On Friday, March 21, a private dinner for women working in media, PR, and journalism took place at an Italian restaurant in Victoria Island. The event was hosted by Lady Kay, a multimedia journalist and startup storyteller, who received a micro-grant from the UK-Nigeria Tech Hub to organize the gathering. The dinner received additional support from Tech4Dev, a non-profit social enterprise, and Wetech Women Foundation.
The event brought together over 20 women involved with technology and business across media, journalism, and PR. Representatives from the UK-Nigeria Tech Hub, Oyinkansola Akintola-Bello and Oyindamola Eyitayo, were present, along with Isioma Utomi of Women Who Launch.
Why This Gathering Matters
Women in journalism, PR, and media play a crucial role in shaping narratives around technology and business in Africa. Despite the male-dominated nature of the industry, there is a need for more media publications and PR agencies to hire female reporters and writers to cover the industry’s women entrepreneurs, business leaders, and founders.
Women in these fields often face distinct challenges, including limited access to key decision-makers and industry biases that impact how stories are told. This gathering provided an opportunity for these women to connect, share experiences, and find solutions to enhance visibility and impact.
Honest Conversations and Open Discussions
The evening went beyond simple networking to become an open forum where real challenges were discussed openly. Lady Kay started the dinner with icebreakers to make the guests feel comfortable enough to speak and connect with each other.
The icebreaker session led to roundtable discussions about professional challenges, editorial practices, gender equality issues, and opportunities for journalists and PR professionals to work together. Key topics included:
- The growing mistrust between technology journalists and founders and ways to bridge the gap.
- The need for stronger relationships between female media professionals, founders, and entrepreneurs.
The dinner also explored storytelling initiatives to increase coverage of women entrepreneurs and executives, emphasizing that greater visibility leads to more opportunities. A central theme of the evening was the importance of collaboration rather than working in isolation. Many attendees left with new contacts and a renewed commitment to collaborating on stories, PR, and media features.
The Next Steps
By the end of the evening, a strong sense of solidarity and purpose was evident regarding business storytelling and career progression. Every guest agreed that this should be the start of a stronger network of women determined to shape how technology and business is reported in Africa.
With support from organizations like the UK-Nigeria Tech Hub, Tech4Dev, and Wetech Women Foundation, gatherings like this will continue to create pathways for more visibility, better representation, and stronger industry relationships.
As one attendee put it, “When we come together like this, we remind each other that we are not alone. And together, women can tell better stories about technology, business, and leadership.”
