Let us narrow gender gap in new technology

Charleen Murira (Adapt AI), Winnie Karanu (Microsoft), and Diana Ogeto (Safaricom) at the Tech Women Festival 2025 and launch of the Spark mentorship programme, Serena Hotel, 21 February 2025. [David Guchuru, Standard]

With the emergence of powerful technology like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Africa is at a defining moment. If harnessed well, technology can turn long-standing challenges into powerful opportunities.

With more than 70 per cent of its population under the age of 35, Africa holds vast untapped potential. Yet, youth unemployment, and failure to fully empower women, remains a stubborn issue. The 2023 Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) report shows Kenya releases 800,000 young people into the job market yearly, but the economy is struggling to create enough formal jobs.