Nura Kemis 
- Women in Stem Africa Summit 2026 Calls for Greater Investment in Women,Education and Innovation to Drive Africa’s Future;
The Women in STEM Africa Summit 2026, organised by Women in Technology and Innovation Africa (WITIA) in partnership with UNESCO,concluded in Nairobi with a strong call for governments,the private sector,academia, development partners and investors to work together to unlock the full potential of African women and girls in science, technology,engineering and mathematics.
Held on 3rd and 4th September 2026 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) under the theme “Discovering Talent.Driving Innovation.Shaping Africa’s Future,” the Summit brought together policymakers, educators,technology leaders, entrepreneurs,innovators, investors,researchers,students and development partners for two days of conversations focused on Africa’s innovation economy.
The Summit was presided over by Hon.Wycliffe Ambetsa Oparanya,Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives and MSMEs Development,as Chief Guest,alongside Hon. Julius Migos Ogamba,Cabinet Secretary for Education,and Dr.Beatrice Muganda Inyangala, Principal Secretary, State Department for Higher Education and Research.
Other distinguished guests included Eunice Pohlmann,Founder and Chair of WITIA, and Gracie Wamwandu, Fundraising and Partnerships Lead at WITIA,together with representatives from government,industry,academia, development organisations and the technology ecosystem.
Oparanya:Women Must Be Positioned as Drivers of Africa’s Enterprise Economy Speaking at the Summit,Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives and MSMEs Development Hon.Wycliffe Oparanya underscored the importance of connecting STEM innovation with entrepreneurship,enterprise development and access to markets.
“Africa cannot build a competitive economy by producing ideas without creating pathways for those ideas to become enterprises.
We must ensure that women and young innovators have access to skills, finance, markets and the networks required to turn innovation into sustainable businesses.
When we invest in women in STEM,we are investing directly in Africa’s economic future.”
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