at a South African University.
In a striking moment of global recognition for African talent in artificial intelligence, Shenzhen-based Nigerian technologist, Francis Okafor has emerged as the second-place winner at the 2026 Tencent OpenClaw Hackathon, a fiercely contested competition hosted by Chinese tech giant Tencent.
The achievement places the Nigerian engineer among the top innovators in one of the world’s most competitive technology hubs, Shenzhen, often described as China’s Silicon Valley.
Okafor’s journey to the podium was anything but scripted. Walking into Tencent’s facility on the day of the contest, he found a room already buzzing with elite programmers deep in preparation.
“Laptops open. Heads down. Some people setting up their system before the challenges even dropped,” he recalled, contrasting the scene with his own uncertainty at that moment. “And then there is me — a Nigerian looking around like, okay Francis, what exactly are you doing here?”
Rather than confidence, his first reaction was raw nerves. “I won’t lie, I had goose bumps. Not the inspirational kind,” he admitted, describing a quiet internal debate about whether he had wandered into territory far beyond his league. Yet that hesitation quickly gave way to experimentation, a hallmark of the hackathon spirit.
Earlier that same week, Tencent had rolled out OpenClaw integration into WeChat (known domestically as Weixin), exposing its massive user base to AI agent capabilities.
Okafor, a senior technology lead, artificial intelligence advocate, and global community organiser, had already been stress-testing the system and decided, on the spot, to build his entry around it. “I had been pushing it hard all week just to see what it could do… so when the challenges dropped I thought, you know what, let me use this thing as my weapon.”
That decision proved decisive. Competing against some of the most accomplished engineers in China’s hyper-competitive tech ecosystem, Okafor’s solution stood out for both ingenuity and execution. “It went far enough apparently,” he said with understated pride after securing second place.
Remarkably, he had entered without a grand plan. “I didn’t go in with a strategy. I went in for the thrill of it… Honestly I thought I would learn a few things and go home with a good story.” Instead, he left with a trophy, and a narrative that has resonated far beyond the competition hall.
Beyond personal triumph, Okafor emphasized the broader technological significance of the moment. Tencent released the WeChat OpenClaw plugin on the very morning of the event, effectively putting advanced AI agent tools into the hands of an estimated 1.4 billion users.
In his view, this signals a profound shift in how artificial intelligence will reach the public. The company, he observed, is “not just making AI accessible to developers… they are bridging it to everyone,” while using hackathons to identify innovators capable of pushing the technology forward, regardless of origin.
Okafor was acutely aware of his uniqueness in the room. “I was definitely the only African there and for sure stood out,” he noted. Yet what mattered was not nationality but capability. “Nobody cared about where I was from. They cared about what I built.”
His message to aspiring technologists, particularly those from underrepresented regions, is both simple and powerful: show up. “Enter things you think you have no business entering,” he urged. “The worst case is you learn something. The best case is you shock yourself.”
In an industry often defined by geography, capital, and institutional advantage, Okafor’s victory offers a compelling counter-narrative. Talent, preparation, and courage can still disrupt expectations, even in rooms that seem designed for someone else.
As he concluded in a line that has since captured widespread attention: Black excellence, he said, “doesn’t need a geography.”
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to deepen collaboration and provide faster operational support in Enugu State.
Zonal Director of the EFCC Enugu Zonal Directorate, Commander Daniel Isei, made the call during a courtesy visit to the CBN Branch Controller in Enugu, Mr Otutubuike Justice Agbaeze, on Tuesday.
The engagement forms part of ongoing efforts to boost inter-agency ties, enhance financial sector accountability, and fortify anti-money laundering initiatives nationwide.
Isei described the CBN as “our most critical partner in the fight against economic and financial crimes,” highlighting years of joint operations and the bank’s role in securing recovered assets.
“The CBN naturally stands out as one of our most critical partners… it serves as a secure repository for valuables recovered by the EFCC and it has greatly enhanced our operations,” he stated.
While commending past cooperation, Isei appealed for quicker responses to the EFCC’s frequent investigative requests from its Enugu office.
“We understand that these requests may be demanding, but timely responses are crucial, as time is of the essence in financial investigations. We therefore seek your continued indulgence in ensuring that our letters receive expeditious attention,” he added.
In response, Agbaeze reaffirmed CBN’s dedication to the partnership, pledging expert support and improved synergy “in the interest of financial system stability and national development.”
