GhanaWeb recently announced the nominees for the 2025 Edition of its annual GhanaWeb Excellence Awards.
These nominees have been categorised into more than 20 categories.
And as a way of bringing readers to speed on who and who have been nominated, here are brief profiles of some of them.
All of the following have been nominated under the Tech and Innovation category.
Ethel Delali Cofie
Ethel Delali Cofie is a Ghanaian technology entrepreneur, IT consultant, author, and global speaker known for empowering women in technology across Africa. She is the Founder & CEO of EDEL Technology Consulting, providing digital and IT solutions across West Africa and Europe, and the Founder of Women in Tech Africa (WiTA), the continent’s largest network for women in technology, with members in over 30 countries.
Educated in Computer Science at Valley View University (Ghana) and holding a Master’s in Distribution Systems from the University of Brighton (UK), Ethel is also a Mandela Washington Fellow with an executive degree in Leadership, Business & Entrepreneurship from Yale School of Management.
She has served on boards and advisory committees, including the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC), and contributes to digital strategy and innovation for governments and startups. A recognized thought leader, she has been featured on CNN and BBC, and authored In Pursuit of the Gazelle, sharing insights on Africa’s tech ecosystem and entrepreneurship.
Ethel’s awards include Top 5 Women Impacting IT in Africa, the UN EQUALS Award, Africa’s Most Influential Woman in Business & Government (ICT category), and Glitz Africa Woman of the Year – Technology Award. Through her work, she has significantly advanced women’s participation in technology, mentorship programs, and digital transformation initiatives across the continent.
Ethel has been nominated for Best Tech and Innovation in the GhanaWeb Excellence Awards 2025.
Ivy Barley
Ivy Barley is a Ghanaian entrepreneur, data scientist, and women‑in‑tech advocate, best known as the Co‑Founder and CEO of Developers in Vogue, an organization dedicated to training, mentoring, and helping African women access opportunities in technology.
Barley was born and raised in Accra, Ghana, and attended Aburi Girls’ Senior High School before studying Actuarial Science and later earning an MPhil in Mathematical Statistics at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
In 2017, she co‑founded Developers in Vogue, a community and tech skills initiative that equips African women with coding and technology training, connects them to real‑world projects, and supports job placement helping to bridge the gender gap in STEM fields. The organization has been featured on international platforms including BBC and Deutsche Welle.
Barley also works in the tech industry as a Technical Program Manager and Data Scientist with the Open Education Analytics team at Microsoft, where she contributes to global education and data‑driven initiatives.
She has received multiple accolades for her impact, such as being named among the Top 50 Most Influential Young Ghanaians, and earning recognition at awards like the Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF).
Barley’s work centers on empowering women and girls in tech, mentorship, and expanding access to digital skills across Africa inspiring many young people to pursue careers in technology and innovation.
Ivy has been nominated for Best Tech and Innovation in the GhanaWeb Excellence Awards 2025.
Emelia Barkey Djanie
Emelia Barkey Djanie is a Ghanaian business and construction professional, serving as the CEO of Uncontained (also known as Uncontained Spaces), a company that transforms shipping containers into innovative modular spaces such as homes, offices, and creative environments.
She holds a degree in Real Estate along with relevant professional certifications and is recognized for her expertise in the building and construction industry.
Beyond her business endeavors, Emelia is a public speaker and has shared insights on entrepreneurship, mindset, and innovative construction solutions at conferences and events.
Emelia has been nominated for Best Tech and Innovation in the GhanaWeb Excellence Awards 2025.
Nana Kwadwo Safo
Nana Kwadwo Safo (sometimes called Kwadwo Safo Jr.) is a Ghanaian business leader, entrepreneur, and executive associated with the Kantanka business empire. He is the son of the late Apostle Dr. Kwadwo Safo Kantanka, the founder of the Kantanka Group of Companies and the Kristo Asafo Mission in Ghana.
Nana Kwadwo Safo has served in leadership roles within the family’s enterprises, including Chief Executive Officer positions in parts of the Kantanka Group, particularly in Kantanka Automobile and other associated ventures that continue his father’s legacy of supporting indigenous technology and industrialization.
He was publicly positioned by his father as a successor to help carry on the mission of promoting locally developed products and business growth, blending innovation with the values instilled by the family’s leadership.
Overall, Nana Kwadwo Safo Akofena is known within Ghana’s entrepreneurial landscape as a figure linked to the continuation of a well‑known local industrial brand and business legacy.
Nana Kwadwo Safo has been nominated for Best Tech and Innovation in the GhanaWeb Excellence Awards 2025.
Tetteh Antonio
Tetteh Antonio is a Ghanaian business leader and technology executive, best known for his role as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of theSOFTtribe Ltd, one of Ghana’s established software development and IT services companies based in Accra.
A chemical engineer by training, Tetteh’s career path took him from technical and management roles into leadership in the tech sector, where he has been instrumental in driving growth, innovation, and strategic direction at theSOFTtribe.
Under his leadership, the company has focused on developing and implementing business application systems and IT solutions for organizations in Ghana and across the region.
He is recognized for his entrepreneurial mindset and ability to guide technology businesses through periods of change, adapting products and services to better meet the needs of clients in an evolving digital landscape.
Overall, Tetteh Antonio is regarded as a key figure in Ghana’s software and information technology industry, contributing to the growth of local tech capacity and championing innovation that helps Ghanaian businesses modernize and compete.
Tetteh has been nominated for Best Tech and Innovation in the GhanaWeb Excellence Awards 2025.
