
Adora Nwodo, Senior Software Engineer and Founder of NexaScale, continues to champion women’s inclusion in the technology sector. In a recent interview with Tam, Nwodo shared insights into her journey and the importance of empowering women in tech.
Nwodo’s dedication to bridging gender gaps in STEM is evident in her initiatives, from visiting secondary schools to inspire young girls to pursue STEM careers, to establishing NexaScale, a platform providing opportunities and resources for aspiring technologists.
During the interview session, Nwodo stressed the need to address barriers hindering women’s participation in tech. She highlighted the importance of mentorship, networking opportunities, and tailored programs to support women in navigating and excelling in the tech industry.
In her words, “Women bring unique perspectives and talents to the table, and it’s essential to create an inclusive environment where they can thrive,” Nwodo remarked. “By fostering diversity and inclusion in technology, we not only unlock innovation but also contribute to building a more equitable and prosperous society.”
NexaScale offers programs designed to provide work experience opportunities, including internships and boot camps. Reflecting on its impact, Nwodo noted that during the COVID-19 pandemic, she created a directory connecting mid-level and entry-level talents with Nigerian founders, which received a lot of responses and opened doors of opportunities for many inside and outside Nigeria. According to her, this success motivated her to formalize these efforts into NexaScale, enhancing its reach and effectiveness.
“NexaScale is not just about me anymore; it’s a collective effort to achieve more than what I could do alone,” Nwodo explained. “Creating this social enterprise allows us to make a larger impact and reach more people than ever before.”
Adora Nwodo also shared her thoughts on the women inclusion policy. She argued that while creating policies is necessary, it is crucial to maintain an environment that thrives on feedback and representation. She also emphasized the importance of empathy over creating endless policies, noting that empathy and understanding are needed when dealing with others. She added, “The most important thing is to have empathy. Understand that when you’re dealing with a man, a woman, or whoever, it’s to understand that different people have different struggles and have empathy to create a space for them to flourish.”
Speaking on the role of educational institutions in encouraging girls and young women to pursue careers in STEM, Adora attributed the common issues to the lack of representation in society. Sharing her experiences from school and the impact of seeing successful women, she highlighted the need to tell more stories of successful women.
“There are people that, when I was in secondary school, when I was in primary school, came to my school to talk and change my life forever. There are people that I’ve seen on TV. And just because I was very interested, even in maybe the basic thing, maybe how this lady applied red lipstick on her lips, and she was wearing high heels, and she was going to the office. I want to go to the office too. There are just some things that you see as a child when you’re growing up. Right. And I think one very important thing is that they need to tell more stories of successful women.” She shared.