PalmPay pushes for more women in fintech with Purple Woman Masterclass

PalmPay Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to increasing women’s participation in the financial technology sector through its Purple Woman programme, hosting the third edition of the Purple Woman Masterclass aimed at equipping young women with digital and professional skills.

Speaking at the event, Managing Director of PalmPay Nigeria, Chika Nwosu, said the initiative was created to address the low representation of women in fintech and the broader technology ecosystem.

“This initiative is because we noticed that there are not so many women in fintech and in the tech industry, and we intend to bridge that gap. We want to see a whole lot of women in leadership positions in fintech,” Nwosu said.

The programme, organised to mark International Women’s Day 2026, forms part of PalmPay’s broader effort to promote an inclusive digital economy while empowering women with technology-driven skills.

According to Nwosu, empowering women produces long-term social and economic benefits. He noted that women’s financial empowerment often leads to better education and opportunities for children as well as stronger households.

Over the past three years, the initiative has empowered about 250 young women, with this year’s edition attracting more than 1,000 applications. From the entries, 100 women were shortlisted to participate in the three-day masterclass covering Human Resources, Data Analysis, Digital Marketing, Personal Financial Management, UX/UI, Software Engineering and Product Management.

At the end of the training, 10 participants were selected for a six-month internship programme at PalmPay where they will gain practical experience across different departments.

Explaining the selection process, Human Relations Manager at PalmPay, Anthony Iwuala, said the company adopted a merit-based system to identify the most qualified candidates.

“For us at PalmPay, we believe in equity and equality and following the right process. As a company, we believe in people who have skills and talent, so we ensure that we select qualified people,” Iwuala said.

He explained that participants were assessed through coursework and written tests conducted during the programme, after which the top candidates were selected.

According to him, the interns will be deployed across departments including marketing, human resources, administration, product development, sales and business intelligence, where they will receive mentorship and hands-on training for six months.

“We assign mentors to them, and these mentors will provide on-the-job training,” he said, adding that the programme is designed not only to train participants but also to create employment opportunities.

Iwuala noted that the previous edition produced positive results, with the ten participants in the Purple Woman 2.0 programme offered full-time employment at PalmPay.

The event also featured a presentation by Nneka Okekearu, Director of the Enterprise Development Centre at Pan-Atlantic University, who delivered a masterclass on self-worth, confidence and self-awareness for women.

Okekearu said many women grow up with unconscious biases that affect their confidence and career choices, often discouraging them from pursuing opportunities.

“A lot of women have grown up being told they cannot do certain things. Unlike their male counterparts, they are sometimes discouraged from pursuing opportunities,” she said.

While acknowledging progress in female leadership in Nigeria’s corporate sector, she noted that more than 30 per cent of commercial banks now have female chief executives and an increasing number of women serve on corporate boards.

However, she highlighted what she described as the “missing middle,” where many women leave the workforce during key stages of their careers.

“When women enter the workforce, by the time they get married and have children, many leave. We need systems that allow them to return without losing their career progress,” Okekearu said.