Opening Doors for Girls and Women in Kenya’s Tech Sector | Somo Tech Literacy Centre (STLC)
Somo Tech Literacy Centre (STLC), formerly SomoTech Africa. Kenya’s digital economy should benefit every citizen, yet girls and women still face barriers...
By Patricia Ndunyu
Nairobi has rightfully earned its reputation as the "Silicon Savannah": a vibrant, fast-growing technology hub bursting with startups, venture capital and digital innovation. Yet step into almost any tech lab, software company or boardroom across the country, and one disparity is immediately clear: men overwhelmingly dominate the space.
Although women make up more than half of Kenya’s total population, they remain significantly underrepresented in the technology sector. Understanding why this gap exists, and scaling the local solutions already driving change, is critical to ensuring Kenya’s digital economy benefits every citizen.
Why girls and women are being left behind
The underrepresentation of women in Kenya’s technology sector stems from interconnected socio-economic, structural and cultural barriers that begin early in life.
Unequal access to devices and data
Digital literacy requires hands-on experience, internet connectivity and hardware. In many households, limited finances mean families own a single smartphone or computer, with male children frequently given priority to use it. This digital access gap is particularly pronounced outside major urban centres.
Entrenched gender stereotypes
Widespread social norms continue to frame STEM fields, specifically coding, software engineering and hardware maintenance, as "masculine" domains. Many young women in secondary schools remain unaware of the career paths available in technology, limiting their aspirations before they even begin.
Too few local role models
It is difficult for young girls to picture a career in tech when they rarely see women from their own communities represented in digital industries or the media.
Compounding socio-economic pressures
Girls from low-income backgrounds face severe resource constraints. They lack access to quality digital infrastructure, mentorship programmes and tuition support.
Barriers to staying in the industry
For women who enter the tech workforce, unsupportive workplace cultures, rigid working hours and limited routes into leadership frequently lead them to leave mid-career.
Local solutions are already leading the way
Kenya does not need to look abroad for solutions. Over the past decade, home-grown organisations led by Kenyan women have developed proven, high-impact models to bridge the gender divide.
A pioneer in this space is AkiraChix, founded in 2010 by Judith Owigar, Linda Kamau, Angela Lungati, and Marie Githinji. Beginning with informal computer training sessions in Nairobi, AkiraChix has grown into a renowned institution that has equipped hundreds of young women across East Africa with marketable tech skills.
Its approach highlights three critical pillars of successful intervention.
Inclusive education with close support
Programmes designed to accommodate diverse academic backgrounds, including non-traditional learners or young mothers, demonstrate that technical mastery does not require a formal computer science degree.
Direct mentorship linked to industry
Hands-on guidance from experienced female developers helps students move seamlessly from learning code to securing professional employment.
Visibility within local communities
Seeing women from informal settlements or rural counties successfully lead software teams makes tech careers tangible and attainable for the next generation.
Complementing AkiraChix, organisations such as KamiLimu, which offers structured tech mentorship; Akili Dada, which builds leadership capacity among young women from under-resourced backgrounds; and the Kibera School for Girls, which provides tuition-free primary education, demonstrate that the blueprint for gender equity in tech already exists within Kenya.
Eight actions to take local success further
To turn isolated success stories into national impact, private companies, civil society organisations and educational institutions should focus on eight key actions.
Partner with existing organisations and networks
Rather than launching duplicate programmes, channel capital and technical resources towards scaling proven local organisations such as AkiraChix, KamiLimu, and Akili Dada.
Expand access to hardware and infrastructure
Establish safe, equipped community computer labs and subsidise data bundles for girls, with a targeted focus on rural counties.
Reach young women directly in schools
Organise workplace visits, coding workshops and career talks in secondary schools to introduce young women to tech careers early.
Make mentorship part of the working day
Encourage female engineers and developers to mentor young women by allocating official work hours for mentorship activities.
Review hiring and promotion pathways
Audit internal talent pipelines to ensure women are considered equitably for senior engineering and technical leadership roles.
Adopt flexible work policies
Introduce adaptable working arrangements and supportive parental leave policies to retain female talent balancing professional and family commitments.
Share local success stories
Showcase Kenyan women in tech, from Nairobi to rural counties, across media platforms to redefine career aspirations for young girls.
Take tech initiatives beyond Nairobi
Extend mentorship, training and funding opportunities to regional urban centres such as Mombasa, Eldoret, Kisumu, and Garissa.
Building on the groundwork
Achieving gender equity in Kenya’s technology sector does not require inventing new concepts from scratch. Local innovators who refused to wait for the industry to change on its own have already laid the groundwork.
The task now is to give these interventions the institutional support, long-term funding and corporate backing required to ensure every girl in Kenya has an equal opportunity to build the digital future.