Absa Bank Tanzania Director of Technology, Mr. Emanuel Mwinuka (fourth from left), speaks with participants of the program titled “Absa GirlCode Hackathon 2025,” in which female university students were required to develop digital codes that provide solutions to support the banking sector and other industries. The event took place in Dar es Salaam over the weekend.
Absa Bank Tanzania has reaffirmed its commitment to empowering women in technology with the successful conclusion of the GirlCode Hackathon 2025, a high-energy, 36-hour innovation challenge that brought together young women coders, developers, and entrepreneurs from across the country.
The event, held in partnership with the Women in Tech Centre and Girl Code Africa, provided a platform for participants to develop digital solutions addressing real-world challenges in Fintech, Artificial Intelligence, and Cybersecurity.
In her closing address in Dar es Salaam over the weekend, the Director of Human Resources at Absa Bank Tanzania, Mr Patrick Foya commended the participants for their creativity, determination, and problem-solving spirit.
“Your solutions stood out not only for their technical excellence but also for their potential to make a real difference, you’ve tackled complex challenges with boldness and brilliance, you’ve proven that innovation knows no gender, and that the future of technology is brighter because of you”, he said.
The HR Director also emphasized that the hackathon was more than a competition-it was a platform for learning, growth, and transformation where participants collaborated to design solutions ranging from ecosystem banking platforms to AI-powered optimization engines, demonstrating that young Tanzanian women are ready to lead the next wave of technological innovation.
“When women are given the opportunity, they don’t just participate, they lead,” he added. “The next generation of tech leaders is already here.”
Highlighting Absa’s role in nurturing female talent, the Director reiterated the bank’s commitment to creating inclusive pathways for women in technology in line with Absa’s purpose of Empowering Africa’s Tomorrow, Together, One Story at a Time, under the brand message “Your Story Matters.”.
“Events like this are not just about coding, they’re about creating pipelines,” he said. “We are identifying talent, nurturing potential, and opening doors, Absa Bank Tanzania is committed to ensuring that young women who participated here today have access to opportunities such as internships, mentorships, and future employment.”
Addressing those who did not win awards, the HR Director offered a message of encouragement; “Every great technologist has faced setbacks,” he reminded them. “What matters is how you respond, take what you’ve learned here and keep building, keep dreaming, and keep pushing boundaries.”
One of the participants in the challenge, Mariam Saidi Mohammed, a computer software developer, expressed her gratitude to Absa Bank together with the GirlCode Hackathon for organizing the event, saying that it had helped her build confidence in finding solutions to various challenges through technology.
“I would like to encourage all women with ideas not to be afraid, come forward, you can solve many problems through technology,” said Ms. Mariam.
Speaking at the event, the Bank’s Director of Technology, Mr. Emanuel Mwinuka, said that the Absa GirlCode Hackathon will help address the gender imbalance among computer systems professionals in the country, which has been a major challenge in many workplaces.
“This challenge is not only in banks but also in other industries. That is why we at Absa decided to encourage young women from universities and workplaces to take advantage of opportunities in the world of technology and also provide solutions through technology."
“Today’s event has been very successful, we have had three winners, since this event is also taking place in other countries, the first-place winner will have the opportunity to compete with winners from other nations through their solutions, and the best solution will receive another award,” said Mr. Mwinuka.
The Girl Code Hackathon 2025 was concluded with award presentations, networking sessions, and a shared commitment to sustaining the momentum of empowering women in the tech ecosystem.
The Director of Human Resources at Absa Bank Tanzania, Mr. Patrick Foya (second from right), presents a certificate to the first-place winners, the Tokiva Sisters team, during the “Absa GirlCode Hackathon 2025” program, where female university students were required to create digital codes offering solutions beneficial to the banking sector and other industries. The event was held in Dar es Salaam over the weekend. From right: Absa Bank’s Director of Operations, Mr. Oscar Mwamfwagasi, and Director of Technology, Mr. Emanuel Mwinuka.
The Director of Operations at Absa Bank Tanzania, Mr. Oscar Mwamfwagasi (right), presents a certificate to the third-place winners, the Tech Divas team, during the “Absa GirlCode Hackathon 2025” program, where female university students were required to design digital codes offering solutions to support the banking sector and other industries. The event was held in Dar es Salaam over the weekend.
Absa Bank Tanzania Citizenship and Events Manager, Abigail Lukuvi (centre), speaks with some of the participants of the “Absa GirlCode Hackathon 2025” program, where female university students were required to create digital codes that provide solutions to benefit the banking sector and the broader community. The event took place in Dar es Salaam over the weekend.
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