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Challenges and Opportunities – Global Survey Results on Women’s Tech Careers

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4 years ago

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Tech Careers

New survey reveals COVID, cost of living crisis, skills shortages and lack of mentorship have negatively affected women’s career development in the past 2 years

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, March 8, 2023/APO Group/ — 

52% believe women’s careers in tech suffered due to COVID-19 & cost-of-living crisis; 32% of those in the tech sector say they haven’t received a promotion for over 24 months; 68% see a skills shortage as a key barrier to entry; 21% of women in Africa tech roles are working more than one job to make ends meet; women still need better pay and better flexible working opportunities.

A new global survey of women and allies ahead of International Women’s Day (IWD) today, 8 March, held under the theme “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality’”, reveals that parity for women in technology-related positions and industries is still a way off, and suggests that COVID-19 has had a major role to play in blocking women’s advancement, along with a skills shortage, and that women are further hampered in their progression by a cost-of-living crisis and lack of access to funding.

The survey entitled, ‘A deep dive into challenges & opportunities for women’s tech careers and women-led enterprises across Asia, Europe and Africa’, attracted respondents from those three regions, with 45% of respondents who live and work in Africa, 38% based in Europe and 17% in Asia. The survey, conducted by global tech event Africa Tech Festival (http://www.AfricaTechFestival.com/) and tech news portal Connecting Africa (http://www.ConnectingAfrica.com/) in conjunction with London Tech Week and Asia Tech X Singapore, is part of a new annual benchmark survey mapping barriers faced by women in business, perceptions around why they cannot move forward, as well as potential solutions and opportunities to bridging the equality divide.

Challenges

The survey found that over half (56%) of respondents believed that when it came to the recent pandemic and to economic challenges in general, it was women who missed out on work opportunities, were forced to scale down work and take time off to care for children, as well as undertaking more household chores.  

26% of the respondents believe women are more likely than men to have been denied access to financial support from governments, whilst a further 26% perceive women as shouldering most of the burden of childcare or care of other dependants in their households whilst juggling work responsibilities.

These compounded the challenges women in the increase of the cost of living, with a little over 2/3 of European and Asian women respondents’ employment situation was impacted by the cost-of-living crisis. However, that number increases to almost 81% of African women. The cost-of-living crisis seems to have a bigger impact in Africa than in Asia and Europe.

Working more than one job is increasingly commonplace – 15%  revealed they used to be self-employed or own a business but have now taken another job whilst running their business on the side, with 21% of African respondents confirming they are now working two or more jobs, a greater proportion than their counterparts in Europe and Asia.

Whilst women still experience gender bias in the tech sector, overall, unemployment in the tech ecosystem was found to be less than other surveyed industry sectors, with just 2% of women tech workers across the three regions targeted made redundant over the past 24 months. 12% of those respondents are now working full time when they used to be unemployed and a further 16% are now working full-time up from their part time roles. 

73% of women respondents across the three continents have seen their employment situation in the tech sector impacted by a lack of career development opportunities, with 32% revealing they had a pay loss and/or haven’t received a promotion for more than 24 months, although this could be due to the pervading economic climate.

Lack of funding and support for women in tech

The survey shows that women are still a long way from achieving equality when it comes to obtaining funding. Having a greater amount of women-focused business events and awards is perceived as one of the most powerful initiatives, which has helped women-led start-ups get better access to funding over the last 24 months. This is closely followed by more women in tech being championed in the press.  African women, however, seem to struggle the most, with 19% saying it is now significantly more difficult to access funding.

We need to focus from the grassroots up and empower Africa’s young women to follow paths into STEM careers by providing better funding

Other factors that could lead to better support for women-led business and to encourage more women to enter the field, include the presence of more women-led venture capital funds and women-focused accelerator programmes.

Underlining this, and on a continent that is increasingly reliant on the start-up ecosystem for economic sustainability, Africa is where women (41%) struggle the most to launch a new business, whilst 68% of respondents believe skills shortage to be the biggest obstacle to women entering the sector.

Sadly, 40% of African women respondents believed it was more difficult for women to secure a pay rise in tech, whilst 41% said it was more difficult for women to achieve senior leadership or board positions.

Commenting on the reality of the situation in Africa, Paula Gilbert, Connecting Africa Editor, said: “Africa is making strides towards more gender parity in the tech and telecoms industry but there is still a lot that needs to be done to have true equality in the sector. When it comes to investment, the proportion of funding going to female-founded and female-led start-ups in Africa, remains incredibly low and representation at a C-suite and board level remains skewed towards male leaders.

“We need to focus from the grassroots up and empower Africa’s young women to follow paths into STEM careers by providing better funding, access to skills programmes and mentorship opportunities. That said, there is no silver bullet to cure this problem, it needs to be approached on all sides to break down the biases that women face on a daily basis and break the cycle for the next generation.”

