Dr Jorjoh’s academic journey began early—intrigued by science and mathematics from childhood. At age 16 and 17, she spent summers at University of Oxford in mathematics bootcamps and in the Queen Mary University of London chemistry labs, earning the UK Government’s Nuffield Foundation Science Bursary and a Gold CREST Award for contributing to the development of a drug candidate for Bilharzia. At age 21, she was awarded a Wellcome Trust grant to conduct an independent neuroscience research project while studying at King's College London, where she discovered a novel signaling site for a gene called Cyp1B1, marking her early entry into scientific innovation.
Holding a Ph.D. in Medical Sciences (funded by the European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP)), with specialization in vaccinology, data analytics and statistics, she worked as a scientist at the Medical Research Council (MRC) in The Gambia, contributing to clinical trials before transitioning into STEM leadership.
As former CEO of InSIST Global Gambia Ltd., she led her team to develop major national digital systems—including the Education Management Information System, and Afrijula, a platform empowering entrepreneurs with digital financial tools. Under her leadership, the team trained over 13,000 women and youth in digital/financial literacy, supported by the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF).
Dr Jorjoh is the main author of the first NAQAA-accredited Industry-led curriculum in the tech sector in the Gambia. A trusted ITC, UNESCO and UNDESA consultant, she developed the National TVET Digital Transformation Strategy and contributed to the country’s data governance situational analysis, both now central to national policy reforms. She is the Chair for the Sector Skills Council for ICT, working closely with NAQAA to develop career paths and national occupational standards for the sector. An advocate for STEM and gender equity, she is the President of the RISE Women Network_Gambia and an advocate for Girls and Women in STEM careers. She mentors youth, and champions inclusive leadership.
Her impact has earned major recognition: Woman of the Year 2024, Woman Who Inspires Inclusion, Forbes Africa’s /Choiseul Under 40 Honoree (2023, 2024) and the Pan-African Changemaker Award. She was also honored by Forbes Africa as a woman leader changing the technology landscape. An AI Connect Fellow, Acumen Fellow, Toastmaster, and mother of three, Dr. Jorjoh brings a rare blend of academic scientific rigor, policy insight, and human-centered leadership to advancing the future of tertiary and higher education in The Gambia.
