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For Mbara Stephanie, joining PalmPay as an Information Security Intern through the Purple Woman 3.0 edition opened the door to a career path that changed how she understood security and the role it plays in protecting customers.
Women remain significantly under-represented in Nigeria’s technology sector, with some industry reports estimating that they account for about 17% of the country’s tech workforce. Creating opportunities that combine practical skills, mentorship and workplace exposure can therefore play an important role in helping more women build careers in technology.
This is one of the objectives behind PalmPay’s Purple Woman Programme, an initiative designed to equip young women with practical skills and provide exposure to career opportunities across technology and other professional fields.
The initiative has attracted over 1,000 applications, with 100 women selected for an intensive three-day masterclass and 10 participants progressing to six-month internship opportunities at PalmPay.
For Stephanie, that opportunity meant gaining first-hand experience in information security.
During her internship, she learnt how to identify potential risks, monitor unusual activity and understand the processes used to help prevent security incidents. More importantly, the experience showed her that information security goes beyond reacting to threats; it requires continuous vigilance, collaboration and proactive measures.
“My experience at PalmPay through the Purple Woman 3.0 programme completely changed how I understand information security. I learnt that it goes beyond protecting passwords and private information; it is also about identifying risks, preventing threats and taking proactive steps to protect customers, their information and their money,” she reflects.
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Her experience also provided a practical perspective on the principles behind PalmPay’s Dey For You security campaign, which encourages customers to take a more active role in protecting their accounts.
Through the PalmPay Security Center, customers have access to security tools designed to give them greater control over how they protect their accounts and respond to potential risks.
Stephanie’s experience also highlighted the importance of teamwork and professional development. Working alongside more experienced colleagues helped her build confidence and understand the responsibilities involved in a career in information security.
Speaking on the importance of developing future security professionals, PalmPay Nigeria’s Chief Information Security Officer, Paul Oludele, said: “At PalmPay, information security is central to protecting our customers and maintaining trust in digital financial services. Programmes like Purple Woman give young talents the opportunity to learn from experienced professionals and understand how their skills can contribute to this responsibility. Stephanie’s journey reflects the value of combining practical experience with mentorship to develop the next generation of professionals who will help shape a safer digital financial ecosystem.”
For Stephanie, the internship provided more than technical knowledge. It gave her practical exposure, professional confidence and a clearer sense of the career path she wants to pursue.
Through Purple Woman, PalmPay continues to create opportunities for young women to move from interest and learning into practical workplace experience. Stephanie’s journey demonstrates how access to mentorship and professional exposure can help shape career aspirations while contributing to a more inclusive technology industry and a stronger pipeline of future security professionals.
