Women Tech Innovators Summit March 2026
Women Tech Innovators Summit convenes Edo’s largest gathering for women in emerging tech and entrepreneurship.
Hosted by Women in Blockchain Africa, in partnership with She Code Africa Benin and Trail Alley, the summit brought together hundreds of women and girls in Benin City for a day of dialogue, innovation, entrepreneurship and leadership in the future of technology.
On Saturday, March 14, 2026, Benin City played host to one of its most significant gatherings for women in technology and entrepreneurship as the Women Tech Innovators Summit brought together hundreds of women and young girls for a day of learning, connection, and opportunity.
Hosted by Women in Blockchain Africa, in partnership with She Code Africa Benin, Trail Alley, Ministry of Science and Technology and the Edo State Government, the summit spotlighted the growing importance of creating intentional spaces for women and girls to thrive in emerging technology and entrepreneurship.
The event drew key stakeholders from across government, technology, innovation, and the wider Edo ecosystem, including representatives of the state government and senior public officials, reinforcing the urgency of advancing women’s participation in the future of work and innovation.
The summit opened with a fireside chat featuring the co-organizers Bernice Omiunu, founder of Women in Blockchain Africa; Jennifer Jude Whyte, Lead of She Code Africa Benin and founder of Africa of Possibilities; and Duty Osamudiamen, founder of Trail Alley. Their conversation was anchored on the United Nations theme, “Rights, Justice, and Action for All Women and Girls: Advancing Emerging Tech and Innovation.”
The session set the tone for the day with a strong call for women to move from the margins of innovation to the centre of leadership, opportunity, and influence. The speakers reflected on current realities for women in tech and entrepreneurship, the barriers that still exist, and why women must be active contributors to shaping the future of innovation rather than passive observers of it.
Also speaking at the summit, the Commissioner for the Edo State Ministry of Science and Technology, Hon Etin-Osa Ogbeiwi, underscored the importance of equipping women with technological skills, noting that empowering women in digital and emerging technology spaces is critical to broader social and economic progress in the state. That message aligned with the wider purpose of the summit, which centred on expanding access, visibility, and opportunity for women and girls in innovation-driven fields.
A major highlight of the summit was a keynote by Ashley Immanuel, Co-Founder and COO of Semicolon, titled “From Skills to Value: Ways Women Can Become Industry-Ready in Today’s Tech Economy.” Her session challenged participants to think beyond simply acquiring knowledge and instead focus on how to build relevant skills that translate into measurable value in the workplace. She shared practical insight into what employers look for, how women can position themselves for real opportunities, and the importance of intentional career growth in today’s rapidly evolving tech economy.
Another featured speaker, Yvonne Kagondu, Co-Founder of Blockwisely, delivered a session titled “From ‘What Even Is Blockchain?’ to ‘I’m In’: A 3-Step Roadmap for Women to Enter and Earn.” In a beginner-friendly and practical presentation, she broke down what blockchain is, how it applies to everyday life, and where the real opportunities lie for women seeking to enter the space and build sustainable careers.
Also speaking at the summit was Oluomachi Ibude, founder of Jizara Canada, whose session on “Human-Centered AI: Designing Technology That Reflects Our Values, Not Just Our Intelligence” explored the urgent need for more ethical and inclusive thinking in artificial intelligence. Her presentation examined how AI systems often reflect the biases, values, and blind spots of the people who build them, and why leaders and technologists must be more intentional about embedding human-centred thinking into AI development.
The summit also created space for women founders in emerging technology to pitch their ideas and solutions. In one of the standout moments of the day, female founders presented innovative ventures aimed at solving practical problems across sustainability, commerce, and digital access.
Among them was Lily Elsa, who pitched TrashPoint by Kyrus Recycling, a platform that connects households, businesses, and community aggregators to waste collection and recycling systems. Through the platform, users can schedule waste pickups, earn rewards, and contribute to a circular economy where recyclable materials are processed into high-quality reusable outputs for manufacturers.
Also featured was Adaeze Anagwonye, who presented Unimap+, a campus-focused food delivery and student commerce platform built for university communities. The platform connects students with nearby food vendors, enables flexible earning opportunities for student vendors and delivery riders, and includes a built-in map feature to help new students and visitors navigate campus spaces. With an MVP already in place and an early user community growing across the University of Benin and Igbinedion University Okada, the pitch reflected the kind of practical innovation young women are building when given room to create.
focused conversation on scaling careers, building businesses, accessing opportunities, and leading with purpose. The discussion explored what it takes for women to move from talent and potential into visible leadership and entrepreneurial impact.
Another important session centred on wellbeing and long-term success. Moderated by Akogun Imoleayo, the wellness conversation on “Mental Health, Balance & Sustainable Success” featured Egbon Aimofumeh Irene and offered participants practical guidance on mental wellbeing, burnout prevention, and building sustainable success in demanding professional and entrepreneurial environments. The session served as an important reminder that growth in tech must not come at the cost of health, balance, and wholeness.
The event also spotlighted several partners and ecosystem supporters helping to drive the initiative forward, including Stellar West Africa, amongst others. Their presence reflected the growing value of collaboration in building stronger pathways for women and girls in emerging technology.
For many attendees, what stood out most was not only the quality of the programme, but the significance of hosting an event of this scale in Edo State. Participants expressed strong satisfaction with the summit, noting that they had not seen a gathering within the state so intentionally designed to equip, empower, and expose women and girls to opportunities in emerging tech and entrepreneurship.
That response perhaps best captures the significance of the Women Tech Innovators Summit. It was not merely a one-day gathering, but a visible sign of what becomes possible when ecosystem builders, community leaders, institutions, and government stakeholders come together with a shared vision.
At a time when artificial intelligence, blockchain, and digital innovation are reshaping industries and redefining opportunity, the need to ensure women are not left behind has never been more urgent. In Benin City on March 14, the message was clear: women are ready not only to participate in the future, but to lead it.
Organizer Information:
About Women in Blockchain Africa
Women in Blockchain Africa, founded by Bernice Omiunu, is an awareness platform dedicated to empowering African women and girls in decentralized technologies through targeted blockchain education, mentorship, networking initiatives, and incubation.
Women in Blockchain Africa (WIBA) is an organization in Africa with delegates across 5 African regions, including West, East, Central, Southern, and Northern nations, focused on building women-led startups and products in alignment with the UN SDGs.
They hosted the first-ever women-led blockchain hackathon and pioneered the #1000WomenInDecentralizedTech initiative aimed at introducing blockchain and web3 to 1,000 African women.
For more information, collaboration and inquiries; visit: www.womeninblockchain.africa
Email: partner@womeninblockchan.africa
Website: www.womeninblockchain.africa
