Nigerian-born technology leader, Obiageli Obii Okafor, has made history by becoming the first African woman to win the prestigious Women in Telecoms Champion award at the Comms Council UK Awards 2026, a landmark recognition for outstanding contributions to the United Kingdom’s telecommunications industry.

The award celebrates women driving innovation, leadership and lasting impact across the UK’s telecoms sector, and marks another milestone in Okafor’s remarkable journey from Nigeria to the global technology stage.

A Senior Product Manager at 8×8, Okafor also founded PMHelp, a non-profit organisation that has empowered more than 52,000 professionals across over 70 countries through mentoring, education and career development initiatives aimed at helping people build successful careers in technology.

Speaking after receiving the award in London, Okafor said she was overwhelmed by the recognition, having only known she had been nominated by her colleagues.

“I was genuinely shocked. My first thought wasn’t that I had won an award. It was gratitude,” she said.

“I thought about everyone who believed in me from my family and close friends to my colleagues at 8×8 and the PMHelp community. Then I thought about the younger version of myself in Nigeria who could never have imagined standing on a stage in London receiving recognition from an entire industry.”

She revealed that she only discovered she had become the first African recipient of the award after a friend called to congratulate her.

“I felt deeply humbled. Being the first African to receive this recognition means our people now know there are no barriers stopping us from achieving what we want. I hope it sends a message that talent has no borders and that African women belong in every room where technology is being built and decisions are being made,” she said.

Before relocating to the UK, Okafor had built a diverse career as a poet, shoemaker and product manager, leading technology products and partnerships in Nigeria and Dubai. However, moving abroad meant rebuilding her professional life from the ground up.

She recalled enduring repeated job rejections and working three different jobs to survive while struggling to establish herself in the UK technology market.

“There were moments when I wondered if leaving home had been a mistake. My confidence slowly disappeared, but I decided I wouldn’t allow relocating to define the ceiling of my career,” she said.

Determined to succeed, she refined her professional profile, strengthened her skills, expanded her network and eventually secured opportunities that paved the way to leadership positions in the telecoms industry.

Those experiences also inspired the creation of PMHelp, which provides free career support to aspiring technology professionals, particularly those navigating similar challenges.

Reflecting on gender representation in the industry, Okafor argued that while progress has been made, more women should be entrusted with strategic leadership responsibilities.

“Representation isn’t just about having women in the room. It’s about ensuring they’re leading products, influencing revenue, shaping strategy and making decisions that define the future of the business. Leadership shouldn’t just be symbolic; it has to be operational,” she said.

According to industry figures cited by techUK, women account for fewer than one-fifth of the UK’s telecommunications workforce, with even lower representation in senior management positions.

Okafor’s latest recognition adds to an impressive list of honours, including TechWomen100 Winner, She Inspires Awards Winner for Women in Digital Innovation and Communication, She Inspires 100 Female Impact Leaders UK, Brummell 30 Rising Stars of London, and 50 Women Tech Titans Nigeria.

Offering advice to young African women aspiring to careers in technology and telecommunications, she said: “Don’t wait for permission to belong. Build your skills, own your voice ’nd walk into every room knowing you deserve to be there. Action breeds confidence, so act.” (AriseNews TV)

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