Women in DeFi recently empowered African female leaders in technology in a summit held in Lagos.
The premier edition of the summit, themed: “Building Bridges: Connecting Women, Inspiring Innovation,” dedicated to empowering African women in blockchain, Web3 and decentralised finance, answered a desperate call for inclusion of women in Africa’s growing tech landscape.
The summit organised by Women in DeFi, a platform founded by Sarah Idahosa, brought together over 500 tech enthusiasts, industry leaders and entrepreneurs from across the continent, most of them women.
Speaking about the roots of the initiative, Idahosa, said: “When I entered the space, I realized how few women there were. You could go to a tech conference of 1,000 attendees and barely count 10 women. I said, enough of this. We have to change this.”
Her determination has led to a visible shift where African women are now claiming spaces once dominated by men.
The summit featured keynote addresses, fireside chats, hands-on workshops, laptop scholarship awards and vital networking opportunities. Other notable female leaders in the Web3 space like Deborah Ojengbede, CEO and co-founder of AFEN Blockchain Network, praised the vision behind the gathering. “Instead of waiting for permission, Idahosa built a bridge,” she said.
Ojengbede urged participants not to just listen, but to build meaningful connections and future collaborations from the event. “Network, connect and make friends, but pay attention to the conversations that can change your life.”
Discussions at the summit tackled the visible and invisible challenges African women still face in tech, particularly around confidence, mentorship and access to opportunities.
Ojengbede pointed out the historical biases that still affect women heavily today, stating, “Sometimes women tend not to be confident even when they should be. We must imbibe the culture of mentorship and understand that education is essential to navigating the Web3 space.” She stressed that with women making up 51 percent of the global population, sidelining them in tech is a disservice not only to diversity but also to innovation.