Safia Mahamad Youssouf, pioneer of ICT, innovation and women’s entrepreneurship

With more than twenty years’ experience in information and communication technology (ICT), innovation and entrepreneurship, Safia Mahamad Youssouf is an emblematic figure of Africa’s tech landscape.

With a science baccalaureate and a technical diploma in electronics, she specialised in computer science and is now an engineer in technical sciences and computing.

A multi-faceted career

• 2004: Ministry of Finance and Budget, where she helped digitalise public finances for three years.
• 2006: Celtel (later Zain, then Airtel), value-added services technician, then marketing manager for value-added products and services.
• 2014: deputy coordinator of the International ICT Fair (SITIC), co-organised with the ITU and attended by more than 6,000 visitors; African Union focal point for the African ICT Centre (CATI) project.
• 2015: director of studies and planning at ADETIC.
• 2017: director of communication and international cooperation at ARCEP, focal point for the ITU and Smart Africa.
• 2018: director of radiocommunications at ARCEP.
• 2019-2023: deputy managing director of Sudachad.
• Late 2023: consultant and managing director of Bayobab Chad.

Innovation and women’s entrepreneurship

A green-tech enthusiast, she founded Smart Village in 2016, a farmers’ organisation promoting technology for agriculture. Through her incubator Sahel Green Hub, she supports young entrepreneurs with environmentally friendly projects. A serial entrepreneur and mentor, she is also associated with the Leadership and Development Academy.

She campaigns for greater inclusion of women in technology and agriculture, for a greener and more connected Africa.