Zubaida Aliyu: Why Women Must Intentionally Create Opportunities for Others

Zubaida Aliyu, a seasoned sales specialist with over a decade of experience across multiple industries, is making her mark in the SaaS space at Zoho. Known for building scalable strategies, playbooks, and growth frameworks, she has developed a strong perspective on how technology can drive economic empowerment and career advancement. In this interview, she shares insights on business growth, women in tech, and the importance of mentorship.

Speaking on driving growth in emerging markets like Nigeria, Zubaida explains that success goes beyond acquiring customers. According to her, it involves building lasting relationships, earning trust, and delivering consistent value. She notes that Zoho adapts its pricing to reflect economic realities, while also helping businesses transition into digital systems in a sustainable way.

For organisations aiming to scale in today’s digital economy, she highlights key essentials such as accurate data, adaptability, and a strong customer-focused approach. While structured systems like playbooks are important, she stresses the need for flexibility to respond to changing market conditions.

Zubaida points out that the digital economy is opening up new opportunities for women far beyond traditional roles. From data science and artificial intelligence to product management, digital entrepreneurship, and low-code development, women now have more access to global opportunities and learning platforms than ever before.

She believes organisations must be intentional in supporting women’s growth by creating fair talent systems, offering clear career paths, and providing access to impactful projects. Flexible work environments, she adds, are critical in helping women balance personal responsibilities while advancing professionally. Technology, she says, can also help reduce bias and improve transparency in decision-making.

Reflecting on her own journey in a male-dominated field, Zubaida acknowledges the challenges but emphasises the importance of consistency, expertise, and delivering results. By staying focused on value creation and actively contributing to decision-making, she has been able to navigate barriers effectively.

On closing the gender gap in tech, she underscores the importance of both mentorship and sponsorship. While mentorship offers guidance, sponsorship opens doors to opportunities and visibility. She encourages women to go beyond informal support systems and deliberately create structured pathways that help others grow and succeed.

Zubaida also observes a shift in how African businesses engage with global tech companies. According to her, businesses are now more intentional, seeking partners who understand local realities, offer flexible pricing, and provide integrated solutions that deliver measurable value.

Looking ahead, she advises women to prioritise skills such as artificial intelligence and data literacy to remain competitive. At the same time, she stresses the continued importance of critical thinking and emotional intelligence, skills that technology cannot replace.

For Zubaida, success is no longer defined solely by revenue or growth metrics. Instead, it is about creating lasting impact, building systems that endure, and empowering others along the way.