Absa Bank Kenya, in partnership with GirlCode, has announced the 2025 edition of GirlCodeHack. This is a Pan-African women-in-tech hackathon aimed at empowering 100 young women in Kenya to solve real-world challenges in FinTech, Cybersecurity, and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
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Set for October 11 – 12, 2025, the 30-hour innovation sprint will run concurrently in seven African cities, including Nairobi, and targets women aged 18 to 35 from university students and recent graduates to young professionals.
This year’s theme, “Future-Proofing Africa: Innovation at the Intersection of FinTech, Cybersecurity, and AI”, reflects a commitment to creating inclusive digital economies. The top team will take home a KES 725,802 grand prize.
Participants will:
- Join teams of 2–4 to build tech solutions addressing real-world issues
- Gain mentorship from top industry professionals
- Improve employability through Absa’s ReadytoWork mobile platform
- Engage with Africa’s broader innovation ecosystem
“This hackathon is a gateway to opportunity,” said Julius Kamau, Absa Kenya’s Chief Operations and Digital Officer. “By creating inclusive spaces like GirlCodeHack, we are not only investing in the future of tech but also advancing Sustainable Development Goals on education, gender equality, and decent work.”
GirlCode CEO Zandile Mkwanazi added, “Our mission is to expose 10 million women and girls to tech by 2030. With Absa’s support, more women will see themselves not just as coders, but as problem-solvers and innovators.”
Previous winning solutions included:
- Gamified platforms on sexual and reproductive health
- Carbon footprint calculators
- AI-powered mental health tools
- Blockchain-based land registries
- SME fraud detection apps
The hackathon will also take place in Kampala, Dar es Salaam, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, and Gaborone.
Applications are open until 8 August 2025 via the ReadytoWork App (Android and iOS).
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Also Read: Absa and Visa Extend Partnership to Drive Digital Payment Innovation Across Africa
