The 2025 Women in Technology and Engineering (WITE) Summit and Awards lit up the grand ballroom of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja as some of the continent’s most outstanding women in science, technology, and innovation were celebrated in a landmark gathering that blended prestige, policy, and purpose.
Organised by Womenovate under the leadership of CEO Motunrayo Adebayo, the WITE Summit has grown into Nigeria’s flagship event for honouring women who are breaking new ground in Technology and Engineering. This year’s edition, themed “Together We Engineer and Innovate,” attracted leaders from government, industry, civil society, and academia, all united in their call to accelerate equity, innovation, and inclusion.
Opening the event, Air Vice Marshal (Rtd) Professor Paul Olugbeji Jemitola, founder and CEO of Vector Aeronautics Limited, commended the honourees as women who had not only shattered glass ceilings but were actively building ladders for others to rise. He urged public and private institutions to continue amplifying female voices across STEM sectors.
Delivering the ministerial keynote, the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, described visibility as a powerful tool in Nigeria’s push for innovation. She stressed that women must be at the forefront of technological progress, not as symbolic figures, but as architects of solutions shaping Africa’s future. Her speech set the tone for a day of meaningful dialogue, collaboration, and celebration.
Among those honoured at the awards was Ibiyemi Lawani, a business strategy and digital transformation leader with tremendous STEM impact; Iremide Olatunji, a digital inclusion expert; Dena Lu, a respected software engineering educator; Evelyn Castle, known for her groundbreaking work in health-tech; Adedoyin Odunfa, a pioneer in enterprise transformation; and Chinwe Vivian Aliyu, a seasoned energy engineer with a strong track record in grassroots mentorship. The awardees were recognised for their leadership in digital transformation and for leveraging technology, innovation, and education to shape inclusive and future-ready ecosystems across sectors such as energy, health, education, and enterprise.
Another panelist, Odunayo Sanya, Executive Director of the MTN Foundation, highlighted several of the Foundation’s initiatives, including the remodeling of STEM laboratories across public schools and internship programs specifically designed for women returning from maternity breaks. These initiatives, she noted, help talented women re-enter the corporate space without starting from scratch.
The summit also addressed wider systemic issues affecting women and innovation in Africa. Sessions explored the need to remove structural barriers that keep women in underserved and rural communities from accessing STEM opportunities. Speakers emphasised that literacy level does not determine innovation capacity, and called for broader mental education to help individuals embrace and own technology. A recurring point throughout the summit was that technology should meet people where they are, and must not be cloaked in unnecessary complexity.
In perhaps the clearest takeaway from the day, participants were urged to be visible and vocal—to “make yourself seen and heard.” The summit’s true success lay not just in recognising individual excellence, but in sparking collective momentum.
The atmosphere at the event was as aspirational as it was celebratory. Policymakers, students, engineers, and innovators mingled freely, sharing ideas and forging new partnerships. Discussions ranged from slum-to-tech empowerment projects to the creation of sustainable infrastructure that ensures no child is left behind in the digital age.
As the 2025 edition of the WITE Awards came to a close, the message was unmistakable. In a rapidly evolving world, the leadership and ingenuity of women in STEM are not just welcome, they are indispensable.