Absa Bank Kenya has partnered with GirlCode to up skills up to 100 young women in the country to solve challenges using fin-tech, cybersecurity, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities.

Through a 30-hour innovation sprint the 2025 edition of the GirlCodeHack, a Pan-African women-in-tech Hackathon targets young women aged between 18 and 35.

Scheduled for October 11-12, 2025, the hackathon will run simultaneously across seven African cities, including Nairobi under the theme “Future-Proofing Africa: Innovation at the Intersection of FinTech, Cybersecurity, and AI.”

In a statement, Absa the competition which is open to university students, recent graduates, and young professionals, where participants can register in teams of twos to fours, will see the winning team secure KES725,802 in prize money.

“By creating inclusive spaces like GirlCodeHack, we are not only investing in the future of tech but also advancing key Sustainable Development Goals, especially on quality education, gender equality, and decent work. This is how we ensure young Kenyan women are part of shaping real-world solutions,” said Absa Kenya’s Chief Operations and Digital Officer, Julius Kamau.

In a push to enhance inclusion and diversity, the hackathon has been designed to attract participation from a wide range of counties to ensure nationwide representation. Speaking on Absa’s continued support, Tamu Dutuma, Absa Group’s Head of Strategy and Transformation said that the bank is committed to diversity, inclusion and youth empowerment in technology.

Last year’s competition, which was held across five cities, attracted over 400 young women from across the continent. Kenya’s winning team developed a web application to empower women and girls with accessible, gamified information on sexual and reproductive health. 

AI-powered mental health tools

Other standout innovations included a carbon footprint calculator aligned with government caps, a data-driven agriculture platform, AI-powered mental health tools, blockchain-based land registries, and mobile fraud detection solutions for African SMEs.

These innovations showcased the participants’ technical insight, creative thinking, and deep understanding of the local context.

“Our mission is to expose 10 million women and girls to technology by 2030,” said Zandile Mkwanazi, CEO and Founder of GirlCode. 

“With Absa’s partnership, we are scaling impact and ensuring more women see themselves not just as coders, but as problem-solvers, innovators, and leaders.”

This year’s hackathon will take place in Nairobi, Kampala, Dar es Salaam, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, and Gaborone and will be backed by experienced industry professionals as mentors to guide teams throughout the 30-hour experience. 

Participants will gain technical skills, mentorship in solving real problems and exposure to Africa’s growing digital economy.

Women aged 18-35 are encouraged to apply by 8th August, 2025 through the Ready-to-Work App available on Android and IOS.

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