Meet Nigeria’s Ekeng-Itua, first world’s black woman Ph.D holder In Cybernetics
Nigerian engineering professor Rose-Margaret Ekeng-Itua has carved a place in history after reportedly becoming the first Black woman to earn a doctoral degree in Cybernetics from the University of Reading in the United Kingdom.
Now a professor of engineering at Ohlone College in Fremont, California, Ekeng-Itua has dedicated her career to advancing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education while promoting Africa’s contributions to innovation and technological development.
Her passion for changing perceptions about Africa dates back to her childhood. Between the ages of five and 10, she lived in the West, where she attended schools as one of the few students of African heritage.
Recalling those early experiences, she said many of her classmates held inaccurate views of Africa.
“This was a complete contradiction to the Africa I knew, so I began sharing stories with my friends about the Africa I knew, steeped in wisdom and ancestral civilization.”
At the age of nine, those conversations inspired her vision of creating a platform that would connect people across cultures and challenge stereotypes. That dream eventually became the Sabi Africa Network, named after the Nigerian Pidgin word “sabi,” meaning “to know.”
Founded in the 2000s, the initiative seeks to highlight Africa’s pioneering contributions to science, engineering and technology while fostering greater cultural understanding.
Building on that mission, Ekeng-Itua later established the African Technology and Innovation Institute (AFRITECHI), a knowledge transfer hub and technological research support centre focused on promoting Africa-centred STEM education.
Through AFRITECHI, she advocates for curricula that recognise indigenous African knowledge systems and encourage young Africans to pursue careers in science and technology.
She believes African innovation can play a major role in addressing global challenges.
“African and other indigenous technological innovations can solve most of the global issues highlighted in the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs),” she said.
Ekeng-Itua said AFRITECHI is also designed to narrow the technological and economic divide between the Global North and Global South by supporting research, innovation, consultancy and skills development across the continent.
With more than two decades of experience spanning academia and industry, she has consistently advocated stronger partnerships between educational institutions, governments and the private sector to better prepare graduates for the workforce.
“Intentional academia, industry, government partnerships are key for the reduction in youth unemployment and the graduate industry desirable skills gap,” she said.
Beyond her academic work, Ekeng-Itua is actively involved in mentoring women and girls in STEM through initiatives in the United States, Europe and Africa. These include Women in Big Data (WiBD) Nigeria and the Women in STEAM Mentoring Dinner in California, which connects female students with professionals across science and technology industries.
Her work continues to champion innovation, cultural inclusion and greater representation of Africans in global STEM fields.
Vanguard News
The post Meet Nigeria’s Ekeng-Itua, first world’s black woman Ph.D holder In Cybernetics appeared first on Vanguard News.