WeTech President Uwadiegwu Advocates For Increased Women Representation In Tech, Citing Persistent Cultural Barriers

Co-Founder and President of WeTech, Gabriella Uwadiegwu, has emphasised the organisation’s commitment to empowering women in technology entrepreneurship.

Uwadiegwu In an interview with ARISE NEWS on Friday, cited the alarming 5% representation of women in tech leadership roles and vowing to bridge Nigeria’s stark digital divide.

She said “WeTech is a non-profit supporting women in technology entrepreneurship.We do so by creating programs that help them in professional development, workshops, mentorship programs, community events, and yearly conferences to inspire, educate, and create opportunities for their careers.”

WeTech’s impact extends beyond Nigeria, with remote programs reaching students and women across the continent, including Kenya.

“We are mostly focused in Nigeria, but all of our programs also run remotely, so we impact some students in Kenya or women who are in other parts of the continent,” Uwadiegwu noted.

Addressing the significant gap between women and men in tech, Uwadiegwu attributed it to cultural and societal factors.
“I think a lot of it is cultural and programming for a lot of young women.

We have all these little subtle descriptions of what a woman should do and what a man should do.” These biases, she believes, influence career choices and perpetuate disparities.

Uwadiegwu highlighted the numerous barriers women face in the tech industry, from acquiring skills to overcoming biases in hiring, office politics, and leadership roles.

“There are contact barriers at every level a woman is trying to ascend in tech… By the time you get to the top, we are going to have a lower percentage of women in the field.”

Citing stark statistics, Uwadiegwu emphasised the need for change. “We have 5% of women who make up C-executive roles; essentially 95% are all men.

“That’s why we are really good at representation for women to climb up the ladder and not just that.

“I’m sure it might be a difficult space for women who are really successful, having only essentially themselves.”

Through WeTech’s initiatives, Uwadiegwu aims to bridge this gap, fostering a more inclusive and supportive environment for women in tech to thrive.

Boluwatife Enome

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