Nigeria – How Yemi Keri Became Nigeria’s Top Woman in Tech

Yemi Keri, a trained accountant from the University of Maiduguri and a master’s degree holder in Information Technology from the American Intercontinental University, has made significant strides in the tech industry. She is the co-founder and CEO of Rising Tide Africa, a women-led angel investing platform that supports early-stage technology startups in Africa. Additionally, she is the Chief Executive Officer of Heckerbella Limited, a Digital Transformation company. With over 24 years of experience in the IT industry, Yemi has operated at the CEO and C-suite level across both the public and private sectors.

In an interview with Just4WomenAfrica, Yemi shared insights on her journey into the information technology sector after studying accountancy. She described it as a personal decision made at a pivotal point in her life. Her career path took her from the banking sector to a construction company, then into the multimedia business, and eventually as a regional manager for SAP Africa, marking the beginning of her journey into the IT sector.

Regarding the current state of women in tech in sub-Saharan Africa, where 30% of women are involved in the tech industry, Yemi expressed optimism. She believes this figure is already rising, as we are in a digital age where women across Africa are leveraging technology to run their businesses. When Rising Tide Africa was founded, there were fewer women starting startups. However, seven years later, more women are founders and co-founders using technology as a leverage to run their businesses.

When asked about a survey by Entrepreneur indicating that Generation Z lacks technological skills, Yemi acknowledged the concern. She noted that we are at an intersection where the current educational system is just beginning to address the future of work. The existing curriculum does not adequately prepare graduates for the technological skills needed in today’s job market. Many graduates are turning to self-training using various online platforms. Until educational curriculums are updated to reflect current technological needs, self-training will remain essential for graduates to acquire necessary tech skills.

Rising Tide Africa was established to coach and build female founders and co-founders to become investment-ready. Yemi highlighted the importance of scalability and sustainability when considering investments in female-led startups. They look for products that can expand to other geographical regions or generate multiple products. Product sustainability is also a crucial factor.

Yemi is passionate about clean technology and serves on the board of the Nigerian Climate Incubation Center. This role opened her eyes to the clean technology space and the types of problems founders are solving, which are often futuristic. She emphasized that clean technology’s impact on socio-economic problems and humanity is what draws her to this field, beyond just solar panels.

For women reluctant to enter the entrepreneurship sector, Yemi’s advice is that everyone’s path is different. She cautions against putting money ahead of one’s dreams, as it can stifle them. The most important step is to start.

Yemi Keri’s journey and insights offer valuable lessons for aspiring female entrepreneurs and tech enthusiasts, emphasizing the importance of adaptability, continuous learning, and passion for sustainable innovation.

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