Solutions

Speaking to Gilbert’s point, women would like to see better visibility and promotion of STEM career opportunities for women to help more women break into and thrive in the tech industry. This would help achieve more gender equity with their male counterparts in the sector, as well as more equal pay between genders and better flexible work opportunities.

Women also believe that there need to be more mentorship programmes for women, as well as opportunities to participate in panel discussions and debates and the development of female role models, which will assist in encouraging more women to enter STEM related businesses.

James Williams, Director, Events, Connecting Africa, Informa Tech, agrees women should be given more representation saying: “International Women’s Day is an incredibly important date in our calendar at Africa Tech Festival.  In recent years, many African nations have led the way in female representation and empowerment, from government through to enterprise sectors but there’s no doubt there is some way to go to achieve gender parity across tech and telecoms. That said, given the successes we witness at Africa Tech Festival each year, I truly believe it’s an area Africa can lead the world in, and we are pleased to play our small part in making that happen!”

Given that women bore the brunt of the parenting role and household care, women also believe that more support at work for parents and having flexible working hours and arrangements would help level the playing fields.

This year’s International Women’s Day theme is ‘Innovation and technology for gender equality’ and according to the survey 5G, 4G and Mobile Technology is perceived as the most important innovation over the last 10 years.  This has had the biggest impact on gender equality (28% of all respondents), with Edtech being the number one innovation that African women say has helped them.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Tech Festival.

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Africa and Caribbean trade potential could reach $1.65 billion annually by 2030: International Trade Centre (ITC)-Afreximbank report

Published

17 minutes ago

on

November 4, 2026

By

Afreximbank

The report finds that around 80% of Africa’s annual goods export potential to the Caribbean remains untapped

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua and Barbuda, November 3, 2026/APO Group/ –Annual trade in goods and services between Africa and the Caribbean could reach up to $1.65 billion by 2030, excluding mineral fuels, according to a new report launched today by the International Trade Centre (ITC) and African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda.

 




  

The report, Reshaping Africa-Caribbean Trade: Opportunities for Economic Transformation, (https://apo-opa.co/4eiz62u) finds that while Africa and the Caribbean share deep historical and cultural links, trade between the two regions continues to represent only a small share of each region’s overall trade, despite complementarities across sectors ranging from agribusiness and manufacturing to services and the creative economy.

A look at the numbers

The report finds that around 80% of Africa’s annual goods export potential to the Caribbean remains untapped, with are significant opportunities for export growth if trade and investment is actively promoted and facilitated.

Africa and the Caribbean must transform a shared history into shared prosperity

Caribbean export potential lies in the services sector, reaching $481 million. The report identifies business opportunities across several priority sectors, including processed food and animal feed, chemicals, minerals and metals, apparel and textiles, leather and footwear, tourism, transport services and creative industries.

These findings – and more – are based on trade and export potential analysis, detailed sector assessments and a survey of 1,175 businesses and business support organizations across Africa and the Caribbean.

Tapping into priority sectors

ITC Executive Director Pamela Coke-Hamilton (https://apo-opa.co/3WHHZMU), in launching the report, said: ‘At a time of major shifts in global trade, countries need to strengthen regional ties and invest in value addition, to build resilience. We know the major trade opportunities between Africa and the Caribbean – and now we can focus on helping businesses take advantage of those opportunities through better market intelligence, improved logistics and greater access to finance.’

Commenting on the report, Denys Denya, Senior Executive Vice President at Afreximbank, said: ‘Africa and the Caribbean must transform a shared history into shared prosperity. With our CARICOM office in Barbados, about $1 billion in approved transactions and a $5 billion regional financing commitment, Afreximbank is advancing this vision through financing, deposit mobilization under CENDEP, business links through the annual Afri-Caribbean Trade and Investment Forum, local-currency payments through CAPSS and creative-industry collaboration through CANEX. This report offers a practical roadmap to turn untapped potential into bankable opportunities across agribusiness, manufacturing, tourism and the creative economy. Through targeted financing, stronger transport and logistics links and strategic partnerships, we can build a Global Africa connected by heritage, trade, investment and shared opportunity.’

The report finds that businesses continue to face significant challenges, including high transport costs, limited direct shipping links, regulatory barriers, limited access to finance and difficulties in identifying trusted commercial partners. It highlights that future economic cooperation should extend beyond traditional trade in goods, including through joint investment ventures, digital services, creative industries and tourism. It also calls for targeted action to improve market intelligence and business matchmaking; expand access to trade finance and payment solutions; strengthen transport and logistics connectivity; support sector-specific value chain development; improve regulatory cooperation and market access; and foster stronger partnerships among business support organizations.

