Bridgette Thomson
Nigerian tech advocate empowering women through digital literacy
Bridgette Thomson is a Nigerian technologist and social entrepreneur best known for founding the Women's Technology Empowerment Centre (W.TEC) in 2001. As one of Africa's pioneering female tech advocates, she has dedicated her career to closing the digital divide for women and girls across West Africa. Through W.TEC's innovative programs, over 15,000 women have gained digital literacy skills since the organization's inception.
Thomson's work focuses on three core areas: training programs in computer literacy and coding, advocacy for women's inclusion in tech industries, and creating safe spaces for female innovators. Her flagship initiative, the W.TEC Academy, offers free coding bootcamps in Lagos and Accra that have produced many of Nigeria's first female software developers. A 2019 TechCrunch article highlighted how her students now hold leadership roles at companies like Andela and Flutterwave.
In 2016, Thomson launched the #CodeLikeAGirl campaign which inspired over 500 schools to integrate coding into their curricula. Her advocacy led to Nigeria's National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) adopting digital inclusion goals for women in their 2020 strategic plan. Through partnerships with UN Women and the World Bank, her organization has expanded its reach to include rural training centers in Benin and Togo.
Thomson's impact extends beyond training programs. She created Africa's first all-female tech incubator, She Innovates, which has supported 300+ women-led startups since 2018. Notable alumni include Bridges Connect, a fintech platform now used by 200,000+ small businesses in Ghana. Her work has been recognized by awards including the 2021 Africa Prize for Women's Empowerment and a 2022 TED Fellowship.
Thomson's vision of 'tech for empowerment' challenges traditional gender norms in Africa's tech sector. A 2020 McKinsey report showed her programs contributed to a 40% increase in female participation in Nigeria's tech workforce over a decade. Her advocacy continues through speaking engagements at events like the World Economic Forum's Africa Summit, where she emphasizes the economic potential of women's tech leadership.