Ethel Delali Cofie has been named as one of the Top 5 women impacting IT in Africa for very good reason. A high caliber IT professional, technology expert and entrepreneur with a wealth of knowledge and a work portfolio that spans 3 continents, Ethel is one of the most accomplished people in technology and innovation in Africa.
She is CEO and founder of Edel Technology Consulting, an IT consulting and digital products company based in Ghana with presence in West Africa and Europe and which was recently named IT Consulting Firm of the year by the Telecoms and IT Industry.
She has a B.Sc. in Computer Science from Valley View University Ghana and a Master’s Degree in Distributed Systems from the University of Brighton. She also holds a certificate in Executive Leadership, Business and Entrepreneurship from the Yale School of Management (Yale University).
Ethel has a wealth of technical and commercial skills acquired across a wide range of demanding roles. She has worked as a systems developer/analyst at the International Institute for Information Technology and had a brief stint at Telegenuk, Brighton as a developer and junior database administrator. She worked as a web application developer at Click with Technology also in Brighton where she worked with a team to develop usable and accessible web applications. She was the business/systems analyst at RDF Group where she prepared functional design specifications. From February 2010-August 2010, Ethel worked as technology analyst at Grameen Foundation and from September 2010-December 2010, she assumed the role of technical lead with the Ford Foundation Nigeria; an electoral reporting platform. Ethel was responsible for analyzing and documenting requirements for the platform. She was the country programs manager contract of Aksa Management (Ghana County Office) and she has also worked as the IT business analyst and development consultant of DreamPerfect Solutions, Sierra-Leone. Ethel was also the CRM business delivery manager at Vodafone Ghana where she later became the Head of Commercial IT Solutions.
Ethel is one of the foremost voices in empowering women in tech and through tech in Africa. She is the founder of Women in Tech Africa, currently Africa’s largest women in tech group with members in over 30 Africa countries and in the diaspora and growing. She is also the initiator of the 1st Pan African woman in tech meet up and was shortlisted for the UN GEM Tech Award for work supporting women in ICT. She is also the creator of women in tech week, a global event first held in 2016 to bring together women in technology. The first events brought together over 10,000 women virtually with physical events in Ghana, Nigeria, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Canada, Germany, Belgium and China.
She is Mandela Fellow for President Obama's Young African Leaders initiative (YALI) and has consulted for the World Bank. She was shortlisted for the UN GEMTech Awards in 2014 alongside her numerous awards and recognition, including the Africa Woman of Influence in Business: ICT Category and Africa's Leading Women in IT.
Her thoughts and opinions on innovation and technology in emerging markets have been featured in prestigious publications like Wired UK, New Africa Woman, European Business Review and Business Africa amongst others and she has been featured on BBC and has had her opinion pieces published on CNN on the topics of technology in emerging markets and women leadership.
Ethel regularly serves in advisory and consulting roles on technology growth in emerging markets and on bringing more women into technology careers across Africa.
She currently sits on the Advisory Board for Ghana’s Vice President, helping to design Digital Strategy for Ghana as well as the Tech Advisory board for the Graca Machel Trust.
Why TechHer Loves Her:
Ethel is a pacesetter for African women. Her vast experience in technology consultancy and entrepreneurial management spurs us to aim higher in our different disciplines. It also teaches us that no ambition is too much for the African woman to achieve.
Ethel once said, “Stop second-guessing and just jump. Remember, the mistakes you make are all part of learning. Therefore instead of over thinking things, just do it; You will figure it out in your own way.”
We at TechHer totally agree!
TechHer, a community of learning, support, and collaboration for women in technology extended a hand of fellowship to Abuja Technology Village (ATV) via a courtesy call paid to its MD Ms. Hauwa Yabani on Thursday the 8th of December 2016.
