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One woman’s mission to localise tech in the Hausa language

Ijeoma Clare
7 Min Read

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With over 50 million native speakers, Hausa is one of the most widely spoken languages in West Africa, spanning across five countries, including Nigeria, where it holds prominence as a major indigenous language. 

Despite its cultural and linguistic significance, Hausa, like many indigenous languages, struggles to keep pace with rapid technological advancements. One woman, however, is changing that narrative—Zainab Saidu Idris.

A Journey Rooted in Innovation

Growing up in Kaduna, Nigeria, Zainab’s path was shaped by both familial expectations and personal ambition. While her father envisioned her as a fashion designer—a career she briefly explored—her mother saw a spark for innovation that needed nurturing. 

Encouraged by her participation in her secondary school’s computer club, Zainab officially began her tech journey in 2013 when she pursued a diploma in software engineering at the National Institution of Information and Technology in Kaduna. 

She later advanced her studies in 2020, earning a BSc in Information Technology from Iheris University in Togo, further solidifying her expertise.

In 2023, Zainab identified a critical gap: many Hausa speakers struggled with tech literacy due to the dominance of foreign terminologies. Determined to bridge this divide, she founded the Creativity Enthusiast Network, an initiative dedicated to localising tech terminologies and innovations in Hausa.

Through her organisation, she began translating complex digital concepts into easily understandable Hausa phrases. Beyond mere translation, the network actively educates communities, ensuring people can understand and apply digital skills in their daily lives. 

Topics such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and digital entrepreneurship are now accessible to Hausa-speaking individuals, even in remote areas. 

The impact was immediate—more people in her community became aware of digital threats, gained self-reliance in tech, and began engaging confidently in the digital economy.

Expanding Access

Nigeria faces significant challenges in digital access. The country has one of the lowest fixed broadband penetration rates globally, at just 0.04%, far below Africa’s average of 0.6% and the global average of 13.6%. 

However, mobile broadband is more prevalent, with a 27 per 100 people subscription rate in 2019. This infrastructure gap hinders businesses and digital transformation efforts across the nation.

Understanding these challenges, Zainab didn’t rely solely on social media to spread tech awareness. Her team launched school-sensitisation programs, conducting quarterly visits to rural schools to educate students and teachers. 

She also partnered with organisations such as Data Science Nigeria, Google Women Techmakers, and Startup Arewa to create internship opportunities, ensuring long-term sustainability beyond initial training sessions.

Her work aligns with Nigeria’s national digital literacy goals. The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) aims to achieve 95% digital literacy by 2030, with a midterm goal of reaching 70% by 2027. 

By localising digital content for Hausa speakers, Zainab’s initiative is making significant contributions to this national mission.

Through these efforts, she has reached over 50,000 individuals via social media and impacted more than 400 people through direct engagement. With a team of 11 dedicated volunteers, she continues to push boundaries to bridge the digital divide in Hausa-speaking communities.

Overcoming Challenges and Shifting Perceptions

Zainab’s journey has not been without obstacles. One major challenge is resource limitations—many learners lack access to computers or the internet. In 2022, only about 30% of Nigerian households had a computer, with urban areas having higher ownership rates.

Another hurdle is cultural resistance. Many in her community perceive tech as a male-dominated field. However, through persistent advocacy, she has begun shifting these perceptions, encouraging more women to embrace technology.

One of her most inspiring success stories is Aisha Abubakar, a young woman with no prior tech knowledge but immense passion. Under Zainab’s mentorship, Aisha transformed from a novice into a community leader, now empowering women in her own community.

I also met a lot of women that are of high age, let’s say in their 40s, early 40s, or even mid-40s, with this urge that they actually want to know what this tech is all about. They feel so left out in it. And I was able to guide them through that journey,” Zainab shared.

Additionally, dialectal differences within Hausa-speaking regions, such as Kaduna and Zamfara, sometimes pose challenges for translations. However, her team continuously refines their work to ensure inclusivity and comprehension.

Beyond leading the Creativity Enthusiast Network, Zainab serves as the Assistant Program Manager at Data Science Nigeria, spearheading community engagement and translation projects. She is also the Kaduna State Lead for Google Women Techmakers, where she mentors ambassadors across Nigeria and advocates for women in technology.

Her contributions have not gone unnoticed. In 2024, Startup Arewa honoured her as a Rising Star, recognising her impact in tech advocacy and innovation.

Balancing It All

Managing multiple roles is no small feat, but Zainab credits time management as her greatest asset. By structuring her commitments across different timelines, she effectively balances her professional and personal life.

As a married woman, she gracefully navigates the demands of family and career. Her vision remains clear—to expand the Creativity Enthusiast Network globally, making technology more accessible to Hausa speakers worldwide. While her current focus is on Hausa, she remains open to expanding into other languages in the future.

Her advice to aspiring changemakers? Just start. She believes that localising knowledge is key to breaking the cycle of digital exclusion and ensuring that more communities can actively participate in the digital economy of the 21st century.

Hausa, a prominent language in West Africa, faces challenges in keeping up with technological advancements due to foreign terminologies. Zainab Saidu Idris, from Kaduna, Nigeria, seeks to bridge this gap by localizing tech knowledge for Hausa speakers. With a strong background in software engineering and information technology, Zainab founded the Creativity Enthusiast Network in 2023. Her organization translates complex digital concepts into Hausa and educates communities about digital skills, making topics like artificial intelligence and cybersecurity accessible.

Despite challenges such as limited digital access in Nigeria and cultural perceptions of tech as male-dominated, Zainab’s impact is far-reaching. She collaborates with organizations to provide tech training and internships, aligning her work with Nigeria’s digital literacy goals. Her efforts have reached over 50,000 people online and engaged more than 400 directly. Balancing multiple roles, Zainab aims to expand her initiative globally. She encourages aspiring changemakers to localize knowledge to overcome digital exclusion and foster digital economy participation. Her advocacy for women in tech has inspired women like Aisha Abubakar and earned Zainab recognition as a Rising Star by Startup Arewa.

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