Kigali: The Chief Executive Officer of Telecel Ghana, Ing. Patricia Obo-Nai, has called for intentional and structural measures to address the gender disparity in Africa's digital economy. Speaking at 'The Golden Hour' dinner and dialogue session in Kigali, Rwanda, a precursor event of the Forward Africa Leaders Symposium themed "Women, Power and the Next Generation Digital Africa," Ing. Obo-Nai emphasized the importance of providing the next generation of girls with solutions that dismantle the structural barriers limiting their participation in STEM fields.
According to Ghana Web, Ing. Obo-Nai highlighted that cultural expectations, the absence of visible role models, and weak institutional support continue to impede girls' access to STEM opportunities well before they make career choices. She referenced UNDP workforce data, which shows that only 27 percent of STEM professionals across Africa are female, describing this gap as systemic exclusion rather than a reflection of ability.
Ing. Obo-Nai pointed out that when women are excluded, Africa loses invaluable talent, creativity, and insight. This exclusion results in a loss of diverse ideas and perspectives, which are essential for driving innovation and solving complex continental challenges. To combat this, Telecel Ghana has structured its digital skills programs to address gender imbalance, focusing on its Foundation-led STEM initiatives aimed at upper primary and junior high students.
The telecom operator has designed training programs in coding, robotics, Internet of Things, and mobile application development, with 70 percent of participants being female. Ing. Obo-Nai also mentioned the Telecel Female Engineering Student Scholarship Programme, which has supported over 100 women since 2011 through tuition assistance, mentorship, and work placements, reinforcing the female talent pipeline in engineering and related fields.
Beyond these programs, Ing. Obo-Nai stressed the need for broader institutional change, advocating for inclusion efforts that extend beyond training initiatives to encompass policy, hiring, and leadership systems that actively create opportunities for women. She highlighted that the digital systems being developed across Africa, from fintech to artificial intelligence and data governance, will be inherited by girls currently in basic and secondary schools.
Ing. Obo-Nai urged the leaders present to identify specific actions they have taken to support girls not yet in leadership roles, address mentorship gaps within their organizations, and commit to expanding access for young women. 'The Golden Hour,' as part of the Forward Africa Leaders Symposium pre-dialogue series, serves as an intimate platform for senior leaders, policymakers, and industry executives to engage in discussions about Africa's development priorities through focused thematic dialogues.