Imade Bibowei-Osuobeni
Imade is a renowned public policy advisor and the visionary founder of Tech Herfrica, a leading social impact organization committed to bridging the digital divide for rural African women and girls. Her work ensures that these women have the knowledge and tools to thrive in the fast-growing digital economy in Africa, starting with Nigeria and Kenya.
Imade’s journey is nothing short of inspiring. She has shattered glass ceilings in the corporate world and built an organization that has received numerous recognition from prestigious local and international bodies, including the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), CSR Reporters, and the United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Her dedication to good governance, innovation, social development, and inclusive business is a testament to her belief that women can have thriving careers while pursuing broader life goals.
Although Imade has garnered almost 20 years of experience working with top public and private organizations in Nigeria, her journey with Tech Herfrica began about two years ago. The idea was sparked by a simple encounter with a rural female farmer in Edo State, Nigeria who had never sold more than 40,000 naira worth of produce to one customer. This experience opened Imade’s eyes to the struggles these women face, such as limited market access, low digital and financial skills, lack of digital tools, and social barriers that keep them in poverty. Inspired by this, Imade created Tech Herfrica to provide solutions that offer digital and financial education, access to smartphones, financial services, and e-commerce platforms.
Under Imade’s leadership, Tech Herfrica launched the innovative EquipHer4Growth initiative, a program specifically tailored for rural African women in agriculture and trade. EquipHer4Growth empowers these women with digital and financial skills in their local languages, provides smartphones, and connects them to e-commerce platforms, enabling them to reach customers beyond their local communities. The program also helps reduce post-harvest waste, improves income, and provides access to financial services like business loans, savings, and health insurance.
By the end of 2023, Tech Herfrica had improved the digital and financial skills of over 4,000 women and girls, facilitated millions of naira in trade, and boosted participants’ incomes by at least 50%. The success of EquipHer4Growth earned it the 2023 International Telecommunication Union Sustainable Development Goals Digital Game Changers Award in the People Category, and Tech Herfrica was named Impactful NGO of the Year by The Iconic Brand Awards.
In addition to these accolades, Tech Herfrica was selected to participate in the Chat for Women’s Livelihood (CWL) Accelerator, led by Turn.io with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. This 18-month accelerator allows Tech Herfrica to develop an impactful chat service on WhatsApp, further enhancing online trading and digital literacy for its women.
Imade Bibowei-Osuobeni’s impact reaches far beyond the work she does with Tech Herfrica. In 2023, she was recognized as one of the Top 100 Most Influential People of African Descent in the Politics and Governance category for her outstanding contributions. Her list of accolades includes the African Woman Industrialization Award, the FIST Africa Award for Social Development, the Women Empowerment Champion Award by CSR Reporters, and the Global Women in Leadership and Business Award, among others, affirming her as a key figure in advancing gender equality and economic empowerment across Africa. Imade also serves as a member of the United Nations eTrade for Women, Vice President of Government Relations for the Organization of Women in International Trade (OWIT) Nigeria Chapter, and an Ambassador for the Government, Industry, and Academia Hub, among other prestigious roles.
Imade’s unwavering dedication to creating opportunities for women and driving systemic change is not just a career—it’s her life’s mission. Her work continues to inspire and uplift countless women across Africa, making her a powerful force in the global movement for social and economic justice.