The gender gap in tech careers persists, rooted in cultural expectations and compounded by limited access to tech education for African women.“My superior at work is a woman. The two best backend engineers on our team are female. So when people talk about gender inequality in the tech ecosystem, I don’t see it,” remarked Philip Awotepu, a product manager, at a party celebrating the graduation of Semicolon’s 11th cohort. The ed-tech startup offers cohort-based training in tech skills like engineering and product management. Out of 30 graduates, only eight were women. The previous cohort also showed a similar trend: 36 graduates, only eight women.
Awotepu’s stance reflects a common misconception that gender inequality in tech is exaggerated or stems from natural differences in interests between men and women. This belief often sparks backlash against initiatives targeting women. For instance, in 2021, Kuda Bank faced criticism for offering internships exclusively for women. However, the fintech defended its decision, explaining it aimed to address gender imbalance within its workforce.Similarly, Semicolon trains both genders but provides additional support to female trainees through its mentorship program, Semicolon Women in Tech (SWiT). Awotepu himself volunteered as a SWiT mentor, guiding one female trainee who later secured a paid internship at Moniepoint. Despite her achievement, she shared her fears about being the only woman on her team during a mentorship session. Awotepu reassured her that her skills would overshadow her gender, but her journey into tech highlights the barriers women face—challenges that men rarely encounter.
The Cultural Roadblocks
“When I told my parents I wanted to move to Lagos to train at Semicolon, my father asked whether I didn’t want to get married,” the mentee revealed. She left her home in Kano, determined to pursue product management despite familial opposition.
Stories like hers underscore the restrictive gender norms women face across Africa. Cultural and religious beliefs often confine women to roles as homemakers and caregivers, deterring them from tech careers. For instance, Nafisa Idris, a data scientist and mentor, recounted how her uncle attempted to marry her off at age 11 after her father’s death. Her mother resisted, ensuring she remained in school.Even when women are educated, domestic responsibilities disproportionately hinder their professional growth. A 2023 study revealed that African women in STEM publish fewer research papers than their male peers due to overwhelming family obligations.
Balancing Chores and Classes
Many women learning tech skills struggle to balance training with household duties. In a survey by TechCabal, 74% of respondents said caretaking and housework left them exhausted, limiting their ability to study. One respondent shared that she often took classes in the kitchen while cooking.Rachael Onoja, head of operations at AltSchool, noted similar patterns: “Several female students have dropped out to care for a sick family member or handle family responsibilities.” While men also drop out of tech programs, their reasons are typically financial, not caretaking.
Financial Barriers
Access to tech education is costly. Semicolon’s year-long program costs ₦4.3 million, covering tuition, a laptop, internet, and daily meals. While financing options like “learn now, pay later” loans exist, women often lack familial support to enroll. According to Semicolon co-founder Ashley Immanuel, many women reject admission offers because their families deem tech training an unworthy investment.To address this, organizations like She Code Africa, AltSchool, and others offer female-focused scholarships, enabling more women to enter tech education programs. AltSchool has seen significant success through these initiatives, though critics occasionally demand male-exclusive scholarships in response.
Persistent Gender Bias
Even when women overcome cultural and financial barriers, they face stereotypes in the tech workplace. Eden, a Semicolon alumna, trained as a backend engineer but endured classmates implying she succeeded due to special treatment from her male tutor. Comments like, “Why are you working so hard? You’ll still marry a rich man,” further undermined her efforts.These biases extend beyond classrooms. Initiatives like Kuda Bank’s female internships are often criticized as lowering the bar for excellence.
Broader Challenges
Beyond cultural norms, systemic barriers like internet access disproportionately affect women. Across Africa, women are 30% less likely than men to own a smartphone and 37% less likely to access the internet. This digital divide exacerbates the tech gender gap, contributing to projections that gender parity in STEM may take over a century to achieve globally.
Building an Inclusive Future
To close the gender gap, it’s crucial to challenge the cultural norms and biases holding women back. Organizations like AltSchool, She Code Africa, and Semicolon are driving change through mentorship, scholarships, and female-focused initiatives. Semicolon’s Ashley Immanuel emphasizes the importance of such efforts, noting that women’s participation in their programs increased from 21% to 30% within a year.As Eden, the backend engineer, aptly remarked: “When you’re not the one being othered, it’s hard to see the patterns of discrimination.” Breaking these patterns requires a collective effort to make tech education—and the opportunities it unlocks—accessible to all.
