Esther Nkiri

Nigerian educator and founder of the first free girls' coding academy in West Africa.

Esther Nkiri is a Nigerian innovator transforming STEM education through her groundbreaking Coding Girls Academy launched in 2021. Born in Lagos to a family of teachers, she identified the gender gap in tech early, noting only 12% of Nigerian tech graduates were women. Her academy provides free coding education to over 3,000 girls annually across 15 states, with partnerships from Google and Microsoft. In 2023, she pioneered the Code Fellowship Africa initiative, connecting African girls with Silicon Valley mentors via VR platforms. Nkiri’s YouTube channel features tutorials in Yoruba and Pidgin English, reaching 500,000+ learners. Her 2024 collaboration with UNESCO created Africa’s first AI ethics curriculum for youth, adopted by 8 African governments. She also founded the TechGrants Africa scholarship fund, providing $2 million in scholarships to date. Nkiri’s impact extends beyond Nigeria—her model inspired similar academies in Kenya and Senegal.