Read the full report HERE (https://apo-opa.co/4exHBH9)

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

 




 

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MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2026 Investment Track to Spotlight New Capital Opportunities

Published

19 minutes ago

on

November 4, 2026

By

Etu Energias

A high-level ministerial roundtable, a project development clinic and matchmaking sessions are set to drive partnerships across the MSGBC region

DAKAR, Senegal, November 3, 2026/APO Group/ –The MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2026 conference and exhibition, taking place from December 1–3 in Dakar, will introduce a dedicated Investment Track designed to deepen capital engagement across West Africa’s energy landscape. Building on the region’s expanding upstream activity, infrastructure development and cross-border integration, the track will serve as a platform where governments, investors and project developers can align on investment pathways across the MSGBC basin.

 




  

At the core of the Investment Track will be the Ministerial Leadership & Global Capital Roundtable, where energy ministers will convene to examine how enhanced regional cooperation, regulatory alignment and coordinated infrastructure development can accelerate capital flows into the sector. The session is expected to focus on the policy and financing frameworks required to unlock large-scale projects, including investment codes such as Mauritania’s 2025 reform, as well as strengthening fiscal incentives and improving regulatory clarity to attract capital into the energy sector.

The Investment Track is designed to move beyond dialogue and into deal facilitation, bringing together decision-makers who can directly shape the next phase of energy investment

For the first time at the MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power event, the Project Development Clinic will introduce a more technical format. In this small-group advisory setting, project developers, government representatives and investors will engage directly on project challenges. The clinic aims to improve project structuring, address financing bottlenecks and identify practical solutions to accelerate development timelines and move projects closer to final investment decisions.

The Investment Track will also feature structured Business-to-Business Matchmaking sessions designed to connect stakeholders across the energy value chain. These targeted engagements will facilitate discussions between investors, operators, service companies and public-sector institutions, enabling participants to explore partnerships and co-investment opportunities.

Together, these sessions reflect the MSGBC region’s broader shift toward investment-led growth. In Senegal, this momentum is already visible through the partnership between state-owned agencies APIX and COS-PETROGAZ to improve the business environment for energy projects and streamline investment processes. With PETROSEN advancing development work on the Yakaar-Teranga gas project and targeting a final investment decision in December 2026, alongside new exploration opportunities emerging onshore, the Investment Track will provide a platform to connect the region’s resource potential with investors and project developers.

“The Investment Track is designed to move beyond dialogue and into deal facilitation, bringing together decision-makers who can directly shape the next phase of energy investment across the region. By creating a space for investors, project developers and public-sector stakeholders to engage directly, the track will help turn investment priorities into concrete partnerships and project opportunities,” states Sandra Jeque, Events and Project Director, Energy Capital & Power.

Explore opportunities, foster partnerships and stay at the forefront of the MSGBC region’s oil, gas and power sector. Visit www.MSGBCOilGasAndPower.com to secure your participation at the MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2026 conference. To sponsor or participate as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

 




 

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Afreximbank and partners bring together investors and industrialists in Benin to Accelerate local processing and investment in Special Economic Zones

Published

21 minutes ago

on

November 4, 2026

By

Afreximbank

Held under the theme “Investing in Local Processing and Industrialisation”, the forum brought together international investors, industrialists, buyers and development finance institutions to explore the vast opportunities for local processing and strategic partnerships offered by the GDIZ

COTONOU, Benin, November 3, 2026/APO Group/ –African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com), in partnership with the Société d’Investissement et de Promotion de l’Industrie (SIPI-BENIN S.A), the entity responsible for developing the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ), and Panafritex, hosted the Special Economic Zones Investment Forum (FocusSEZ 2026) on 21 and 22 October 2026 at the Sofitel Cotonou Marina Hotel and the GDIZ.

 




  

Held under the theme “Investing in Local Processing and Industrialisation”, the forum brought together international investors, industrialists, buyers and development finance institutions to explore the vast opportunities for local processing and strategic partnerships offered by the GDIZ.

Local processing at the heart of discussions

In his address, Mr Jean Arsene Yemina, Regional Director of Operations for Francophone West Africa at Afreximbank, speaking on behalf of Ms Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President, Intra-African Trade and Export Development, Afreximbank, highlighted the role of financing and industrial partnerships in transforming Africa’s raw materials into finished products:

“Here in Benin, textiles have become the driving force behind this transformation. The Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone was established through a partnership between the Government of Benin and ARISE IIP, with Afreximbank proud to have contributed to financing its development.

