SWIS Africa Selects 44 Women for Inaugural EmpowHER Program

We are thrilled to announce that 44 exceptional final-year female university students from across Nigeria have been selected to join the inaugural cohort of the SWIS EmpowHER Programme — a milestone moment for SWIS Africa and for the future of women in STEM.

Drawn from diverse STEM disciplines at institutions across the country, these 44 women earned their places through a highly competitive selection process that assessed academic performance, extracurricular involvement, and career interests. Speaking at the onboarding session held on 2 May 2026, SWIS Africa Co-founder and Executive Director Samuel Ogunsola noted that every participant earned their place on merit, and urged the cohort to maximise the opportunity by building networks, acquiring relevant skills, and positioning themselves as change agents in society.

Bridging the Gap Between a Degree and a Career

SWIS EmpowHER was designed to address a gap that too many Nigerian women know firsthand: graduating with strong technical knowledge but without the mentorship, professional networks, or workplace readiness to convert that potential into a career. The programme targets all three gaps directly — with structure, not just good intentions.

Over 24 weeks, participants will move through structured training and an intensive eight-week mentorship phase, where each woman is paired one-on-one with an experienced professional in her field. Training covers both general skills — leadership, writing, problem-solving, networking — and stream-specific preparation across three pathways: academic, corporate, and entrepreneurial. The programme concludes with a final project showcase, where participants present innovative solutions and demonstrate their readiness to contribute to their respective fields.

A Partnership Built for Impact

The programme is delivered in partnership with Top100 Future African Leaders and is sponsored by the European Union in partnership with Global Youth Mobilization through the Youth Empowerment Fund — a recognition that youth-led, gender-focused interventions are central to Nigeria's sustainable development goals.

Beyond the Programme

Every graduate will join a growing alumni network, designed to keep the momentum alive through peer support, continued mentorship opportunities, and long-term professional connections. SWIS Africa will track participants' progress and provide career resources well after the 24 weeks are complete.

To the 44 women who made it into this cohort — welcome. The work starts now.

Learn more about the SWIS EmpowHER Programme at www.swisafrica.org/swis-empowher.