Despite recent advancements, gender disparities in STEM disciplines remain a major concern worldwide, particularly in Africa. This book focuses on empowering women in STEM to highlight the barriers they face in accessing and excelling in these areas, as well as proposing concrete solutions to bridge this gap. Africa possesses a vast pool of untapped STEM talent, especially among women and this book aims to support women in entering and thriving in STEM careers by providing opportunities and support, leading to a more diverse and dynamic workforce.

African Women Trailblazers in STEM: Pioneering Technological and Economic Advancement offers firsthand accounts of successful women in STEM fields across Africa, providing access to valuable data on economic innovation in the region. It sheds light on the challenges African women face in STEM and offers strategies to overcome them, showcasing the achievements of women in STEM and their contributions to the field. The book also explores the correlation between women in STEM in Africa and the Sustainable Development Goals, presenting case studies and data on the gender gap in STEM fields. Acknowledging the unique challenges women of diverse backgrounds face, including race, ethnicity, social status, and location, this book provides readers with a deeper understanding of the importance of inclusive empowerment strategies and how intersecting identities impact women's experiences in STEM fields.

This book can educate stakeholders and policymakers on the importance of funding programs that promote gender equality and women's participation in STEM fields. By offering evidence-based recommendations, the book can influence policy decisions aimed at creating more inclusive and supportive environments for women in STEM education and professions.

Uzo Mkparu is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Techscale Consulting Ltd. and Techscale Technologies Ltd. She holds an MBA from Cranfield University, UK, and a Master’s degree in Information Systems and Technology from City University, London. Mrs. Mkparu is an Equiano Institute AI Governance Fellow and is the convener of Responsible AI Forum Africa (in view). An award-winning chief executive with over 25 years’ experience, spanning financial services and other industries, she specialises in strategy and innovation-led growth with a focus on leveraging emerging technologies, especially artificial intelligence. Mrs. Mkparu is passionate about positioning Africa to harness the economic potential of emerging technology and data. She serves on several boards including the Advisory Board of Data Science Nigeria, a leading data science-focused NGO with the mission to create a million jobs in data science and advanced analytics, and Preston Associates International Development. Mrs. Mkparu is an accomplished mergers integration director, consultant, trainer, and frequent global conference speaker and spent some years as a regular guest business speaker at Pan-Atlantic University. She was recently recognised as one of the 100 Leading Women in Nigeria, is an honorary senior member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, and a member of the Institute of Directors UK and Boardroom Africa.

Richa Goel is an accomplished academic with 23+ years of experience in Economics and Management. Dr. Goel is an Associate Professor at Symbiosis Centre for Management Studies Noida, Symbiosis International University, Prune. A Gold Medallist in Economics, she holds a Ph.D. in Management with expertise in Diversity Management. Her projects on E-Shiksha, Women Empowerment, and Inclusive Banking gained recognition from the New Zealand, Ministry of Finance. Dr. Goel has to her credit published more than 20 books with leading publishers, numerous papers in journals, is acting as the lead editor for Scopus international journals and a special issue editor indexed with Q1 ranking. Dr. Goel has conducted many International and global conferences.

Tilottama Singh is a certified HR analyst from IIM and a proficient academic, researcher, and trainer with more than 14 years of experience in the field of Human Resources and Work Dynamics. She is presently the Head of Department in the School of Management, Uttaranchal Institute of Management, Dehradun. Her areas of expertise are Human Resources, Entrepreneurship, and Strategy, and her teaching concentration includes Human Resources, Strategy, and Law. Dr. Singh started her career in the hotel industry and later joined the education sector with the topmost universities, IMS Unison Group and Amity University, the leading university in Pan Asia. She obtained her master’s in human resources and management with distinction. Before that, she graduated in economics with honors and law with a distinction, with an added vocational course in mass communication and analytic certification from IIM. Having an enriched research portfolio with Scopus and international refereed journals, book chapters, and conference presentations, she has been awarded the Best Presentation Award in international conferences like IEOM, MIDAS, and many more. Dr. Singh also serves as a member of AIMA and acts to lead and liaise between the student community and the industry delegates, with a keen interest in training and building sustainable models for business and society.

Jade Mkparu is an award-winning author and essayist, the founder and CEO of BRAIDAR (an online service marketplace for students), and the Deputy Events Editor for e-magazine “The Stand”. She is also a UN Women UK delegate to the Commission on the Status of Women 68 and has a joint English and Management undergraduate degree from the University of St Andrews in view (2024). Mrs. Mkparu has been published in the YoungWriters 2019 Poetry Escape anthology and the Hurtwood Photoverse publication and was a winner of the latter’s eponymous competition. She also won First Prize in the Chairman’s Award Essay competition for two consecutive years at 12 and 13 years old, first in her year group category, and then the whole-school prize of $2,000. Mrs. Mkparu has been a panelist speaker at student entrepreneurship events, gave keynote graduation speeches at her alma mater, and is a mentor to young girls who want to further their writing careers. Mrs. Mkparu is also the Co-Founder of Lagos Family Fun, an online tourism and lifestyle brand for families in Lagos. She is also the creator and host of the live radio show BRAIDAR: The Business of Beauty, in which she analyses the innovation strategies and positioning of beauty and fashion industries, as well as emerging Gen Z consumer trends that they could leverage. Mrs. Mkparu has previously completed a research project on the potential of blockchain for collaborative storytelling and has internship experience with Accenture in management consulting and with Founder's Intelligence in innovation strategy consulting. She was also part of the Penguin Random House UK and Creative Access mentorship programme, where she was mentored by the Director of Strategy. Mrs. Mkparu has a management consulting graduate job with Accenture, due to commence in January 2025.