African women entrepreneurs are increasingly building businesses for achieving scalable social impact through technology. They are demonstrating how technology can make a huge impact on the lives of Africa’s citizens by harnessing the power of technology for good. More and more game changing women techpreneurs across Africa are working to integrate technology into the work of social change. So, what’s driving this trend? And, are we seeing women leading the way? In sub-Saharan Africa alone, the number of mobile subscribers will grow from 600 million today to 930 million by 2020. Even more exciting, by 2020 nearly half of the world’s 6.1 billion smartphone users will live in the developing world. This explosion in mobile penetration means that we now have the ability to hear from, and reach Africans like never before, and incorporate their voices in exciting new ways. Women techpreneurs are leveraging mobile to great effect in Africa, such as Rapelang Rabana of Rekindle Learning, a great example of a company looking to improve education in Africa by turning people’s compulsion to check their phones into an opportunity to learn; or M-Farm, founded by Jamila Abass, a Kenyan computer scientist, who connects buyers and farmers to sell your produce, or receive up-to-date market prices via an app or SMS. We’re seeing award winning projects like Wecyclers, the brainchild of Bilikiss Adebiyi, and Recycle Points from Chioma Ukonu, both of whom are using mobile technology to drive waste recycling projects in the poorest communities in Lagos, Nigeria. The next frontier of tech-powered social impact companies in Africa is being driven by these inspirational women entrepreneurs who are making a difference and pushing boundaries on so many levels.

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