DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (HONORIS CAUSA)

Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Nkemdilim Uwaje Begho is a global speaker and digital transformation expert. 

She attended the German International School in Lagos before moving to Germany to further her studies, and in 2006, graduated with a BSc. Hons. in Bioinformatics from Ludwig-Maximilians University (LMU) & Technical University Munich (TUM) in Munich.

While studying, she was an Application Developer for the Max Planck Institute for Psychiatric Research, Channel Manager/Head of Marketing at Leapsoft Nigeria Ltd. and then a Bioinformatics Consultant and Software Developer for Affectis Pharmaceuticals – a position she held until December 2009.

After completing her studies, she was appointed Business Development Manager for Specialised Outsourcing Nigeria Ltd. In 2007, she served as the Market Evaluation Officer in the Commercial Section of the Austrian Embassy of Nigeria. The following year, her entrepreneurial journey began when she became the Managing Director and CEO of Future Software Resources Ltd. - a business initially incorporated by her father, Christopher Uwaje, Nigeria’s foremost IT policy maker. It was his intention for her to take the reins when she was ready. In 2008, she rebranded the company, refocusing it towards web development, online solutions development, eLearning and IT security.

For Nkem, the rationale for becoming an entrepreneur was fuelled by the desire to work on projects that fulfil her and the ability to create, innovate and be part of shaping the technology ecosystem in Nigeria and Pan-Africa, creating employment and growing as a leader and visionary, making a positive contribution to the Nigerian digital space.

A firm believer in mentorship, Nkem regularly volunteers for mentoring and empowerment programmes where she shares her technology and digital strategy knowledge, alongside her business and life experience. She is also the co-founder of The Bake for Change Development Foundation, an NGO focused on empowering street children through skills acquisition, vocational training and educational scholarships.

In 2019, she was appointed as a Board member for Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC, a financial service group listed on the Nigerian Stock exchange and subsidiary of Standard Bank, where she currently chairs the board IT Committee.  She serves as a board member of the Society for Corporate Governance in Nigeria, the Lagos State Research and Innovation Council (LASRIC), The BudgIT Foundation, Global Leaders USA and Novare Fund Manager Ltd.

Nkemdilim also served in the leadership of the Digital Economy Policy group of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group NESG, which is focused on influencing and advocating for policy development that creates an enabling environment.

Among her numerous accolades, she received an Honour Award from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in 2007, was included on the Forbes List of Top Ten Female Tech Founders in Africa in 2014, a Titans of Tech Award, Nigeria in 2016 and in the same year, was named as one of the 100 Lionesses of Africa.

In 2019, Nkem was selected as one of the Obama Africa leaders providing leadership to change the continent “one day at a time” as well as inclusion on the list of Top 100 Most Influential People of African Descent. In 2020, she was named among the Top 100 Leading Ladies in Africa.

Her entrepreneurial background, involvement in the global and pan-African technology landscape and a focus on building the technology ecosystem through enabling policy development, investing, education and mentoring, has had a substantial impact on her own country and the African continent as a whole.

She executes her role as a technology influencer with integrity and uses her position and influence to create real change in legislation, communities and in the lives of the young people and women her initiatives serve.

For her leadership and for dedicating her career to serving her community and more specifically the African continent, it is an honour for Nelson Mandela University to confer the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (honoris causa) on Nkemdilim Uwaje Begho.