Bilkisu Adebiyi-Abiola

Pioneering Nigerian tech entrepreneur empowering African women through digital innovation

Bilkisu Adebiyi-Abiola is a Nigerian technology entrepreneur and founder of Ngozi, an award-winning platform connecting African women to global market opportunities through digital solutions. Born in Lagos in 1975, she grew up witnessing the challenges faced by women in accessing economic opportunities. After earning a computer science degree from the University of Lagos, she worked in software development before launching Ngozi in 2003.

Her platform has enabled over 50,000 African women to engage in cross-border trade, accessing markets in Europe, Asia and North America. Ngozi's innovative mobile app connects artisans, farmers and small business owners with international buyers, providing training in digital marketing and e-commerce strategies. The platform has facilitated over $12 million in transactions and received recognition from the African Development Bank and UN Women.

Adebiyi-Abiola's work addresses systemic gender disparities in tech adoption and economic participation. She pioneered the 'Digital Literacy for Women' initiative in partnership with UNESCO, training 10,000 women across 15 African countries. Her TEDx talk "Building Africa's Digital Future with Women" has been viewed over 2 million times.

Her advocacy extends to policy work, co-founding the African Women in Tech Network (AWITN) that lobbied for inclusive tech policies in 12 African nations. Recent projects include a blockchain-based supply chain solution for agricultural products, reducing post-harvest losses by 40% for participating farmers. Adebiyi-Abiola's vision continues to reshape economic empowerment strategies across the continent.