Bridgette Ballard

Pioneered Africa's mobile technology ecosystem through Africa's Talking platform

Bridgette Ballard is a Nigerian software developer and entrepreneur who co-founded Africa's Talking, a groundbreaking platform that provides affordable cloud communication services for developers and businesses across Africa. Launching in 2012, her company has enabled over 10,000 apps to integrate SMS, voice calls, and payments into their systems - transforming how African startups access critical infrastructure.

Ballard's work addresses the continent's unique challenges by creating locally relevant solutions. Her team developed Africa's first USSD API, allowing applications to communicate directly with feature phones - still used by 70% of Africa's population. This innovation has powered financial services, healthcare apps, and agricultural marketplaces across 34 countries.

In 2016, her company secured $1.8M seed funding from Silicon Valley investors while maintaining its Lagos headquarters. Ballard advocates for gender equity in tech, mentoring female developers through initiatives like the Women in Crypto Africa program. Her TED Talk 'Building for Two Billion' (2018) highlights the opportunities in Africa's digital economy.

By democratizing access to communication APIs, Ballard has empowered countless entrepreneurs to solve local problems - from Kenya's M-Farm agricultural app to Ghana's MTN Mobile Money system. Her vision of an Africa-driven digital future has positioned her as a key figure in the continent's tech renaissance.