EduTech Global committed to expanding access to quality education – CEO & Co-Founder, Onyekachi Ginger-Eke

Onyekachi Ginger-Eke, CEO and co-founder of EduTech Global, has said that her organization is committed to expanding access to quality education in Nigeria and beyond.

Ginger-Eke who has built a remarkable career spanning multiple industries and over 20 years made this commitment in a recent interview with The Guardian.

On how her leadership values have helped shape the success of her organization, and how she instills these values in her team, Ginger-Eke said leadership to her is rooted in resilience, vision, and empathy.

“These values have been central to building EduTech Global. Resilience allows us to push through challenges, vision helps us innovate and stay ahead, and empathy ensures that we remain human-centered in our approach,” she said.

“I lead by example, ensuring that my team sees the values in action daily. I foster a collaborative and inclusive work culture where everyone feels heard, appreciated, and empowered to contribute their best.

“I also encourage constant learning, and we invest in training programs to help the team grow both professionally and personally.”

It is quite difficult navigating challenges in leadership in Nigeria, especially as a female with every leader facing moments of doubt and difficulty.

Ginger-Eke during the interview admitted that she has indeed faced some challenges in her leadership journey, shared one of her challenging experiences and how she overcame it.

She said one of the most challenging moments was navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted traditional education globally.

According to her, while it accelerated the adoption of EdTech, it also highlighted the glaring inequities in digital access, especially in underserved regions like Africa.

On how she overcame the challenge, she said: “To address this, we pivoted quickly—expanding our technologies. It wasn’t easy, but my team’s resilience and creativity ensured that we continued to make education accessible to those who needed it the most.”

She proceeded to talk about the growth of EdTech in Africa, expressing satisfaction that the sector has been growing rapidly in Africa.

From her perspective, she spoke about the key factors driving this growth, and how she sees the sector evolving in the next few years, especially in Nigeria?

She said the growth of EdTech in Africa is fueled by a young, tech-savvy population, increased internet penetration, and the urgent need to bridge educational gaps.

According to her, Nigeria, for instance, is seeing significant adoption due to its large youth demographic and a growing demand for accessible, quality education.

She also expressed optimism in the growth of EdTech in Nigeria and Africa in general, stating: “Over the next few years, I foresee more localized EdTech solutions tailored to Africa’s unique challenges, such as low-data apps, affordable devices, and platforms integrating vernacular languages. Collaboration among stakeholders will be critical to sustaining this momentum.”

With EdTech gaining momentum beyond Africa, in regions like MENA and Asia, Ginger-Eke discussed the unique opportunities she sees in these regions for EdTech companies, and how businesses in these markets can learn from each other.

On opportunities in MENA and Asia, she said both regions share a strong demand for education innovation, driven by young populations, government investments in education, and an increasing shift toward digital learning.

According to her, MENA offers opportunities for bilingual platforms and culturally adaptive learning, while Asia’s advanced tech infrastructure creates a space for scalable, data-driven EdTech solutions.

As such, she said “Cross-regional collaboration can foster knowledge exchange, such as Africa learning from Asia’s tech innovation while MENA and Asia adapt Africa’s community-driven and inclusive approaches.”

As the EdTech industry continues to evolve, she spoke about the innovative technologies or approaches she believes have the most potential to reshape education in developing markets, particularly in Nigeria and Africa.

The CEO & co-founder of EduTech Global said personalized learning powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) holds immense potential because it allows students to learn at their own pace while addressing individual challenges.

Additionally, she explained that gamification and immersive technologies like AR/VR can make education more engaging and interactive.

“For Africa, innovations like low-data platforms, offline-first solutions, and mobile-first learning are key to overcoming infrastructural barriers and ensuring inclusivity,” she stated.

When asked if there are challenges in the African EdTech landscape, she admitted that there are key obstacles facing the sector on the continent.

She also spoke about how stakeholders, including government, educators, and tech innovators can work together to overcome these obstacles.

“Key challenges include low digital infrastructure, high internet costs, and resistance to change from traditional education models,” Ginger-Eke said.

On how to solve these challenges, she called for collaboration, explaining that it is critical to overcoming these barriers, adding that governments must invest in affordable internet and digital infrastructure.

In addition, she said the sector must be armed with the necessary policies that will facilitate the right ecosystem where edtech startups can develop and grow.

“Educators must embrace blended learning, and tech innovators must create scalable, low-cost solutions. Partnerships between public and private sectors will also play a crucial role in driving sustainable change,” she added.

With the rapid adoption of online learning, she was asked how she sees the role of traditional educational institutions in Africa, Asia, and the MENA region evolving in relation to online education platforms.

Responding, Ginger-Eke said traditional institutions will remain central but must adapt to the ongoing needs and demands by integrating online education into their models.

She stated that the future is moving towards, or is already in, a ‘Learning while Earning/Learning on the go’ phase.

According to her, blended learning—combining in-person and online education—will likely become the norm.

She also said that institutions need to leverage technology for administrative efficiency, expand their reach, and offer flexibility to cater to diverse learners, including working professionals and underserved communities.

On her advice for entrepreneurs in the EdTech space who are looking to create scalable solutions that can impact millions of students across regions like Africa, MENA, and Asia, she said they should start by identifying real challenges within the education ecosystem and focus on solving them with localized, scalable solutions.

She pointed out that collaboration is key, advising them to partner with governments, NGOs, and private institutions to expand their reach.

“Be patient, as EdTech requires a long-term vision. Lastly, always innovate while remaining accessible and inclusive to your target market,” she said.

Looking ahead, on her vision for the EdTech sector globally, and how she plans to contribute to shaping the future of education across continents, particularly in regions that are still underserved, Ginger-Eke said: “My vision is a world where education is truly borderless and accessible to anyone, anywhere, regardless of socioeconomic status.

“I see EdTech playing a transformative role in reducing inequalities by leveraging existing and upcoming technologies. At EduTech Global, we’re committed to developing inclusive solutions that address real-world challenges, expanding access to quality education, and collaborating with stakeholders globally to ensure no one is left behind.

“The future of education is inclusive, personalized, and technology-driven, and we are proud to be at the forefront of that change,” she concluded.