Nigerian Professor First Black Woman PhD in Cybernetics

A childhood spent correcting misconceptions about Africa has blossomed into a history-making career that's reshaping how the world sees African innovation.

Rose-Margaret Ekeng-Itua became the first Black woman to earn a doctoral degree in Cybernetics from the University of Reading in the United Kingdom. Today, she teaches engineering at Ohlone College in California while leading initiatives that spotlight Africa's contributions to science and technology.

Her mission started early. Between ages five and ten, Ekeng-Itua attended schools in the West where classmates held outdated views of her home continent. She responded by sharing stories of the Africa she knew, one rich in wisdom and ancestral innovation.

At just nine years old, she envisioned creating a platform to connect cultures and challenge stereotypes. That childhood dream became the Sabi Africa Network, named after the Nigerian Pidgin word meaning "to know." The initiative highlights Africa's pioneering work in science, engineering, and technology.

Ekeng-Itua later founded the African Technology and Innovation Institute (AFRITECHI), a research hub promoting Africa-centered STEM education. The institute advocates for curricula that honor indigenous African knowledge systems while encouraging young people to pursue science careers.

The Ripple Effect

Her work reaches far beyond the classroom. With over 20 years of experience, Ekeng-Itua champions partnerships between schools, governments, and businesses to prepare graduates for real-world careers. She believes these collaborations hold the key to reducing youth unemployment and closing the skills gap.

She's equally passionate about mentoring women and girls in STEM. Through programs like Women in Big Data Nigeria and the Women in STEAM Mentoring Dinner in California, she connects female students with professionals across science and technology industries.

Ekeng-Itua sees African innovation as essential to solving global challenges. She believes technological advances from Africa and other indigenous communities can address many of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.

AFRITECHI works to bridge the technological divide between the Global North and Global South through research support, innovation programs, and skills development across the continent. The institute embodies her conviction that Africa deserves recognition as a contributor to global progress, not just a recipient of aid.

One woman's determination to share a different story about Africa now inspires the next generation of innovators across three continents.