Business success is never easy, especially for women in Africa. However, that hasn’t stopped countless women from building empires and making their mark on industries. These women are business leaders, change-makers, and unapologetic visionaries. They have shattered stereotypes across diverse sectors and paved the way for others to follow.
There’s quite a lot we can learn from these women. So here are eight lessons from some of Africa’s most influential businesswomen that will challenge, motivate, and maybe even spark something in your journey.
1. Dare to dream differently
Folorunso Alakija, Managing Director, The Rose of Sharon Group/ Founder and executive vice chairman of Famfa Oil Limited
Society tells us to stick to what we know, but Folorunso Alakija dared to do the opposite. She started in fashion and built a label that dressed Nigeria’s elite. She decided to take the risk when she saw an opportunity in oil and gas—a male-dominated industry. With no background in energy, she secured a license to explore oil in the early 1990s, even when sceptics doubted her. After years of perseverance and legal battles, her company struck oil, solidifying her position as Africa’s wealthiest woman.
Lesson: True success comes from daring to dream differently. Don’t be afraid to explore the unknown or take risks others wouldn’t dare. That might be the key to extraordinary achievements.
2. Resilience is non-negotiable
Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu, Founder and Executive Director of SoleRebels
If there’s one thing Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu knows, it’s how to face challenges head-on. Growing up in a small village in Ethiopia, she saw unemployment and poverty in her community. Instead of looking away, she asked herself: ‘What can I do about this?’
After much thinking, Alemu decided to make shoes. She founded SoleRebels, a company that makes eco-friendly footwear using local materials and traditional Ethiopian artisan skills. Bethlehem had to battle doubts and limited resources and learn to run a global business from the grassroots, but she didn’t back down. She stayed focused, learned as she went, and kept pushing forward. Today, SoleRebels is a global brand that sells in over 50 countries.
Lesson: Life will throw challenges your way, but what matters is your ability to stay determined, adapt, and keep moving forward.
3. You need a strong network to survive
Rebecca Enonchong, Founder of AppsTech
If there’s one thing Rebecca Enonchong understands, it’s the power of connection. As the founder of AppsTech, a global provider of enterprise software solutions and an advocate for African tech entrepreneurs, she has built a career and a movement on the idea that no one succeeds alone.
Rebecca’s story is rooted in collaboration. Early in her career, she realised that having great ideas or talent wasn’t enough. To grow, she needed to surround herself with people who believed in her vision, challenged her thinking, and opened doors to new opportunities. She built relationships across industries and borders, positioning herself as a tech entrepreneur and a bridge-builder.
Today, Rebecca is at the heart of Africa’s tech ecosystem. She uses initiatives like the African Business Angels Network to help others connect with investors, mentors, and resources to scale their ventures.
Lesson: Success grows in a community of mentors, peers, or partners. Build relationships – because the right connections can amplify your impact and take your ideas further than you ever could.
4. Get creative with local solutions
Tabitha Karanja, Founder of Keroche Breweries
When Tabitha Karanja decided to enter the brewing industry, people thought she was joking. It was a space dominated by multinational giants and heavily skewed toward male leadership. But Tabitha didn’t let that intimidate her. Instead, she spotted a gap no one else paid attention to and used it well.
As the founder of Keroche Breweries, she created products tailored explicitly to Kenyan consumers. Her products became the affordable, high-quality option that the local market loved. She studied her audience and gave them what they needed instead of replicating the strategies of big companies. Her approach paid off, as today, Keroche Breweries is Kenya’s largest indigenous manufacturer of alcoholic beverages.
Lesson: You don’t have to follow the crowd. Sometimes, you need to create a better version that speaks directly to the audience you’re serving.
5. Stay grounded in your values
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
When Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala walks into a room, her reputation precedes her. As a global finance expert and the first woman to lead the World Trade Organisation (WTO), she has made a career of tackling complex problems with integrity.
During her time as Nigeria’s Minister of Finance, she faced intense scrutiny, political pressure, and systemic corruption but never compromised her principles. Okonjo-Iweala introduced reforms to increase transparency, curb wasteful spending, and stabilise the economy. This commitment to her values has earned her respect globally.
Lesson: In business and leadership, situations will taste your values. Although the pressure to bend or cut corners might seem like a shortcut, standing by your principles will build a legacy you’ll be proud of.
6. When they say you can’t show them you can.
Sandra Aguebor, Nigeria’s first female mechanic and founder of Sandex Car Care.
Sandra Aguebor decided she wanted to be a mechanic at a time when it was uncommon for women to operate in that industry. Growing up in Benin City, Nigeria, she was constantly told that auto mechanics wasn’t a job for women. But Sandra didn’t see why fixing cars should only be for men. She ignored the doubts, put on her overalls, and got to work.
She faced ridicule from people who couldn’t understand why a young girl would want to get her hands dirty. But Sandra’s passion spoke louder than the naysayers. After training at Auchi Polytechnic, she became Nigeria’s first certified female auto-mechanic engineer in 1991. She worked with Bendel Transport Service and the Nigerian Railway Corporation, proving herself in a field where she had to work five times harder than her male counterparts. Eventually, she founded Sandex Car Care, operating for over two decades.
In 2004, she launched the Lady Mechanic Initiative (LMI) to train and empower other women, primarily those society had written off—former sex workers, trafficking survivors, and school dropouts. Over 1,000 women have become skilled mechanics through her program, achieving financial independence and rewriting the narrative about what women can do.
Lesson: Sandra’s story reminds us that barriers only exist until someone is bold enough to break them. She didn’t just make room for herself in a male-dominated field. She gave others the boldness to follow suit.
7. Turn problems into opportunities
Dr. Ola Brown, Founder of Flying Doctors Nigeria and HealthCap Africa.
When Dr. Ola Brown founded Flying Doctors Nigeria, it solved a life-or-death crisis. Access to emergency healthcare in Nigeria was limited by distance and infrastructure, and she saw an opportunity to bridge the gap in that problem.
The idea was to use air ambulances to quickly transport patients in critical condition, particularly in remote areas where traditional healthcare systems struggled to respond. She then expanded her focus to healthcare financing and investment through the Flying Doctors Healthcare Investment Group. Ola Brown has since worked to improve funding for hospitals, medical startups, and public health initiatives across Africa.
Lesson: In every challenge lies an opportunity. Instead of being discouraged by problems, look for ways to create solutions.
8. Innovation is critical to solving real-world problems
Temie Giwa-Tubosu, Founder of LifeBank
The tragic loss of a young mother during childbirth because of a blood shortage sparked Temie’s mission to transform Africa’s healthcare. The lack of timely access to critical medical resources like blood was not just a problem. It was a crisis that demanded immediate action.
In response, Temie founded LifeBank in 2015, a health-tech company that uses technology to address the inefficiencies in the distribution of blood and oxygen. Her platform connects hospitals to blood banks in real-time, ensuring that the necessary resources are delivered swiftly and safely. This lifesaving service has reached over 13 African cities, providing thousands of pints of blood and medical supplies to needy hospitals.
Life Bank uses drone technology, blockchain-powered records, and GPS tracking to ensure the distribution of medical supplies across Africa.
Lesson: When you see a problem, challenge yourself to find the solution. Think of creative ways to solve pressing problems to make an impact.
