The premier edition of the Women in DeFi (Decentralised Finance) summit held recently with hundreds of women in attendance. Dedicated to empowering African women in blockchain, Web3, and decentralised finance, with the theme, ‘Building Bridges: Connecting Women, Inspiring Innovation’, the summit answered a desperate call for inclusion of women in Africa’s growing tech landscape.
Organised by Women in DeFi, a platform founded by Sarah Idahosa, the summit brought together over 500 tech enthusiasts, industry leaders, and entrepreneurs from across the continent, most of them women.
Speaking about the initiative, Idahosa said: “When I entered the space, I realised how few women there were. You could go to a tech conference of 1,000 attendees and barely count 10 women. We’ve seen too many women settle for less. No one should feel too small to dream of building, leading, and owning their brand in the Web3 space.”
Her determination has led to a visible shift where African women are now claiming spaces once dominated by men. The summit featured keynote addresses, fireside chats, hands-on workshops, laptop sharing, scholarship awards, and vital networking opportunities.
Other notable female leaders in the Web3 space like the CEO and co-founder of AFEN Blockchain Network, Deborah Ojengbede, praised the vision behind the gathering. “Instead of waiting for permission, Sarah built a bridge. But to build meaningful connections and future collaborations from the event. “Network, connect, make friends, but pay attention to the conversations that can change your life.”
Discussions at the summit tackled the visible and invisible challenges African women still face in tech, particularly around confidence, mentorship, and access to opportunities.
Ojengbede pointed out the historical biases that still affect women heavily today, stating: “Sometimes women tend not to be confident even when they should be. We must imbibe the culture of mentorship and understand that education is essential to navigating the Web3 space.”
She stressed that with women making up 51 per cent of the global population, sidelining them in tech is a disservice not only to diversity but also to innovation.
Motunrayo Kareem, popularly known as the Global Motun, a Web3 career coach and educator, also shared her journey with the participants, encouraging them to take immediate action on the knowledge gained. “If you are a beginner, you should leave this summit with actionable insights to start making waves. And if you are not, learn more, network, and put yourself in spaces where opportunities find you.”
Kareem said that career growth in Web3 isn’t only about having skills but also about discovering one’s true path and relentlessly pursuing it.
