Miss Geek Africa 2025: 11 Finalists Develop AI Solutions in Kigali Boot Camp

Eleven young African women representing countries across the continent have convened in Kigali, Rwanda, for the Miss Geek Africa 2025 in-person boot camp, running from October 13 to 17, 2025. The finalists, who completed a virtual boot camp from October 6 to 10, are refining AI-powered solutions designed to address critical challenges in their communities.

From National Competition to Continental Platform

Miss Geek Africa is a flagship initiative under Girls in ICT Rwanda, supported by Smart Africa and implemented through the Smart Women and Girls in ICT program with support from GIZ through the Smart Africa - Acceleration of the Digital Transformation in Africa project.

According to Wikipedia, the competition originated as Miss Geek Rwanda in 2014, with the first winner crowned that year. In 2017, through a strategic partnership with Smart Africa, the program expanded to include all Smart Africa Member States, transforming into a truly Pan-African platform for nurturing girl-led innovation.

The competition is designed to inspire African girls aged 13 to 21 to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics while solving pressing development challenges through innovation.

Alignment with Transform Africa Summit 2025

The 2025 edition aligns with the Transform Africa Summit 2025 theme: "AI for Africa: Innovate Locally, Impact Globally." According to Girls in ICT Rwanda, this theme calls on all African young women and girls to propose bold, AI-powered solutions to some of the continent's biggest challenges.

Key Dates: The finalists will pitch their solutions at Transform Africa Summit 2025, scheduled for July 22-24, 2026, showcasing their ideas to global leaders and changemakers.

The 2025 Finalists: Representing 11 African Nations

The 11 national finalists represent a diverse cross-section of Africa, bringing innovative solutions from their respective countries:

Representing Countries:

• Benin
• Cameroon
• Chad
• Gambia
• Ghana
• Guinea Conakry
• Kenya
• Madagascar
• Malawi
• Rwanda
• Senegal

Spotlight: Malawi's Shyreen Kalulu

Malawi 24 reports that Shyreen Kalulu, a 20-year-old final-year Bachelor of Science student majoring in Computer Science at the University of Malawi, is representing Malawi. Kalulu impressed judges at the national stage with her groundbreaking innovation: the Automated Maternal Intelligence and Notification Assistant (AMINA), an AI-powered health assistant designed to support pregnant and postpartum women.

Two-Phase Boot Camp Approach

The Miss Geek Africa 2025 program employs a comprehensive two-phase boot camp structure designed to maximize the finalists' preparation:

Virtual Boot Camp (October 6-10, 2025): The initial phase consisted of five days of online sessions and mentorship, allowing finalists to begin refining their concepts while remaining in their home countries.

In-Person Boot Camp (October 13-17, 2025): Following the virtual sessions, all 11 finalists traveled to Kigali for an intensive five-day in-person boot camp. During this phase, participants are refining their AI-powered solutions, enhancing their leadership and storytelling skills, and preparing for the final pitching competition.

Throughout the boot camp, finalists engage with mentors and tech experts, building their pitching skills and receiving guidance on developing their innovations into scalable real-world projects.

What Finalists Receive

According to program documentation, Miss Geek Africa finalists benefit from comprehensive support including:

Training and Development: Intensive programs equipping participants with presentation, public speaking, and critical thinking skills essential for competition day and beyond.

Mentorship: Access to experienced entrepreneurs, tech leaders, and industry experts who provide guidance on refining and implementing their innovations.

Visibility: High-level exposure through participation in Transform Africa Summit, Africa's largest ICT summit, where they interact with industry leaders and government officials.

Prizes: Cash prizes for top three winners, along with IT devices such as laptops, phones, and tablets. The overall winner receives financial backing to help realize her innovation.

All-Expenses Covered: Travel, accommodation, and all related expenses are covered for selected finalists.

A Decade of Empowering Women in Tech

Girls in ICT Rwanda reports that over the years, Miss Geek has served as a launchpad for emerging young female tech innovators, offering them visibility, mentorship, and tangible opportunities to develop their innovative ideas into real-world projects.

The competition has witnessed significant growth since its inception. In 2014, only 20 contestants participated in the inaugural Miss Geek Rwanda. By the following year, participation had surged to 120 contestants, demonstrating growing interest among young Rwandan women in technology careers.

Notable Past Winners and Their Innovations

KT Press reports that Rosine Mwiseneza, a second-year Business Management student at Kepler University, won Miss Geek 2016. Mwiseneza designed an automated irrigation system that switches on and off without farmers having to manually operate it, using sensors that detect ground moisture levels.

Capacity4dev reports that in 2018, Salissou Hassane Latifa from Niger won with her Saro App, a first responder application that helps emergency services obtain basic first aid information before medical staff arrive at an emergency scene.

In 2023, Selasi Domi-Kuwornu from Ghana won the competition and subsequently joined Ascend Digital Solutions Ltd. as a National Service Personnel in October 2023, contributing her expertise toward accelerating Ghana and Africa's digital transformation.

Addressing the Gender Gap in STEM

The competition addresses a critical challenge in African technology sectors. According to various reports, there remains a significant gender divide in ICT, reflected in the lower number of women accessing and using technology tools compared to men.

Lucy Mbabazi, President Emeritus of Girls in ICT Rwanda, stated in previous editions: "What started as a small idea in Rwanda is now a part of the Smart Africa agenda."

According to Latifa, the 2018 winner, the prize and mentoring from entrepreneurs go a long way in helping counter stereotypes. "It's a positive image that contradicts the notion that women are not interested in ICT, even if there are more and more of them entering the field," she said.

Part of Broader Smart Africa Strategy

Miss Geek Africa operates under Smart Africa's Smart Women and Girls in ICT initiative, which recognizes that ICT has significant potential in promoting gender equality and women empowerment across the continent.

The program aligns with Smart Africa's broader mission to accelerate sustainable socio-economic development on the continent through ICT and to usher Africa into a knowledge economy.

Road to Transform Africa Summit 2025

Following the October boot camp, the finalists will continue refining their solutions in preparation for the final pitching competition at Transform Africa Summit 2025 in July. On the summit's final day, all participants will pitch to a panel of expert judges, with the top performers receiving recognition and support to implement their innovations.

The Transform Africa Summit provides an unparalleled platform for these young innovators to showcase their solutions to global leaders, potential investors, and technology partners who can help scale their innovations across Africa and beyond.

The Future of Africa's Digital Transformation: These 11 young innovators represent the future of Africa's digital transformation, developing solutions that impact their communities and inspire the next generation of women in technology.

As the finalists complete their Kigali boot camp, they carry forward the mission established in 2014: to demonstrate that African girls and young women can excel in technologies and lead the continent's digital future.