By Anenechukwu Marian Obianodo
Over the past few years, tech has become one of Nigeria’s most promising frontiers, offering its young population a real chance at becoming global innovators and solvers. Across the country, there’s a surge in tech hubs, digital skills programmes, and groundbreaking solutions changing the narratives; one of such is Oluwatobi Oyinlola, who developed the world’s smallest GPS tracking device, putting a spotlight on Nigeria’s tech growth. However, amid this wave in progress, a critical question which requires urgent attention begs, why are there still so few girls at the table where Nigeria’s digital future is being designed?
Around the world, tech is the new oil, and nowhere is this more evident than in the growing influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies in our daily lives. In February, Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), revealed during the ITU Subamarine Cable Resilience Summit in Abuja, Nigeria, that the digital global economy would peak at $16.5 trillion by 2028. The economic opportunities attached to this are enormous, and according to McKinsey Global Institute, AI alone could contribute to the creation of 20-50 million new jobs by 2030.
From healthcare innovations like telemedicine and data analysis to machine learning and predictive modelling giving deeper insights to consumer behaviour for companies, to fintech solutions such as blockchain and cryptocurrencies, in biotechnology in agriculture; virtual and augmented reality are reshaping gaming experiences for entertainment, making the digital space not just a sector but the backbone of economic growth.
Nigeria’s large and youthful population of 57 million out of its over 218 million people is often described as one of the country’s greatest assets. In recent years, Nigeria’s innovators have increasingly turned to tech as a tool for economic diversification and a boost, turning the country away from dependency on oil. As projected, the contribution of the sector is expected to hit 21 per cent in 2027, according to the Minister of Communications, Innovations and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani. The rise of homegrown fintech startups Moniepoint, Flutterwave, and Paystack; e-commerce platforms such as Jumia and Konga; and healthcare such as AwaDoc and others is a clear indicator of this momentum.
In Q1 of 2024, the minister revealed that the economy sector attracted $191 million in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), a massive increase from $22 million in the corresponding quarter in 2023. This wave is not just disrupting the traditional sector but positioning the country as a key player in the digital future.
Despite Nigeria’s growing tech momentum and successes, there exists a glaring imbalance where girls are under-represented in the digital space. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), women constitute approximately 22 per cent of the total number of STEM graduates annually, reflecting an ugly trend. Similarly, according to a 2025 report by VerivAfrica, despite having 614 startups, only 127 (20.7%) are female co-founded, and 74 (12.1%) have a female CEO, further showing the huge disparity.
These challenges have over time been compounded by gender bias rooted in cultural and societal expectations where tech jobs are still widely viewed as a domain for men. From an early age, girls are indirectly or directly steered away from STEM-related fields that “technology is not for them.” For those who pushed through, the challenges remain the same with unequal pay, limited access to mentorship networks and difficulty in securing funding. In 2024, female CEOs only secure $48 million (2%) in funding compared to $2.2 billion for male counterparts.
The dangers of leaving girls out of Nigeria’s digital space and future go beyond just individuals but the country as a whole. Firstly, a digital space leads to economic costs for the country. According to the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaian-Ibrahim, closing gender gaps in Nigeria will add N15 trillion to the country’s GDP by the end of 2025. A digitally inclusive tech environment will lead to more innovation, more startups and job creation, as the country is only working currently on half of its pool of talents.
In addition, leaving girls behind leads to limited perspectives in problem-solving, as women bring a different experience to tech and can help create solutions for health-related start-ups. As technology continues to be a gateway to higher-paying jobs and leadership positions, girls who are left behind face increasing barriers and widens the gaps in wealth, access, and opportunity, reinforcing existing patterns of disadvantages.
According to the 2025 Global Gender Gap Report, Nigeria ranks 124th out of 153 countries, and this paints a picture that women are not active players in Nigeria’s tech ecosystem. With this, the more we entrench wider societal inequality, the more wealth and access are unevenly distributed.
To change the narrative, Nigeria must take deliberate steps in early digital education for girls, ensuring there’s access to STEM learning up until univerasity level.
Anenechukwu Marian Obianodo is a DevOps Engineer at Flutteruki, leveraging technology tools to streamline development processes. She studied at Coventry University UK, and has over 8 years of experience in the IT industry. She can be contacted at email: [email protected]
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