Women Redefining Technology, Innovation, Communication, Policy and Digital Transformation in Sierra Leone
As we unveil this year’s edition of the “Women in Tech & Leading Tech” series, I am profoundly honored to present an extraordinary cohort of Sierra Leonean women who are redefining influence, impact, and innovation across our digital landscape. This series highlights the local voices advancing our national development, from data-driven governance to grassroots technological empowerment, women whose work stands as evidence of the resilience, collaboration, and brilliance inherent in Sierra Leone. As we celebrate International Women’s Day, we launch this showcase with a firm promise to amplify the voices of women who are not merely participants in our digital transformation, they are the architects of Sierra Leone’s technological future.
This series holds particular significance as we witness an unprecedented convergence of leadership across the Ministry, our cyber security sector, innovation landscape and the private tech ecosystem. Our featured leaders include innovators, policy shapers, and pioneering technologists who are translating vision into transformative action to support the government’s “Big Five” Game Changers. From those securing our national cyber borders to those leveraging Artificial Intelligence to transform our civil service, these women exemplify leadership that turns digital possibility into national progress.
The women featured in this debut exemplify the Leading Tech ethos: bold, pioneering, and purposeful. Their stories remind us that innovation thrives where courage meets technology, and that when our women lead in tech, Sierra Leone rises with them. As I reflect on our journey toward a digitally inclusive middle-income economy, I am continually inspired by the depth and determination of the women we celebrate today. It is my greatest privilege to champion these extraordinary professionals whose work is building the secure, innovative future our country deserves.
Together, we lead, with innovation, integrity, and profound impact.
Aminata Omaru Tholley is an outstanding woman in TECH whose career exemplifies leadership, innovation, and dedication to advancing Sierra Leone’s ICT ecosystem. Currently serving as Deputy Director of Policy, Planning & Compliance at the Ministry of Communication, Technology & Innovation, she has brought over 13 years of progressive experience in government ICT management, policy formulation, and strategic planning. Her trajectory includes roles as Chief Technology Officer and ICT Manager, where she spearheaded the development of ICT infrastructure and IT administration in the Office of the President, Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Works and Public Assets. Her academic background is equally impressive, with dual master’s degrees in communication & Signal Processing Engineering (Newcastle University, United Kingdom 2016) and Statistics (Njala University, Sierra Leone 2010), complemented by a BSc (Hons) in Mathematics (Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone 2008). She has also completed several international professional training courses. This strong technical foundation underpins her ability to bridge policy and technology, crafting legislation and frameworks that align with international best practices while fostering private sector investment and innovation. She has led in the development of the National Digital Change Management Strategy and the National Drone Policy, strategy and use case prioritization. Her efforts also contributed to the development of the Sierra Leone Digital Government Bill, DSTI Bill, Data Governance Strategy and ICT user.
Aminata’s professional skills span Data Analytics, Hardware and Networking, ICT Policy and Compliance, and she has consistently championed capacity-building initiatives through training, workshops, and mentorship. Her recognition as one of the Top 100 Women in Corporate Sierra Leone (2022) and her participation in prestigious programs such as the 2019 TechWomen Fellowship and 2024 GovTech Cohort highlight her influence both locally and globally. She is also a member of professional associations including TechWomen Sierra Leone and STEM Women Sierra Leone, reflecting her commitment to empowering women in technology. Her blend of technical expertise, visionary leadership, and dedication to national development makes her an asset to continue to shape Sierra Leone’s digital transformation agenda.
Hawa Hawa Kallon is an Artificial Intelligence & Digital Public Goods Lead at the Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation, where she drives the integration of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Public Goods across national development initiatives in Sierra Leone. Her work focuses on capacity building, startup ecosystem support, and advancing government digitization efforts to strengthen innovation and digital transformation across the country. Through a series of workshops and ecosystem engagements across Freetown, she has supported emerging startups and trained young professionals in AI and digital technologies, contributing to the growth of Sierra Leone’s technology landscape.
She has also represented Sierra Leone at the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, highlighting the country’s commitment to responsible and inclusive AI development on the global stage. A Software Engineer by training, she specializes in Python, Django, and Artificial Intelligence frameworks such as TensorFlow and PyTorch. Her technical expertise spans software development, machine learning systems, and user-centered digital solutions. She has previously worked with private sector organizations including Christex Foundation as a Software Engineer and 7Dimples as a Web and Graphic Designer. She is particularly passionate about building tools that support student learning, including a deployed web-based AI study companion.
