The Critical Need for Gender Inclusivity in Strengthening Africa’s Digital Future
In line with Women’s Month in South Africa, this TechTalk Thursay article presents a compelling case for the need for gender inclusivity in Africa’s digital transformation journey. As we celebrate the achievements of women across the continent, it is crucial to recognize that inclusive practices in the tech and digital sectors are not just a matter of equality but are essential for driving innovation, economic growth, and sustainable development.
Africa stands at a crossroads. The continent is experiencing explosive economic growth, fueled by technological advancements and an expanding digital landscape. This presents an unprecedented opportunity for a brighter future, but one that is threatened by the persistent shadow of gender inequality. While Africa boasts some of the world’s fastest-growing economies, its potential remains stunted by a failure to fully embrace gender diversity. Pockets of progress exist, often highlighting the achievements of a select few women at the top of the pyramid. However, this success story does not represent the lived experiences of millions of ordinary African women who continue to face systemic barriers to opportunity.
The World Economic Forum’s 2024 Global Gender Gap Report paints a picture, highlighting the need for urgent action. According to the report, achieving gender parity worldwide remains a distant goal, projected to take five more generations. While this outlook may seem disheartening, the current wave of historic election seasons across the continent offers a glimmer of hope for advancing women’s rights and representation. Sub-Saharan Africa, while ranking sixth globally with a gender gap score of 68.4%, has made notable strides in political empowerment, particularly in Namibia and South Africa. However, this progress is uneven, with the region’s Educational Attainment ranking last, with a score of 88.9%, according to the World Economic Forum.
The tech industry, a crucial driver of Africa’s digital transformation, exemplifies the urgent need for inclusivity. Despite its rapid growth, the sector remains overwhelmingly dominated by men. Deloitte estimates that women represent less than a third of the total workforce and only 25% of technical roles in large tech companies in 2022. Also, World Bank data indicates that only 38.43% of tertiary graduates in ICT programs in South Africa are women. This lack of female representation in tech entrepreneurship poses a significant challenge to creating more inclusive and sustainable societies and economies.
As Africa embarks on its digital revolution, it is important to prioritize inclusivity and ensure that no one is left behind. In this edition of TechTalk Thursday, we address the importance of closing the gender gap –for the substantial growth dividend that comes with it.
Current State of Gender Inclusivity in Africa’s Tech Industry
As Africa navigates its digital transformation, gender inclusivity remains a critical yet unevenly addressed issue across various sectors. Despite some progress, significant gender gaps persist in key areas such as AI, STEM, mobile technology, financial inclusion, and leadership roles.
Gender Gaps in STEM and Future Skills
The representation of women in Africa’s tech industry has seen gradual improvements, particularly in emerging fields like AI. According to recent data, the concentration of female talent in AI engineering has more than doubled since 2016. This positive trend is most noticeable in sectors such as Technology, Information, and Media, where the presence of women in AI roles is steadily increasing.
The representation of women in Africa’s growing tech industry and STEM fields remains low, but there are encouraging signs. In the AI and engineering space, the share of female talent has more than doubled since 2016, though women still make up a smaller proportion compared to men. Initiatives to encourage girls and women to pursue STEM education and careers are helping to slowly narrow this gap.
The gender gap extends beyond AI to the broader STEM fields, where women continue to face barriers in both education and professional opportunities. Despite a slight increase in the share of women with STEM skills—from 24.4% in 2016 to 27.1%—women remain underrepresented in critical areas like programming, big data, and cybersecurity. Online learning platforms, such as Coursera, show that while women are gaining ground in skills like leadership and collaboration, their participation in more technical fields lags behind.
This disparity in skill acquisition not only skews the technological transition but also affects women’s ability to compete in the future workforce.
Mobile Gender Gap in Sub-Saharan Africa
Mobile technology, a cornerstone of digital transformation in Africa, also reflects significant gender disparities. The GSMA’s Mobile Gender Gap Report 2024 reveals that while there has been some progress, with the gender gap in mobile internet adoption narrowing from 36% to 32% in Sub-Saharan Africa, women still face substantial barriers to mobile internet access. Although the proportion of women using mobile internet has grown from 24% in 2017 to 36% in 2023, an estimated 200 million women in the region remain offline. This persistent gap hinders women’s access to digital services, information, and economic opportunities.
