At just 12 years old, most children are focused on school assignments and playground games.
But in 2016, Thomasin Ogunnubi was already thinking about how to solve real world problems using technology.
Findings by Diaspora NG revealed that the young las developed MyLocator, a mobile application designed to help lost children find their way home.
The app not only pinpoints a user’s location via Google Maps, but also allows them to alert emergency contacts at the press of a button.
The breakthrough moment marked the beginning of Thomasin’s journey as one of Nigeria’s brightest young minds in technology.
Her innovative spirit and practical thinking quickly caught the attention of tech leaders and global platforms alike.
Born and raised in Lagos, Thomasin has consistently used her gifts to break barriers and set new standards.
In 2021, she was selected from a pool of nearly 50,000 applicants across 170 countries as one of the top 100 global winners of the prestigious RISE initiative.
The program, supported by a one billion dollar pledge from former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and his wife Wendy, aims to support exceptional young talent worldwide.
Before that, in 2017, Thomasin earned a scholarship to attend a summer school in Computer Studies at Oxford University in London. She was awarded distinctions in both scientific programming and web design, making a bold statement about her academic potential.
She later pursued a degree in computer science at Imperial College London while working as a software engineer at Cascade, a growing tech firm.
But her achievements extend beyond coding. In 2018, Thomasin co authored a book with her mother titled A Walk in Her Shoes, offering insights into the journey of a young girl navigating both ambition and adolescence.
That same year, she joined her school’s robotics team to compete in the Roborave International Robotics Competition in the United States.
There, she participated in a debate on the ethics of drone technology and brought home a gold medal for her school.
Back in Nigeria, Thomasin was already a household name in academic and tech circles.
As a student at Vivian Fowler Memorial College for Girls in Lagos, she graduated as the top student at junior secondary level, earning awards in 16 out of 18 subjects.
Her talents were not limited to the classroom. She has represented her school on the track as part of the relay team and is a member of the school choir with a passion for playing the piano.
A true all rounder, Thomasin holds certifications as a Microsoft Office Specialist in Word, Excel and PowerPoint, as well as an Adobe Certified Associate in Photoshop. She builds 3D animations, designs websites and continually pushes the limits of her technical abilities.
She has received widespread recognition for her work. In 2017, she was named the Nigerian Child of the Year for Innovation and also received the ICT Personality of the Year award.
Her story has been featured on numerous platforms, including EbonyLife TV, Techpoint Nigeria, TVC’s Wake Up Nigeria, and a BBC documentary highlighting her work in ICT.
Despite the accolades, Thomasin remains grounded and focused on her mission. She is passionate about youth empowerment, especially in areas like technology, education and gender equality.