As smart devices with artificial intelligence (AI) tools, and always-on services become part of everyday life, the cybersecurity habits many people formed a few years ago may no longer be enough.
From AI-powered scams to social media trends that encourage users to upload personal details, the way people interact online is changing quickly. Ensuring that you stay secure now requires small, deliberate actions in your daily digital behaviour. Experts from Kaspersky, a global cybersecurity and digital privacy company, share the below advice to stay safe online.
- Be cautious with verification requests. Many scams now mimic legitimate verification processes, asking users to confirm accounts, update payment details, or approve login attempts. Because people are used to frequent security prompts, it is easy to respond automatically. Pause before sharing verification codes or personal information and independently verify requests through official websites or by contacting service providers directly.
- Cultivate healthy AI usage habits. AI agents, chatbots and multimedia-generating apps can be convenient and entertaining, but uploading high-resolution photos or personal information carries privacy implications. Facial images can function as biometric identifiers, and once shared with an online service, be it AI or a social network, control over how that data is stored or reused may be limited. Before using AI tools, review privacy policies, minimise the personal information they provide, and avoid uploading sensitive documents or confidential content.
- Do your homework on AI. For parents, the rise of AI assistants introduces another dimension. While AI tools can help in making education interactive and gamified, children may turn to AI tools for homework support or entertainment without fully understanding how their data is used or how to evaluate responses critically.
Open conversations about responsible AI use, privacy awareness, and the importance of not oversharing personal information can help children build safe digital habits from an early age.
- Audit your online subscriptions. Reducing digital exposure is another simple but often overlooked step. Over time, unused subscriptions, dormant accounts, and forgotten apps accumulate personal data and payment details. Regularly reviewing subscriptions, deleting unused accounts, and checking which apps have access to personal information can significantly reduce risks of this data being leaked.
- Secure your devices and home. Device longevity and smart home security also play an important role. Older devices that no longer receive security updates may contain unpatched vulnerabilities.
Ensure that smartphones, laptops, routers, and smart home devices are running the latest firmware and are protected with strong passwords and multi-factor authentication. Changing default passwords on connected devices and securing home Wi-Fi networks are essential steps in protecting both personal data and physical spaces.
As technology and AI becomes more integrated into daily life, security is less about dramatic measures and more about consistent, informed habits.
“Technology evolves quickly, and our online behaviour should keep pace,” says Brandon Muller, Technical Expert for the Middle East and Africa region at Kaspersky. “Take time to review privacy settings, app permissions, and connected third-party services, removing anything that is no longer needed. By being more deliberate about what we share, how we verify requests, and how we manage our devices, we can significantly reduce exposure to modern cyber risks while enjoying all the benefits of new technologies.”
Anti Graft Agencies Raise Alarm over Rising Crypto-Linked Financial Crimes
NITDA Takes Over National Digital Architecture System
NDIC Insures 99 Percent of Bank Customers
FG Shifting Focus to “Meaningful Connectivity” to Drive Inclusion – Minister
CBN Bars Chronic Loan Defaulters from Accessing Loans
Spotify’s Loud & Clear Report Reveals Over ₦60Bn Revenue for Nigerian Artists in 2025
Madonna University Taps Tech Guru Adote for Strategic Board Role
China Threatens to Shut Nigeria’s Satellite Over $11.44m Unpaid Debt
MTN Nigeria Posts Record N1.70 Trillion Pre‑Tax Profit, Declares N20 Dividend for 2025
Jumia Tech Week 2026 Begins with Tech Deals on Smartphones, Electronics, and Everyday Technology
General News2 days agoNCC to Curb SIM Fraud, Strengthen Digital Security with New Platform
Broadcasting2 days agoNBC Boss Urges Content Ceators to Participate in DSO
General News2 days agoKidnappers Now Use Banks to Collect Ransoms — Expert
E-Financial2 days agoCBN Says Bank Customers Won’t Lose Deposits because of Recapitalisation
E-Business2 days agoJury Finds Meta, Google Liable for Woman’s Social Media Addiction
E-Financial2 days agoBreaking…..Kuda Lays Off Many Employees in Broad Restructuring
News2 days agoFrancis Okafor Stuns China, Emerges Second-Place Winner @ Tencent OpenClaw Hackathon
Telecom2 days agoIFC Invests $45m to Green African Telecom Sites