During the launch of the GSMA Mobile Gender Gap Report, Claire Sibthorpe, head of digital inclusion at the GSMA, emphasized:
“The reduction in the mobile Internet gender gap is promising but sustaining momentum is fragile”
(Read our full article on Tackling the Mobile Gender Gap in Africa for a More Inclusive Future)
Financial Inclusion and Mobile Money
The gender gap in financial inclusion is another critical challenge. Mobile money, which has revolutionized access to financial services in Africa, still shows a pronounced gender divide. For instance, in Nigeria, there is a 46% gender gap in mobile money usage, indicating that women are significantly less likely to access these services compared to men. This disparity is not only a barrier to economic empowerment but also restricts women’s ability to participate fully in the digital economy. While countries like Kenya have made strides in narrowing this gap, the broader region continues to struggle with gender inequality in financial access.
In a conversation I had with Ashley Olson Onyango, Head of Financial Inclusion at GSMA, after the launch of The State of the industry Report on Mobile Money 2024 , she addressed the reason for this gap saying:
Awareness is something we find is generally at a good level across markets. But there is a real struggle to transition from awareness to adoption, and then from adoption to regular use.
-Ashley Olson Onyango, Head of Financial Inclusion, GSMA
(Read Full Article for more insights from Ashley Olson Onyango, Head of Financial Inclusion, GSMA.)
Gender Gaps in Workforce Representation and Leadership
The gender gap is also evident in workforce representation, particularly in leadership roles. In 2024, LinkedIn data shows that women account for just 42% of the global workforce and an even smaller proportion—31.7%—in senior leadership positions. This gap is more pronounced in STEM fields, where women occupy only 28.2% of roles compared to 47.3% in non-STEM sectors. The “drop to the top,” or the decline in female representation from entry-level to C-suite positions, is steeper in STEM fields, further exacerbating gender disparities in leadership.
Ultimately, while significant challenges around gender inclusivity remain in Africa’s tech industry and beyond, there are also reasons for optimism. Continued focus on closing gaps in STEM education, digital access, financial inclusion, and future-ready skills development will be critical to drive more equitable economic and social progress across the continent.
Achieving Gender Inclusivity: A Catalyst for Africa’s Tech Innovation and Leadership
Achieving gender inclusivity in Africa’s tech sector is not just a moral imperative—it is vital for unleashing the continent’s full innovation and potential. The gender gaps in Africa’s digital transformation sectors reflect broader socio-economic inequalities that must be addressed to unlock the full potential of the continent’s digital economy. While there have been positive developments, particularly in AI and mobile internet adoption, the road to gender parity remains long.
By eliminating gender discrimination and increasing access to capital for women entrepreneurs, African markets can become more dynamic, competitive, and resilient. Women’s full participation in the tech economy can lead to the creation of diverse products, higher financial returns, and the opening of new markets.
Addressing these gaps requires a multi-pronged approach, including investments in girls’ education, skills development programs, inclusive hiring and promotion practices, and support for female entrepreneurs and business leaders. Sustained commitment from both the public and private sectors will be crucial to driving greater gender parity and unlocking the full economic potential of Africa’s women.
However, these efforts must go beyond individual support. Policymakers need to examine and enhance the broader institutional frameworks that influence women’s entrepreneurship, including their motivations, access to resources, and the systemic barriers they face. Governments must institute and enforce legal rights, alongside enabling policies and regulations, to drive meaningful and lasting progress toward gender equality across the continent.
The theme for UN Women’s Day 2024, “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress,” echoes this critical call to action. It urges governments, the private sector, civil society, and individuals to collectively commit to gender equality and women’s empowerment. Only through these concerted efforts can Africa fully harness the power of its entire population, driving innovation, economic growth, and sustainable development for future generations. By closing these gaps, Africa can ensure that its digital transformation is both inclusive and sustainable.