The LPA Model: A New Approach to Funding African Social Enterprises | Kadwama Lazarus | TEDxJimeta

Kadwama Lazarus, founder and executive director of Northeast Women in Tech (NEWIT), argues that Nigerians can act on change from wherever they are rather than waiting for ideal conditions. She traces NEWIT's growth from a simple WhatsApp group for women in technology into a broader initiative focused on digital skills and inclusion in Northeast Nigeria. The talk also questions the idea that success requires being based in a major city such as Lagos. The speaker draws on her own experience, including an initiative that reached women in IDP camps, to show how communities facing constraints can build innovation and new opportunities. The talk was given at an independently organized TEDx event.

• Challenging the idea that change requires perfect circumstances
• Origins and growth of Northeast Women in Tech (NEWIT)
• Digital skills and economic inclusion for women in Northeast Nigeria
• Success outside major cities such as Lagos

In her TEDx talk, Kadwama Deborah Lazarus challenges Nigerians to look beyond the limitations around them and take action from where they are. Using Nigeria’s reputation as the “Giant of Africa,” she reflects on the gap between the country’s potential and its present realities, encouraging people to see challenges as motivation to do more rather than reasons to hold back. She shares the story behind Northeast Women in Tech (NEWIT), her tech initiative aimed at creating opportunities for women in technology. What began as a simple WhatsApp group for women already in tech and those interested in the field grew through collaboration and a commitment to inclusion. Born, raised, and educated in Adamawa State, she also challenges the assumption that success requires being in a major city like Lagos. Through her experiences, including an initiative that reached women in IDP camps, she reminds us that meaningful change does not require perfect circumstances. Sometimes, all it takes is the courage to start with what we have, from where we are, and the willingness to see possibilities where others see limitations. Kadwama Lazarus is a technology and social impact leader, Founder and Executive Director of Northeast Women In Tech (NEWIT), an initiative of Girma Innovative Technologies. She is passionate about equipping women and girls in Northeast Nigeria with digital skills, leadership opportunities, and pathways to economic inclusion. With a background in Information Technology and product design, Kadwama works at the intersection of technology, inclusion, and community development. Her work has earned recognition from Google, She Leads Africa, and other leadership and technology initiatives, including the 2025 Google/Women Techmakers Community Impact Award and recognition as one of She Leads Africa's 2026 Top 50 Rising Motherland Moguls. Grounded in Northeast Nigeria, she is committed to challenging deficit narratives and demonstrating how communities facing constraints can create innovation, resilience, and new opportunities. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx