How Absa is empowering 112 women in tech as hackathon kicks off

One hundred and twelve women, aged 18-35, have been shortlisted to take part in the 30-hour hackathon themed “Future-Proofing Africa: Innovation at the Intersection of FinTech, Cybersecurity, and AI” that will challenge the participants to design digital solutions that foster a resilient, inclusive and secure digital future for Africa.

The pan-African hackathon will be happening simultaneously across seven cities in five African countries including Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Kampala, Nairobi, Gaborone, and Dar es Salaam. The continental winner will walk away with the grand prize of USD 5,500.

Participants will be tasked with developing digital–first, AI-enabled financial solutions that are aligned with Kenya’s broader national innovation priorities, including youth empowerment, digital inclusion, entrepreneurship, sustainability, and economic resilience.

Additionally, the solutions should enhance access to and management of key financial services for the youth, leverage AI for personalisation, decision-making, and automation, and integrate cybersecurity for data protection and fraud prevention across digital channels such as mobile apps, USSD, web platforms, or chatbots.

“At GirlCode, our mission has been to bridge the gender gap in tech and to equip the next generation of women innovators with the tools to shape Africa’s digital landscape. We are providing a launching pad where these young women can sharpen their skills while contributing meaningfully to the digital landscape,” said Zandile Mkwanazi, CEO and Founder of GirlCode.

Over 200 Kenyan women submitted applications to participate in the Absa Bank Kenya-GirlCode Women-in-Tech Hackathon this year. 

Last year, 280 young women (age 18-25) participated in the continental competition, drawn from nine cities in Africa. The competition has grown significantly this year, attracting over 450 participants across seven African cities.

The panel of judges of the hackathon in Nairobi include MK-Africa, CEO, Muthoni Kanyana; Women in Tech Kenya, Country Manager, Lucy Mbuthia; and Absa Bank Kenya,Chief People Officer, Mumbi Kahindo and Absa Bank Kenya, Chief Operating Officer, Julius Kamau.