Access Bank’s ‘W’ Initiative and Africa Fintech Foundry recently hosted a virtual programme themed ‘Women in Tech: Driving diversity in the African tech industry’.

The Head of the African Fintech Foundry, Daniel Awe, said: “The African Fintech Foundry has always been committed to leading disruptions in the fintech ecosystem by leveraging digital transformations across board. As a result, championing a cause that focuses on inclusion and diversity in the technology industry is, for us, a necessity.

“The current trajectory of the technology industry shows that a non-proactive approach to gender diversity will lead to a reduction in the number of women involved in the tech space 10 years from now. This is why African Fintech Foundry has decided to host ‘Women in Tech’ to encourage more female participation in this sector.’’

The Group Head/Coordinator, “W” Initiative, Access Bank, Ayona Trimnell, added: “Gender diversity and inclusion has improved in many industries but tech is still lagging behind in this regard. Considering the crucial role technological innovation will play in most sectors of the economy, the prolonged underrepresentation of women in tech will present a major challenge to the economy if left unaddressed. Hence, partnering with the African Fintech Foundry to increase the participation of women in the technology industry is timely and we are excited about the prospects this event presents.”

The virtual event hosted businesswomen, women-owned tech startups, tech CEOs, students, tech enthusiasts, venture capitalists, bankers, among others.