“Here in Benin, the textile industry has become the driving force behind this transformation. The Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone was created through a partnership between the Government of Benin and ARISE IIP, and Afreximbank is proud to have helped finance its establishment. Today, the zone is home to West Africa’s first fully integrated cotton-to-garment manufacturing platform, operated by Benin Textile (BTEX). The entire value chain, from ginning and spinning to weaving and finished garments, is carried out on African soil by African hands. Before the creation of the GDIZ, less than 1% of Benin’s cotton was processed locally. In just three years, the zone has come to process approximately 40,000 metric tons of cotton—nearly 12% of national production—and to produce millions of “Made in Benin” garments for major international brands such as US Polo, Kiabi, and H&M.”

He also highlighted similar efforts underway at the GDIZ to develop local processing in the cashew, soybean and shea value chains.

Mr Létondji Beheton, Director General of SIPI-BENIN S.A., emphasised the need to strengthen value addition across the continent:

“Our ambition can no longer be limited to producing and exporting raw materials. We must go further by processing more of these resources on our continent, developing competitive industries, strengthening our value chains and retaining a greater share of the wealth generated from our natural resources.”

He added: “It is against this backdrop that the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ) was established, as the outcome of a public-private partnership between the Republic of Benin and ARISE Integrated Industrial Platforms (ARISE IIP). This integrated industrial platform embodies a shared commitment to making local processing a driver of economic growth, job creation and industrial development.

“By attracting manufacturing facilities and developing integrated value chains, the GDIZ is helping transform raw materials into higher-value-added products, strengthen Benin’s industrial capacity and enhance its competitiveness in regional and international markets. In doing so, it is contributing to the development of a more diversified economy that generates wealth and creates sustainable opportunities for the country.”

Africa has significant potential to strengthen its position in the global textile industry

Mr Arvind Mathur, CEO of PANAFRITEX, highlighted the role of ARISE IIP’s textile platform in developing an integrated textile industry in Africa, capable of transforming the continent’s cotton into finished, high-value-added products.

“Africa has significant potential to strengthen its position in the global textile industry. Realising this ambition will require the development of integrated industrial capacities that can transform cotton grown on the continent into higher-value-added finished products, while enhancing the competitiveness of the sector and expanding its access to international markets.

“At PANAFRITEX, we are contributing to this momentum by developing a model that brings together industrial processing, business development and the promotion of finished products. Our own brands, Obalé and SúSú, are part of this approach, connecting Africa’s manufacturing capabilities with consumer markets.

“The commissioning of our first industrial facilities at the GDIZ in Benin marks a major milestone in the rollout of this model. At the same time, the development of new facilities in Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana and Tanzania reflects our ambition to progressively expand our industrial footprint across the continent.

“Through this expansion, we aim to contribute to strengthening Africa’s textile value chains, creating skilled jobs and ensuring that a greater share of the value generated is retained locally.”

Financing, Market Access and Business Networking

Discussions focused on the development of a new generation of African industrial hubs, the cotton value chain, financing for the textile industry, as well as logistics and integrated supply chains. The programme also featured business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-government (B2G) meetings with targeted public-sector institutions, aimed at identifying investment opportunities, financing solutions and potential business partnerships.

Afreximbank presented the range of financial instruments and support facilities it offers investors and businesses to facilitate the establishment and expansion of their industrial operations. These include long-term financing and equipment financing, trade finance and working capital facilities, guarantees and risk-sharing mechanisms, as well as project preparation support and equity investment through the Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA).

The Bank also highlighted its Africa Buyers Programme, which connects African buyers with manufacturers operating in industrial zones across the continent. The initiative aims to complement access to finance with market opportunities for products manufactured in Africa.

A full day was dedicated to a visit to the GDIZ, during which participants toured its infrastructure and industrial facilities and took part in business matchmaking sessions bringing together investors, manufacturers and buyers. These activities were designed to facilitate the establishment of new manufacturing facilities and expand sourcing opportunities for “Made in Benin” products, particularly in agribusiness, textiles, plastics, packaging and industrial equipment.

Across sectors ranging from agro-processing and textiles to plastics, packaging and industrial equipment, the overarching objective is to accelerate the establishment of new production facilities and strengthen the supply of quality-certified “Made in Benin” products.

An Integrated Model for Advancing Industrial Sovereignty

Covering 1,640 hectares, the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ) is the result of a strategic partnership between the Republic of Benin and ARISE Integrated Industrial Platforms. Designed as a comprehensive, integrated ecosystem, it supports investors across the entire value chain, from securing supplies of locally sourced agricultural and mineral raw materials to industrial processing and the export of finished products, leveraging its direct connectivity to the country’s logistics infrastructure and the Port of Cotonou.

By hosting this international forum, Benin is once again demonstrating its ability to offer an attractive business environment, an enabling regulatory framework and world-class infrastructure to help build the future of African industry.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

 




 

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