In a bid to close the gender gap in the Financial Technology (fintech) sector, PalmPay Nigeria has awarded 10 outstanding young Nigerian women with six-month internship placements, offering professional exposure, mentorship, and pathways to long-term leadership positions.
The beneficiaries were selected from 100 short-listed candidates through a competitive process tied to this year’s PalmPay Purple Woman 3.0 Tech Masterclass, held as part of the International Women’s Day (IWD) 2026 celebrations. The initiative underscores PalmPay’s commitment to empowering women and fostering inclusive growth in the digital economy.
The three-day masterclass, which ran from March 5 to 7, 2026, was designed to equip women aged 18 to 30 with practical, employment-focused skills across fintech disciplines. The programme reflected this year’s IWD theme, “Give to Gain,” through direct investment in female talent.
The 10 interns include Tiwalolaoluwa Olaolu, Temitope Adeyemi Adebimpe, Moyosoreoluwa Rebecca Fatodu, Hamzat Funmilola Kudirat, Felix Divine, Ekwe Loveth Chinemerem, Mbara Stephanie Amarachi, Adebayo Ifeoluwa, Olapite Oluwadolapo, and Chinyere Ifeabunike.
At the grand finale in Lagos over the weekend, PalmPay Nigeria Managing Director, Mr. Chika Nwosu, said the interns would undergo six months of on-the-job training, after which their performance would be evaluated for potential long-term employment.
He highlighted that the PalmPay Masterclass, now in its third edition, was launched three years ago to address the under-representation of women in fintech. “Our vision is to create a financial ecosystem that is more inclusive and accessible, ensuring that young women become leaders in the digital economy. We have trained women in Human Resources, Data Analysis, Software Engineering, and Digital Marketing,” Mr. Nwosu said.
Acknowledging technology as a powerful enabler, he stressed that the initiative seeks to break barriers for women in the industry. “At PalmPay, we don’t just imagine a future where women are leading in tech; we are actively building it,” he added.
The MD also noted that women currently make up only about 17% of the fintech workforce and emphasized that empowering women has broader societal benefits, from increasing education access for children to fostering economic development.
HR Manager, Mr. Iwuala Anthony, explained that the selection process was transparent and rigorous, involving class participation and tests for every session. “Although many performed well, only the top 10 were selected. These interns will rotate across departments including HR, Admin, Products, Sales, and Business Intelligence, each paired with mentors for hands-on training,” he said.
Reflecting on previous editions of the programme, Anthony added, “All the women we trained in Purple Women 2.0 are now fully employed at PalmPay, and we expect the same for this cohort.”
The PalmPay Purple Woman Masterclass continues to demonstrate how corporate-led initiatives can advance women’s leadership in fintech while fostering a more equitable and inclusive digital economy.