Amina Sambo-Magaji, PhD, is a seasoned technocrat, AI expert, and tech policy developer with over 21 years of experience, particularly in Nigeria’s technology startup and innovation ecosystem. She has been instrumental in advocating for the use of emerging technologies to tackle socio-economic challenges, with a special focus on empowering youth and women in technology through her nonprofit, She and Tech Empowerment hub.

As a trailblazer, she has designed and managed impactful programs that have reached thousands of founders and business owners across the country. Sambo-Magaji is a startup mentor with Founders Institute and VC4 Africa and a board member at Data Scientist Network (DSN) as well as Startup Kano Innovation empowerment hub.

Amina is a U.S. Distinguished Humphrey Leadership Fellow 2020 who holds a first-class degree in Computer Science from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, as well as a master’s with Distinction in Information Engineering and a PhD in Artificial Intelligence both from Robert Gordon University, Scotland. She currently is a Deputy Director EGovernment and Digital Economy Department at NITDA after completing a research Sabbatical leave at the Africa Centre of Excellence on Technology Enhanced Learning (NOUN-ACETEL).

Throughout her career, she has published extensively with her recent focus being AI for teaching, learning and research. She is an active member of the Nigerian Computer Society.