Beyond her technical leadership, she is deeply committed to advancing women in technology. She is the Founder of Ruqayyah Foundation, a newly launched initiative dedicated to equipping girls with programming skills and pathways into tech careers. She also serves as Chief Programmer for Django Girls at Limkokwing University of Creative Technology, where she has spent three years mentoring and collaborating with women-focused organizations to deliver seminars and coding programs. She holds a BSc (Hons) in Software Engineering with Multimedia and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Financial Engineering, bridging advanced technology with financial systems to support data-driven innovation. Her long-term vision is to strengthen the women-in-STEM pipeline, contribute to Africa-led AI solutions, and advance technology-enabled education reform in Sierra Leone.
Marian Namisa Yarjah is a seasoned Information and Communications Technology (ICT) professional with over two decades of experience in information systems management, telecommunications regulation, and digital transformation in Sierra Leone. She currently serves as Senior Manager, IT at the National Communications Authority (NatCA), where she leads the implementation of the Authority’s IT strategy, oversees enterprise systems, and ensures the effective management of digital infrastructure and services.
Marian began her career in data and information management with international organizations including UNDP, UNOCHA, WFP, UNICEF, and FAO, where she worked on database development, humanitarian data management, and information systems. Her career in telecommunications regulation started in 2008 at the National Telecommunications Commission (NATCOM), where she rose through the ranks from ICT Manager and Head of the Information Technology (IT) Unit to IT Manager, and now Senior Manager, IT at NatCA.
She holds a BSc (Hons) in Information Systems and a Master’s degree in Development Management from the Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM), University of Sierra Leone. She has also received specialized training in ICT Policy, Cybersecurity, Mobile Technologies, and Network Security, including international programs in the United States, India, Ghana, South Africa, and Egypt.
In 2018, Marian was selected for the prestigious TechWomen Program of the U.S. Department of State, where she undertook a professional mentorship internship in San Francisco with Zenefits, contributing to product development and digital project management initiatives.
Passionate about technology, innovation, and capacity building, Marian continues to champion the use of ICT to improve governance, digital services, and national development. She is committed to inspiring and supporting the next generation of women pursuing careers in technology
Annie Wonnie Katta is the Director of the Orange Foundation Sierra Leone, where she provides strategic leadership for the Foundation’s social investment and digital inclusion agenda. With over 19 years of experience in the telecommunications sector, she brings deep industry expertise, strategic insight, and a strong commitment to sustainable development.
Under her leadership, the Foundation has implemented transformative programs focused on education, digital skills development, entrepreneurship, and innovation. She has led multidisciplinary teams supporting both large corporations and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with digital solutions designed to accelerate their digital transformation and enhance competitiveness.
Ms. Katta has overseen the delivery of flagship initiatives, including the Orange Digital Center, the Women’s Digital Center, OSVP, and the Digital School Kits program. These initiatives have significantly expanded access to digital tools, fostered innovation ecosystems, and empowered youth and women with the skills needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving digital economy.
Recognized for her strategic vision and collaborative leadership style, Ms. Katta works closely with government institutions, development partners, and private sector stakeholders to align social investment with national development priorities. Through her work, she continues to champion technology-driven social solutions and position the Foundation as a catalyst for long-term, inclusive impact.
With more than three decades of dedicated public service, Sia Catherine Saffea has played an important role in strengthening Information and Communication Technology systems across several government institutions in Sierra Leone.
She currently serves as Assistant Director at the Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation, where she contributes to advancing digital systems and ICT development within the public sector. Over the years, she has held several key leadership and technical positions, including ICT Manager and Senior ICT Officer, supporting the design, implementation, and management of critical digital infrastructure within government.
Mrs. Saffea previously served as Senior ICT Officer and Head of the ICT Unit at the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, where she led efforts to improve ICT infrastructure, upgrade database systems, establish a data centre, and develop the Ministry’s draft ICT Policy. She also played a key role in training fisheries officers and enumerators on digital data collection using tools such as Open Data Kit (ODK).
Prior to this, she served as Senior ICT Officer at the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, supporting health information systems and digital platforms used for logistics and data management within the health sector. She also contributed to strengthening payroll systems as Senior ICT Officer (Payroll Supervisor) at the Human Resource Management Office, ensuring improved payroll integrity within the civil service.
Earlier in her career, Mrs. Saffea worked as a Database Management Officer at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, supporting the Accountant General’s Department in managing government salary and financial data systems. She also served at the Judiciary of Sierra Leone, where she contributed to developing databases to support court administration and records management.
Her professional journey began at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security, where she worked in several capacities including Assistant Programmer and Database Management Officer, contributing to agricultural surveys, data processing, and national project information systems.
Mrs. Saffea holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) Degree in Computer Science from Njala University, graduating with a Distinction in her final project, in addition to a Higher National Diploma and Diploma in Data Processing and Information Technology.
Throughout her career, she has demonstrated strong expertise in database management, data analysis, ICT infrastructure, and digital systems development. She remains passionate about leveraging technology to strengthen governance, support data-driven decision-making, and inspire more women and young professionals to pursue careers in technology.
