Organised by Eskenzi PR in media partnership with the IT Security Guru, the Most Inspiring Women in Cyber Awards aim to shed light on the remarkable women in our industry. The following is a feature on one of 2026’s Top 20 women selected by an esteemed panel of judges. Presented in a Q&A format, the nominee’s answers are written in their own words.
In 2026, the awards were sponsored by BT, Bridewell, Plexal and Fidelity International. Community partners included WiCyS UK & Ireland Affiliate, Women in Tech and Cybersecurity Hub (WiTCH) and Seidea.
What does your job role entail?
I advise business leaders on how to strengthen cybersecurity and resilience — turning complex security challenges into clear, actionable strategies. My work spans governance, risk management, compliance (GRC) and cyber resilience domains including incident response, business continuity and disaster recovery (BC/DR). Recent projects include maturity and compliance assessments, ransomware readiness assessments, cyber impact quantification, developing resilience plans, target operating models and minimum viable business frameworks. I’ve also developed and facilitated simulation exercises to stress-test how organisations prevent, withstand, and recover from cyber attacks.
How did you get into the cybersecurity industry?
While studying Computer Engineering at university, I completed an internship with a company that provided internet services to federal agencies. I was assigned to the Network Security Department, where I enjoyed the work I did, including network traffic and spam mail monitoring. Following that experience, I decided to pursue Cybersecurity for my Master’s degree, which I completed at the University of Warwick, and have worked in the industry ever since.
What is one of the biggest challenges you have faced as a woman in the tech/cyber industry and how did you overcome it?
One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced in my career was the lack of early mentorship. Most of what I know about working in corporate and in cybersecurity have come from personal experience and honestly, personal mistakes. I figured it out as I went. I’ve overcome this by being intentional about seeking guidance and community as I’ve grown, and this is why giving back through mentorship/coaching/community development matters so much to me. I look out for women on a similar path, because I know what it’s like to navigate it alone.
What are you doing to support other women, and/or to increase diversity, in the tech/cyber industry?
Mentorship/Coaching – I’m currently a career counsellor to a female cybersecurity analyst at my workplace. Outside of work, I have mentored 18 women looking to gain entry into cybersecurity through the Cybersafe Foundation and trained 80 more on cybersecurity soft skills. I also serve as an Advancement Ambassador within WiCyS UKI, leading initiatives to support the advancement of women in the industry.
Who has inspired you in your life/career?
First, my mum — an astute development banker for 30+ years, who grew from intern to Deputy General Manager (second highest career rank) in the federal agency where she worked. She held several leadership positions over the course of her career, leading with excellence and delivering never-before-seen results. She is also a fierce advocate for women, and I watched her empower those around her.
My dad is a well-established civil engineer who rose to Director (the highest career rank) while in the Nigerian Civil Service, working on landmark power generation projects. Together, my parents inspired me to be exceptional and have integrity.
Outside of my family, I’m inspired by Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala — Director General of the WTO, whom I first knew as Nigeria’s Minister of Finance as a child, as well as Michelle Obama, who carved a name entirely her own and never simply blended into the background.
