Female Entrepreneurs

Mathebe Ngwenya is redefining African beauty by connecting local brands to consumers and championing homegrown innovation. Since 2015, Mathebe Ngwenya has built a reputation as a leader reshaping …

Lucy Wangari is advancing sustainable onion farming, empowering smallholder farmers in Kenya’s arid regions. Onions and garlic are household staples in Kenya; however, demand often exceeds local production. …

Adama Amanda Ndiaye is a Senegalese fashion designer and entrepreneur promoting African fashion, women’s empowerment, and sustainable creativity globally. Adama Amanda Ndiaye, known globally as Adama Paris, is …

Shamim Naluyima shows how Ugandan social enterprises can turn plastic waste into tools for learning and livelihoods. Plastic waste remains one of the most pressing environmental challenges in …

Tara Turkington has led Flow Communications from a small start-up to a recognised South African multi-sector company.  In 2005, Tara Turkington founded Flow Communications (Flow) from her home …

Ifedolapo Runsewe is tackling Nigeria’s tyre waste. She turns discarded tyres into useful products and jobs through FREEE Recycle Limited.  In Nigerian cities, piles of discarded vehicle tyres …

Adejoké Bakare is redefining West African cuisine globally through her Michelin-starred restaurant, Chishuru. In February 2024, British Nigerian-born chef Adejoké Bakare made history as the first Black woman …

Carolyne Mwangi highlights the role of youth-led agribusiness in tackling climate change and strengthening food security in Kenya at Kimplanter Seedlings. Carolyne Mukuhi Mwangi, founder and chief executive …

Stacey Onyango charts a path for women in Africa’s construction and commerce sectors.  Stacey Menga Onyango’s entrepreneurial journey began in 2009 when she founded Minkoti Agencies Limited in …

Chichi Eriobu, founder of Phronesis Foods, is advancing Ukwa as both a nutritional staple and an economic opportunity. In Nigeria’s growing agribusiness sector, entrepreneurs are increasingly turning to …