Her story is one of commitment, resilience, and service, a powerful reminder of the growing impact of women in shaping Sierra Leone’s digital future.
Gemma Pyne Bailey is a Cybersecurity Specialist and Capacity-Building Lead at the National Cybersecurity Coordination Centre (NC3) in Sierra Leone. She works at the intersection of cybersecurity, national resilience, and digital trust, leading strategic training and awareness initiatives that strengthen cybersecurity capabilities across government institutions, law enforcement agencies, and critical sectors.
Gemma has trained professionals nationwide, equipping leaders and institutions with practical skills to respond to cyber threats and strengthen cyber hygiene practices. An INTERPOL-certified trainer, she has delivered specialised training on electronic evidence handling and victim-centred approaches to cybercrime investigations.
She holds an MSc in Cybersecurity and Penetration Testing and a First Class BSc in Computer Forensics from Middlesex University, United Kingdom, and is passionate about advancing cybersecurity leadership and mentoring the next generation of young women in technology.
Ing Trudy Morgan is the current President of the Commonwealth Engineering Council; Immediate Past President of the Sierra Leone Institution of Engineers, Council Member of the Professional Engineering Regulatory Council; Co-founder and first President of the Sierra Leone Women Engineers; a trustee with the UK-based charity Engineers for Change (Sierra Leone); and the immediate past International Representative for the UK Institution of Civil Engineers.
Passionate about youth and women’s empowerment, she has started several initiatives that support the growth and development of young people and women. Trudy made history by becoming the first female Fellow from Africa of the UK Institution of Civil Engineers. She has won several awards locally for her work with women engineers. In June 2020, she became the first female President of the Sierra Leone Institution of Engineers on its 50th anniversary. In November 2023, she was named as one of 274 engineering icons by Transport for London and the Royal Academy of Engineering.
Trudy is currently the UN-Habitat Project Lead for the City-to-City Cooperation Project, working with the Cities of Zurich and Freetown. She also runs a small consultancy (AXIS 360) through which she combines logic and analytical skills from her engineering background with business management, commercial and team leadership. Her empowerment platform ITM Inspires continues to build structures to enable young people to see STEM as a career for all.
A dynamic and results-driven professional with two decades of experience at the intersection of technology and business strategy, dedicated to fostering innovation and empowering the next generation of leaders in Sierra Leone and beyond.
Currently, Salwa serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Luminix Energy Solution (SL) Ltd., where she leads the charge in delivering sustainable and innovative energy solutions, driving the company’s strategic vision and operational growth in a critical sector.
As Co-founder and Director of Fix Solution (SL) Limited, a software development firm, Salwa sits at the intersection of business and technology. Her 20-year career began with hands-on experience as a Telecom Engineer at industry leaders like Celtel, Zain, and Airtel. She later honed her strategic vision through a prestigious TechWomen internship at Quid, a top software analytics company in Silicon Valley in the United States of America, a journey that gives her a uniquely comprehensive view of the tech landscape.
Beyond her corporate roles, Salwa is deeply committed to mentorship and national development. As a Mentor with Ecobank Sierra Leone, she guides new business talent, contributing to Sierra Leone’s economic growth. Her commitment to the STEM ecosystem is further evidenced by her tenure as a Next Einstein Forum Ambassador (2017-2019) and her continued leadership as the President of the Sierra Leone – United States Alumni Association (SLUSAA), uniting a community of exchange alumni to drive positive change.
A dedicated TechWomen Fellow, she has also served as a Peer Advisor for the program, reflecting her passion for collaborative growth. Salwa is known for her energetic and collaborative spirit, consistently seeking opportunities to empower herself and others. Her work is driven by a steadfast belief in the power of idea development and teamwork to achieve transformative results.
A motivational force in her community, Salwa’s life and work are guided by her Christian faith. She finds balance and inspiration by cherishing time with family and enjoying action-packed movies.
At the intersection of complex data and national progress stands Glenna Christie Wilson, a solution-driven leader redefining how Sierra Leone harnesses information to serve its people. As a Senior Data Scientist and Technical Project Lead at the Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) within the Office of the President, Glenna has spent over six years transforming raw data into a powerful engine for governance and digital transformation.
Glenna’s work is foundational to the nation’s digital evolution. She served as the technical lead for Sierra Leone’s first-ever integrated GIS platform, a landmark achievement providing the spatial analytics and web mapping essential for modern urban planning. Her expertise ensures that geography is no longer a barrier to service delivery, but a roadmap for evidence-based progress.
Her impact is felt most directly through the digital tools that touch the lives of citizens. Glenna played a pivotal role in delivering real-time platforms like PRESTRACK, a Digital Health Dashboard enabling authorities to monitor maternal health indicators, and the Education Data Hub, which has revolutionized transparency and public engagement within the school system.
