“It’s very important to know where you’re going and [what you need to get there]. When you think about that and you think of the people that have expectations of you [like my parents, in my case], it becomes easy to do the work and keep pushing.”
Building a career in tech as a woman is no smooth running dream. It’s no secret that women in tech world are under-represented, under paid and not given due recognition and opportunities. Leveling the gender-gap is an uphill battle with discrimination still prevalent in today’s world. But with drive, perserverance and focus, the discourse is changing.
Named in 2019 amongst Forbes Africa’s coveted 30 under 30 Technology list, one of 30 Quartz Africa Innovators for 2019, winner of Future Awards Africa Prize in Technology, 2018 and winner of the 2020 ELOY Award for Technology, Odunayo Eweniyi, Co-founder and Chief Operations Officer PiggyVest
PiggyTech Global Limited, in just her mid twenties without mincing words far supercedes her contemporaries in the career world.
Today we put spotlight on one of the emerging talents in Nigeria, fast rising business executive, Odunayo Eweniyi, Co-founder and Chief Operations Officer PiggyVest and co founder of Feminist Coalition.
Alongside Damilola Odufuwa and Odunayo Eweniyi, she is also co founder of Feminist Coalition, a group of young Nigerian feminists working together to promote equality for women in Nigerian society.
Born the first child of two professors, Odunayo as a child dreamt about becoming a doctor, but soon realised her paths were set different as she didn’t possess the necessary “empathy” to qualify as a good doctor. So she switched gears and yes, it’s been an incredibly fulfilling journey for her.
Although she graduated from Covenant University in 2013 top of her class with a first-class degree in Computer Engineering, Eweniyi had always loved technology and while studying as an undergraduate, she developed an interest in coding and artificial intelligence and built upon it. Upon graduation, during her job search, after landing a job which didn’t pay well enough, she together with her friends Somto Ifezue and Joshua Chibueze decided to start PushCV – linking job seekers with employers. Two years later, PushCV had become a profitable brand, so the trio yearned for a new challenge and went on to launch PiggyVest in 2016, it became available to the public April same year.
Odunayo Eweniyi isn’t just passionate about her career, but is truly passionate about the development of community. She has applaudably established herself as an activist; during the #EndSARS protest in Nigeria, where citizens came out to protest against police brutality, alongside her Feminist Coalition members Damilola Odufuwa and Feyikemi ‘FK’ Abudu, looking for ways to helo and contribute to the movement, they immediately sprang into action. Tapping from their wealth of experience in tech, they raised donations in Bitcoin to offer protesters medical assistance, legal aid and mental-health support.
Odunayo Eweniyi’s influence and impact in the business world and beyond has earned her recognition:
She was included in TIME magazine’s Next 100 list as emerging leaders who are shaping the future. She was on Forbes Africa’s list of 20 New Wealth Creators in Africa 2019. She was nominated for The Future Awards Africa Prize for Young Person of The Year in 2020. She was also listed on Bloomberg 50 2020, among others.
Idunayo Eweniyi is also founder
500Dishes, 99Startup and FrontDESK.
Well done!