Received by the MD and ATV's Business Development Manager Ibrahim Bashir, the delegation from TechHer told the story of the growing community, its vision, and goals, highlighting successes recorded and plans for the coming year. Specifically, TechHer's Continuous Learning and Development Programme (CLDP), several research strands, and the Mothers and Daughters Outreach were presented as potential projects for co-ownership. MD Hauwa Yabani said of the proposed partnership, "TechHer and ATV perfectly align on the creation of a viable platform to encourage women and girls into STEM and then attract them to the ATV."
Mr. Bashir took the team on an extended presentation of the vision for the Abuja Technology Village, changes that have been made to the original development plans, and the sheer enormity of the project designed to be Africa's leading technology and innovation district. The eco-friendly village designed to function without any generating sets will house about 40,000 people and see another 100,000 use the various facilities on-site. Construction is on schedule and will see the first set of structures completed in 2019.
Hauwa Yabani, MD of ATV shared her passion and excitement at the responsibility of leading the team, and about Women Innovation Hub (Winnohub); a specialist conducive atmosphere for women (single, married, employed or not) to congregate and innovate.
Speaking of Enspire Incubator which housed TechHer in its first few months of existence, the MD said, "Enspire was born out of the thought that the heartbeat of any science park is a functional incubator, and fits into our goals of attracting foreign Direct Investment, building local capacity, and encouraging STEM education".
The meeting ended with an agreement to sign a draft MOU containing short and long term goals forthwith, and the presentation of branded TechHer items to management.
Chioma Agwuegbo led TechHer's delegation which also had Programme Officer Onyejekwulum Adii and Researcher Lara Raji.
Marlise Montcho, hails from Benin. She is a telecoms engineer and an inspirational leader who is passionate about technology, social change, and entrepreneurship. Marlise has a certification in business and entrepreneurship from University of Texas, Austin. Here’s more on her educational background:
Marlise has a Bachelor’s Degree in Analysis and Policy Development from Faculté des Sciences Economiques et de Gestion.
In 2012, she bagged a Degree as a Telecommunication Engineer.
Marlise is an active member of Junior Chamber International Network. She has been named as one of the fifteen Africa's women tech leaders in 2015 and one of the 100 visioning women to watch in 2016.
She is the founder and president of an NGO called FemTICDEV. She also runs a blog called www.handinewlook.net.
She is the deputy chair of the Committee on Technology of Africa Youth Movement and the regional ambassador of GlobalTechLeaders and AfricaITWomen.
Marlise has received several awards and Honours such as:
Why TechHer Loves Her:
She is a role model to girls and women in Benin Republic. Marlise mentors women in technology where one of the benefactors of the initiative recently won a blogging award in Benin. We love to see women helping other women grow using technology as a tool.
About Her:
Viola Nuwaha is an Ugandan Information and Communications Technology for Development (ICT4D) expert, a programmer and a rural development enthusiast. Many caps on this lady! She attended the Mary Hills High School in Uganda and graduated with a B.Sc in Computer Science from the prestigious Makerere University in Uganda in 2013.
Viola Nuwaha has always loved computers starting the age of 10. She would play with them on frequent trips to her mother's office. There’s no doubt about the fact that an early exposure to computers and her sheer determination really helped in broadening her horizons and shaping her career in the field of Information and Communications Technology.
Her Work:
Viola is passionate about using technology to provide solutions that would improve and impact on the lives of rural dwellers in Uganda. This shines through the roles she has taken;
Viola Nuwaha has also mentored young programmers and organized series of Ubuntu workshop classes for young girls in Uganda who are keen on knowing more about how technology works. She is also a regular at Hackathon events where she contributes knowledge, skill and tons of support!
Why TechHer Loves Her:
She is an amazing embodiment of both talent and motivation to women, especially to young girls. She has been able to prove that nothing is impossible for women to achieve. The geographical location or where we come from have nothing on a strong will to excel. On several occasions, via the blog site of Farm Radio International; Viola Nuwaha discusses the challenges women in technology face, but goes beyond that to provide solutions.
Information gleaned from the Internet
About Her
Funke Opeke is Nigerian by birth. She is the Founder and CEO of Main One Cable; an Internet solutions company in Nigeria that built a sub-marine cable system which provides advanced network, voice, data, and cloud services to locations across West Africa.
