Judith Owigar is a Kenyan technology entrepreneur, social innovator, computer scientist, and advocate for women and young people in technology. She is widely recognized as one of the pioneers of Kenya’s technology ecosystem and is particularly known for co-founding AkiraChix, an organization dedicated to increasing the participation of African women in technology. She is also the founder of JuaKali Workforce, a platform created to connect skilled workers in Kenya’s informal sector with employment opportunities.
Born in Kenya, Owigar developed an interest in technology and computing at an early stage. She studied Computer Science at the University of Nairobi, earning her bachelor’s degree in 2008, and later obtained a Master’s degree in Applied Computing from the same university in 2016. Her academic background provided the technical foundation for her subsequent career as a developer, entrepreneur, and technology advocate.
Owigar began her professional career in Kenya’s technology sector, working first in technical support before moving into software development. She worked as a developer at Ibid Labs and later contributed to technology projects connected to the Japan Center for Conflict Prevention. Her work included developing databases and web applications supporting projects involving Somalia and the Great Lakes region. These experiences strengthened her belief that technology should be used to solve real social and economic problems rather than simply being developed for its own sake.
One of the most important chapters of Owigar’s career began in 2010, when she joined Angela Oduor Lungati, Linda Kamau, and Marie Githinji to co-found AkiraChix. The organization emerged from their observation that women were significantly underrepresented in Kenya’s technology sector. They wanted to create a community where women could learn, experiment with technology, exchange ideas, build confidence, and develop solutions to problems affecting their communities.
Through AkiraChix, Owigar became an important advocate for closing the gender gap in technology. The organization provides training, mentorship, networking, and other opportunities designed to help young African women become creators of technology rather than simply users of it. Its mission is to provide young women with the education, tools, and support needed to build careers in technology and compete economically.
Her work with AkiraChix has gone beyond teaching technical skills. Owigar has emphasized the importance of confidence, mentorship, leadership, entrepreneurship, and access to opportunities. She has worked to ensure that women from communities with limited access to technology can develop skills that can improve their economic prospects and enable them to participate more fully in Africa’s digital economy.
Owigar also founded JuaKali Workforce, an online platform designed to connect skilled workers in Kenya’s informal economy with short-term employment opportunities. The platform addressed challenges surrounding unemployment and the difficulty many skilled informal-sector workers face when trying to find customers and reliable work. Through technology, Owigar sought to make these workers more visible and improve their access to economic opportunities.
Her interest in technology has also extended into urban development and sustainable cities. Owigar has worked with UN-Habitat, contributing her expertise in information and communication technology, smart cities, mobility, and sustainable urban development. Her work at the intersection of technology, urbanization, mobility, and social development reflects her broader belief that innovation should improve people’s everyday lives.
Owigar has also participated in major international technology and entrepreneurship forums. In 2015, she was among the African technology and entrepreneurship leaders who shared a platform with former U.S. President Barack Obama and former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta during the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Kenya. She has also spoken at prominent technology and women’s leadership events, helping bring greater international attention to Africa’s emerging technology ecosystem.
Her achievements have earned her several awards and fellowships. Among her recognitions are the Anita Borg Change Agent Award, the U.S. Embassy in Kenya’s Unsung Heroes Award, and selection as an Acumen East Africa Fellow. These recognitions reflect her contribution to technology, entrepreneurship, social innovation, and women’s empowerment.
Judith Owigar’s influence goes beyond her individual businesses and organizations. She represents a generation of African technology leaders who have demonstrated that technology can be a powerful tool for addressing unemployment, gender inequality, limited economic opportunities, and social development challenges. Her work has helped create pathways for more African women to enter STEM fields, develop technology solutions, and become leaders within the digital economy.
Today, Judith Owigar remains an important figure in Africa’s technology and social-innovation landscape. Her journey from computer science graduate and software developer to technology entrepreneur, women’s empowerment advocate, and smart-mobility expert demonstrates the potential of combining technical knowledge with a strong commitment to social impact. Through AkiraChix, JuaKali Workforce, and her broader work in technology and development, she continues to inspire young Africans, particularly women to see technology as a pathway to innovation, economic independence, and positive change.