Thomas “Tom” Ilube CBE, tech guru and founder of the trailblazing African Science Academy - Africa’s first girls-only science and technology school based in Ghana- is SIA-Africa’s Person of the Month for July 2018. The British Nigerian recently topped the UK’s “Powerlist”, an annual list of the 100 most powerful people of African and African Caribbean heritage in Britain. He claimed the spot for his outstanding work in education and his demonstrable success in launching several successful technology companies.
The African Science Academy, opened in 2016, teaches young women scientists from six countries; Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Sierra Leone and Uganda, and is driving Africa's development by “inspiring and unleashing the next generation of gifted scientists and engineers,” according to reports. It hopes to admit over 200 students a year from across the continent.
Reflecting on his achievements with the academy, Ilube has said “launching the African Science Academy is the highlight of all my work in education over the past decade. I am convinced that we have brilliant young women in Africa who have the potential to be tomorrow's world class scientists and engineers."
Ilube is also the founder and CEO of Crossword Cybersecurity PLC and was the Chief Information Officer for the internet bank Egg. The philanthropist also set up the charity African Gifted Foundation, which has been running science academies for hundreds of students from 10 different countries across Africa since 2010. Ilube was educated at Edo College in Nigeria, received a bachelor's degree in physics from the University of Benin, and a master's degree in Business Administration from London's Cass Business School.
He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2018 for his services to technology and philanthropy.
For his outstanding work in education across Africa, SIA-Africa is proud to name Tom Ilube as its July 2018 Person of the Month.