Beyond her mastery of Python and data engineering, Glenna is a seasoned strategist. A 2020–2021 TechWomen Fellow and an alumna of the U.S. Department of State’s IVLP program, she brings a global perspective to local challenges. She doesn’t just manage data; she builds the teams that drive it, mentoring the next generation of women technologists to ensure Sierra Leone’s tech talent pool is as inclusive as it is skilled.
For Glenna, technology is ultimately about accountability. Her mission is to use geospatial technologies to make government services more transparent and responsive, ensuring that every data point contributes to a more equitable and inclusive Sierra Leone.
Fatmata Conteh serves as an Assistant Director in the Directorate of Technology at the Ministry of Communication, Technology, and Innovation. With over twelve years of professional experience in system and network administration, data security, and information management across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), she has played a key role in strengthening digital systems and supporting the effective management of government information infrastructure.
Her expertise spans data collection, analysis, interpretation, and reporting, as well as the administration and maintenance of critical information systems within the public sector. She is highly skilled in safeguarding IT systems, users, and applications, and in implementing preventive maintenance strategies for both hardware and system software to ensure operational efficiency, reliability, and security across government platforms.
Fatmata holds a Master of Engineering (MEng) in Information and Communication Engineering from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China, a Master of Science (MSc) in Information Systems Project Management, and a Bachelor of Science (BSc Hons) in Business Information Technology from Njala University. Her work continues to contribute to advancing digital transformation and strengthening technology governance within Sierra Leone’s public sector.
Tigidankay’s journey into technology has been one of curiosity, resilience, and continuous learning. She began her career at the Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) as an intern, with an academic background in Applied Accounting. While her field of study was not traditionally associated with technology, it did not limit her ambition to explore how digital innovation could improve public service delivery.
Over the past seven years, Tigidankay has grown from an intern to a Product Manager, now leading national-scale digital transformation initiatives across health, governance, education, infrastructure, and environmental sectors in Sierra Leone. Her work focuses on translating policy and service delivery challenges into digital products and data-driven solutions that improve institutional efficiency, transparency, and access to services.
Throughout this journey, Tigidankay has developed strong expertise in product management, project lifecycle management, stakeholder engagement, digital system design, and cross-sector collaboration. She has had the privilege of working with development partners including UNICEF, UNDP, and UNFPA, alongside multiple government institutions, to design and deploy impactful digital platforms that support national development priorities.
Some of the digital systems Tigidankay have contributed to include the Pregnancy Registration & Service Tracking App (PReSTrack) for maternal health services, the Leh We Tok App designed as an inclusive e-learning platform for the speech and hearing-impaired community, the Sierra Leone Nursing and Midwifery Council Regulatory Platform, the Anti-Corruption Commission Asset Declaration System, the E-referral SGBV Access System, the Climate and Environmental Stakeholder Engagement Dashboard, and the Sierra Leone Road Authority Road Asset Management System and MIS Dashboard. Beyond system development, Tigidankay has also trained over 5,000 government officials and frontline service providers across the country on the use of these digital platforms, helping institutions transition from manual processes to more efficient, technology-enabled systems.
Academically, she has always been driven by excellence. Tigidankay was the best student nationwide in the 2016 West African Senior Secondary School Examination (WASSCE) and later the best graduating student in the Accountancy Department at the Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM), University of Sierra Leone Tigidankay continue to invest in her professional growth and she is currently preparing to take the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification examination to further strengthen her leadership and project management capabilities.
Her journey is a reminder that your academic background does not define your limits. With curiosity, dedication, and the courage to step into new spaces, women can lead, innovate, and build solutions that transform societies.
Mrs. Maama Seiwoh-Koroma is a driven professional whose career is built on a foundation of excellence, collaboration, and visionary leadership. As Deputy Director General, she brings years of high-level experience in administration and management to the heart of Sierra Leone’s cybersecurity efforts, ensuring that the nation’s digital defenses are managed with precision and integrity.
Her leadership is fueled by a deep passion for improving the livelihoods of others and achieving shared national goals. Maama believes that at the core of every technological advancement is a need for strong management and a commitment to service.
Her academic background is exceptionally diverse, reflecting a relentless pursuit of expertise across multiple disciplines. She holds two Bachelor of Science degrees from Fourah Bay College and COMAHS, University of Sierra Leone, a third Bachelor of Science from Middlesex University, and several Postgraduate Certificates and Diplomas from Middlesex, City University, and Kingston University in the UK.
In a field often defined by code and hardware, Maama stands as a leader who prioritizes the human impact of technology, ensuring that Sierra Leone’s digital transformation remains inclusive, well-governed, and centered on the people it serves.