Funke was born into a lovely family and has six siblings; she grew up in Ibadan, Oyo State. Her father was the first indigenous Director of the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria and her mum once worked as Head Teacher of different Catholic private schools in Ibadan.
She attended Queen’s School, Ibadan for High School, and graduated with a B.Sc in Electronics and Electrical Engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University in 1981. She also has a Master’s Degree in the same discipline from Columbia University, New York; she got that in 1984.
Her Work
She started her career as a Systems Engineer, then joined PA Consulting Group where she held several senior positions at Allied Signal and Telcordia Communications.
Part of Main One Cable’s mission is to start a cyber revolution that would connect the whole of Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Funke Opeke has a keen interest in identifying and utilizing opportunities, and this shines through all the projects she gets involved in.
In 2012, Funke was recipient of the CNBC All Africa Businesswoman of the Year Award. She is a member of the Institute of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, USA and the Nigerian Society of Engineers.
On the 20th of January 2015, Funke Opeke was appointed as Independent Non-Executive Director to the Board of Atlas Mara, a top notch investor relations firm.
Why TechHer Loves Her
She’s a rare Amazon and epitome of hard work for women folk and a result-oriented Engineer. She’ s a woman with great foresight, and has excellent work ethic. She sees problems as surmountable challenges, which is perhaps one of the reasons she started Main One in the first place. Beyond being shocked at the abysmal level of internet connectivity, she did something.
Prior to Main One Cable, she advocated for the fair treatment of subordinates, especially junior employees in her work places.
Funke Opeke is known to have said "While the developed world was fully connected, here in Nigeria the average young person didn't know what the internet was. We can’t leave an entire generation of young people without prosper access to the internet." We agree, and are inspired by her achievements.
Information gleaned from the Internet.
About Her:
Dr Tomi Oladepo is an independent media consultant, writer, blogger and researcher who is interested in digital public sphere, human and cultural rights. She hails from the western region of Nigeria.
Dr Oladepo's academic records are enviable. It is a clear testament to her hardworking nature.
Dr. Tomi has received several notable Awards and Honours for her distinctive and brilliant productions including:
About Her Work:
Dr. Tomi is creative in thinking as well as a problem solver. She started her career in 2008 as a Client Service Executive at Shared Insight, Lagos, Nigeria. She moved to Coventry, United Kingdom for her Master's Degree doubling as a production assistant and researcher at Metal Dog Media from 2010-2011.
From October 2013-January 2014, Dr.Oladepo worked as Research Administrator on the IBTV Symposium at the University of Warwick and University of York.
She has experience in radio broadcasting, film and documentary production. She has featured severally on programmes by the BBC World Service including being a guest editor and participant at the World Service's 80th Anniversary Focus on Africa programme.
Dr. Tomi also worked as a Research and Teaching Assistant at the Centre for Cultural Policy Studies from November 2011 to July 2015 at Warwick University. As part of the panel members on assessment of assigned modules at the University of Warwick, she prepared and delivered modules on social media engagement in Africa for 2013/2014.
She is also founder and Editor of Stylish Academic which features fashion and lifestyle for the academic. Stylish Academic dismantles the notion that scholars are not/cannot be fashionable. She also owns the blog Digital Media Culture, which is woven around how digital media affects our work and play. She investigates the fast growing digital media environment and how it enhances and also presents challenges.
She was a panel member at the 'African Women Decade- Make Every Woman Count' in January 2014. There was a discussion on the Internet, information and technology as tools of empowerment. Her panel focused on how African women are using technology and social media for economic, political and social empowerment.
Her publications include:
Why TechHer Loves Her:
Dr Oladepo is a brilliant scholar who is fascinated by the ways technology (new media) affects/enhances the society at large. She is an inspiration to all women because we cannot only do what we are passionate about; we can be brilliant at it too.
Information gleaned from the internet.
