In Africa’s burgeoning, male-dominated tech scene, women remain largely underrepresented. Yet there is a tiny handful of incredible women who are launching and building successful, innovative tech companies that are upending industries, setting new standards and earning their place at the cool table. These women create and innovate, exploiting ideas, products and services to produce dynamic businesses.

I spoke to a few African tech entrepreneurs and together, we hand-picked 10 of the brightest female tech founders in Africa.

Rebecca Enonchong, Cameroonian

Founder, AppsTech

Enonchong, a Cameroonian national, is the founder and CEO of AppsTech, a Bethesda, Maryland-based global provider of enterprise application solutions. AppsTech, which was founded in 1999 now has clients in more than 40 countries on 3 continents. The company, an Oracle ORCL +1.73% Platinum partner, offers a diverse range of enterprise software products and services including implementation, training and application management services for large and medium-sized companies. Enonchong also serves as an advisor/mentor to several African tech startups and is also the founder the Africa Technology Forum, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting technology in Africa.

Rebecca Enonchong
Rebecca Enonchong

Jamila Abass, Linda Kwamboka and Susan Oguya, Kenyan

Co-founders, MFarm


Abass, Kwamboka and Oguya are the founders of MFarm, a mobile software solution that connects Kenyan farmers with farm produce consumers in urban and export markets via SMS . MFarm, which was founded in 2010 offers agricultural producers and buyers with the most recent retail price information about products and operates a virtual marketplace whereby consumers can buy their farm products directly from manufacturers while farmers can find buyers for their produce. MFarm also allows consumers to compare prices from different farmers and bid for a small fee. The company has received more than $230,000 in funding from UK-based charity, Tech For Trade and is working towards profitability.

Judith Owigar, Kenyan

Co-founder, JuaKali

Owigar, one of Kenya’s most popular female tech leaders, is the founder of JuaKali, an online and mobile directory for Kenya’s skilled blue-collar workers. JuaKali which was founded in 2012 and is based in Nairobi connects service providers from the informal sector with institutional and individual clients. The service allows workers to create an online profile showing their expertise. The service can be accessed via web and mobile. Owigar is also the founder of Akirachix, an association that aims to inspire and develop young women in technology through a mix of networking, training and mentoring programs.

Anne Amuzu, Ghanaian


Co-founder, Nandimobile

Amuzu, a graduate of Ghana’s Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST) is a co-founder of Nandimobile, a company that develops software that enables companies to deliver customer support and information services through SMS. Amuzu co-founded the company in 2010 and it has more than 20 corporate clients in Ghana.

Barbara Mallison, South African

Co-founder, Obami

Mallinson is the co-founder of Obami, a South African-based social e-learning platform used by schools and organizations in Africa, Europe and America. Obami, which was founded in 2007, connects distinct parties within the education space – teachers, learners, NGOs and government — and enables them share educational resources and also providing an assessment module to improve learners’ participation and performance. Obami is accessible via web and mobile.

Clarisse Iribagize, Rwandan

Founder, HeHe Ltd

Iribagize is the founder of HeHe Limited, a Kigali-based mobile technologies company that develops ways for businesses to reach their customers and audiences in a timely and affordable manner. Among other things, HeHe builds custom mobile applications for businesses, provides 24/7 online and offline support and cloud storage services. Iribagize founded the company in 2010 after winning a $50,000 grant from Inspire Africa, a Rwandan TV entrepreneurial contest. HeHe’s clientele now includes African mobile telecoms giant MTN, the Praekelt Foundation and government agencies in Rwanda.

Annette Muller, South African


Founder, DotNxt

Muller is the founder of Cape Town-based DotNxt, a company that creates, develops and delivers software, mobile, social and other digital development projects for South African companies looking for more innovative and customer-centric ways to engage with their clientele. DotNxt, which was founded in 2011, has more than 20 corporate clients including some of South Africa’s largest companies such as Nedbank, Primedia and Graham Beck.

Nkemdilim Uwaje Begho, Nigerian

Founder, Future Software Resources

Begho founded Future Software Resources Ltd, a website design & web-solution provider located in Lagos, Nigeria in 2008. The company also provides online marketing, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), content management system development, online recruitment and IT consultancy services to more than 25 small and large Nigerian businesses and government agencies.

Link ~> http://www.forbes.com/sites/mfonobongnsehe/2014/03/25/10-female-tech-founders-to-watch-in-africa/

Whilst I do believe this is a fantastic article, I just wanted to inform you that Tech is not only a male-dominated field in Africa. It is the case everywhere in the world. What we need to do is to promote and set up programmes that allow women to try out STEM fields and build confidence in them to do so. It would be great to see more women in STEM.