Black women face steepest promotion barriers in Data and AI industry-Report

Black women face steepest promotion barriers in Data and AI industry, report finds.

Black women continue to face the steepest barriers to career advancement in the Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) industry, according to the latest Women in Data State of the Nation report 2026.

The report found that for every 100 men promoted, only 60 Black women receive promotions, highlighting a persistent leadership gap despite growing conversations around workplace diversity and inclusion.

Researchers noted that while the Data and AI sector has become more ethnically diverse than the broader population, representation has not translated into equal career progression for women, particularly women of colour.

The findings add to growing concerns that organisations are making progress in hiring diverse talent but failing to create pathways that support advancement into senior leadership roles.

What the report is saying

According to an excerpt from the report,

• “It is an accepted fact that women are significantly underrepresented in Senior Leadership in the Data and AI industry, with just 17% occupying the most senior roles. The State of the Nation research indicates that all women of colour have additional barriers that are not being addressed,” the report stated.

For Asian women, representation within the industry remains relatively strong, but that advantage diminishes at senior levels. Analysis of board-level and senior leadership positions showed that the high participation of Asian women in the workforce is not reflected in executive leadership roles.

The report suggested that these women may be overlooked for promotions or may be leaving the industry at higher rates before reaching senior positions.

The report referenced findings from McKinsey & Company’s Women in the Workplace 2024 report, which showed that for every 100 men promoted to manager positions, 89 White women were promoted compared to 82 Asian women.

This underrepresentation of women and particularly women of colour is both ethically and economically unsound.

More insight

Researchers said the figures point to structural barriers that continue to limit career progression despite increasing efforts by organisations to improve workplace diversity.

The report also found that the Data and AI industry is more ethnically diverse than the national population. White respondents accounted for 67% of survey participants, below the UK average of 81.7%, while Asian professionals represented 14%, above the national average of 9.3%.

• However, the findings suggest that representation alone does not guarantee equal opportunities for advancement.
• While 91% of respondents agreed that better gender balance improves organisational performance, only 37% said gender equality initiatives within their organisations were effective.
• Additionally, 36% reported witnessing gender bias in workplace decision-making, while 31% said they had personally experienced it.

What you should know

In April 2026, Nairametrics reported that Nigeria’s labour market remains heavily skewed against women in formal employment, with only 10.5% of employed women in wage and salaried jobs as of 2025, according to the World Bank’s latest gender data report.

The figure highlighted the dominance of informal and vulnerable work among women, beyond labour market indicators, the World Bank report points to systemic constraints limiting women’s economic participation.

Under its Women, Business and the Law index, Nigeria scored 51%, meaning women enjoy just over half of the legal rights afforded to men.

Support systems for implementing gender-equal laws remain weak, with only 49% of the necessary frameworks in place. Even more concerning, enforcement of these rights is estimated at just 34% of its full potential.

Despite relatively high participation in the labour force.