After her studies in Spain, she returned home to serve her country. In the last ten years, she has overseen several large tech projects, significantly contributing to socio-economic development.  

Olivia Garcia Berniko (photo) is an Equatoguinean IT engineer. She is, since March 2016, the technical director of state telecom infrastructure company GITGE, which manages the country’s fiber optic cables - ACE, Ceiba-1 and Ceiba-2, Ultramar GE, Mandji, and SAIL notably, ensuring the integrity of communication means and making sure residents have access to telecom services.

"My daily routine includes managing our ongoing projects and technical department. I am also involved in the entity's corporate social responsibility projects, which add extra motivation as they are closely related to the human factor,” Olivia Garcia Berniko said in an interview with AhoraEG in 2021.

Before joining the GITGE, Olivia worked for Everis, a Spanish firm that supplies strategic tech and outsourcing solutions. When she left the Spanish firm, she joined the GITGE as a system engineer, ten years ago, and gradually climbed the corporate ladder. In 2014, she was appointed project manager before being promoted to the head of the technical department two years later. 

In recognition of her professional achievements, she is now invited to share her expertise during international events. On April 29, 2022, she shared her experience and opinions in the tech sector with female leaders at the International STEM Women’s Conference held online. Last year, she was one of the 50 African Digital Champions at the Africa Digital Festival. She is also a Knight of the Equatoguinean Order of Independence. 

Melchior Koba