When I first envisioned starting the AWS Women User Group in Abuja,Nigeria.
My goal was simple yet ambitious — create a safe, vibrant, and empowering space for women to explore, learn, and innovate with AWS technologies. But getting from vision to execution required more than enthusiasm; it demanded research, networking, and a few lessons in patience (plus, an unexpected adventure in authentication systems).
Finding the Right Connection
The journey began with research — identifying who could officially onboard me into the AWS User Group Leaders network. AWS user groups are not casual gatherings; they are officially recognized communities that benefit from AWS support, global exposure, and access to valuable resources.
I reached out to existing AWS community leads in Nigeria and beyond, studied their event patterns, and tracked down the regional program contacts. The turning point came when I connected with the right AWS Community Program Manager — the person who could not only approve the Abuja Women User Group but also guide me on best practices for building an active and sustainable team.My flowers 🌸🌺🌻🌹🌷🌼💐goes to @Thembile Martis.
Laying the Groundwork.
Once I got the green light, I began mapping out the foundations:
Team Formation: Identifying passionate, skilled women in tech from Abuja’s cloud and developer communities to serve as co-organizers.
Event Planning: Drafting a calendar of exciting events — from hands-on AWS workshops to inspirational fireside chats — tailored to both beginners and seasoned cloud professionals.
Speaker Sourcing: Reaching out to AWS Heroes, community builders, and industry experts who can share technical knowledge and career insights.
The Slack Authentication Saga
Part of the AWS Community experience is the official Slack workspace — a buzzing hub where leads share resources, event ideas, and mentorship opportunities. Excited to join, I clicked the invite link, only to be met with… an authentication block.
AWS uses a Slack single sign-on (SSO) tied to either Google or Microsoft accounts for community access.
With Google authentication, the process is straightforward — log in with your Gmail or G Suite account, and you’re in.
With Microsoft authentication, it’s similar in concept, but the account verification passes through Microsoft’s Azure Active Directory, which sometimes applies extra security checks depending on your organization’s settings.
In my case, the Google route failed due to mismatched domain credentials, and the Microsoft route initially rejected my login because my account’s tenant permissions weren’t aligned with AWS’s workspace setup. It was a frustrating loop of “Access Denied.”
When Microsoft Came Through
After a series of helpdesk tickets, AWS support advised me to retry via Microsoft SSO with updated verification. This time, Microsoft’s authentication system validated my identity without further challenges, and — just like that — I was inside the AWS Slack community. It felt like opening the doors to an exclusive cloud innovation lounge.
Ready for Launch
Now, with the authentication hurdle behind me, the AWS Women User Group Abuja is set to launch.
We have:
A core organizing team ready to collaborate.after the announcement, Take a look;
A list of confirmed speakers for the first three events.
Take a look at the first announcement of speakers
An event roadmap that blends technical depth with networking opportunities.
A direct channel to AWS resources and other global women-led AWS groups.
Our first official meetup will be a blend of learning, inspiration, and community building, designed to spark interest in AWS technologies while fostering mentorship among women in Abuja’s tech scene.
Final Thoughts:
Building a tech community is as much about persistence as it is about passion. From identifying the right AWS lead to overcoming the Slack authentication maze, every step has reinforced my belief that when women come together to learn and build, the possibilities in cloud technology are limitless.
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