Africa Women CEOs Network
My Account

50 Impact Entrepreneurs Driving Change

Share

We are proud to showcase 50 women impact entrepreneurs on MSME Day, which celebrates the contributions of smaller businesses to achieving the SDGs. Impact entrepreneurs are driving Africa’s development, finding creative solutions to tackle challenges, and making a real difference.

Women, in particular, are making significant contributions through sustainable business models. By recognizing these 50, we aim to highlight the immense potential and achievements of women in spearheading positive change across diverse sectors, including tech, manufacturing, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, and finance.

Join us in celebrating these remarkable Impact Entrepreneurs!

West Africa 

 

Echika is pioneering debt recovery in Africa through Mwanga and has been recognized for her entrepreneurial impact on multiple start-ups. She serves as Nigeria’s Ambassador for the Women’s Entrepreneurship Day Organization (WEDO) Africa.

Ifeoma Malo, a dedicated climate action champion, co-founded the Clean Technology Hub, which has significantly impacted 80 communities across seven countries. As the former Nigeria Country Director of Power For All, she spearheaded a campaign that substantially expanded the decentralized renewable energy industry within two years.

Karima founded ImagiNation Afrika, West Africa’s first children’s learning and innovation hub. It is revolutionizing Senegal’s education system by infusing creativity and self-reliance into learning, transforming traditional subjects into engaging games that make education enjoyable and impactful.

Oluwayimika uses agricultural technologies to strengthen communities and serves as Senior Special Assistant on Agriculture to the Governor of Ogun State. She creates inclusive growth strategies for governments and organizations, focusing on women and youth empowerment.

Carmelle Cadet leads EMTECH, where she aids central banks in adopting inclusive and resilient financial technologies. A committed advisor to women and minority fintech entrepreneurs, Carmelle has earned multiple accolades for her leadership in the financial technology sector.

8B Education Investments provides affordable loans for African students to attend top global universities. Passionate about the transformative power of education, Dr. Bosire believes it’s essential for solving African challenges and developing future changemakers, and has profoundly impacted countless lives.

Yvonne Johnson’s FinTech company, Indicina, is at the forefront of developing technology infrastructure for consumer credit platforms and businesses across Africa. As an early-stage investor and advisor in Pan-African tech start-ups, she has also contributed to the success stories of notable companies like Andela and Flutterwave.

Ngozi is revolutionizing the legal industry in Africa through the tech-driven solutions of PocketLawyers, Africa’s first fully integrated virtual law firm, offering quick, affordable, and premium legal services and solutions to SMEs and startups.

Acclaimed entrepreneur Morenike Molehin founded Oak and Teak, and also spearheads Grow With Renny, a mentoring program for African youths. In 2023, she was honored with the ELOY Award for Entrepreneur of the Year and is celebrated as one of “Africa’s 100 Most Impactful Women Founders.”

As founder and executive director of EcoChampions, Temilade leads one of Africa’s largest networks of young environmentalists. She’s at the forefront of driving climate education, leadership, and advocacy. She has collaborated with the UN and the World Bank on innovative climate change programs.

Fatoumata leads Janngo Capital, which funds African tech startups with a focus on social and environmental impact.  A Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 alumna amongst other recognitions,  Fatoumata advocates for women in tech globally.

Kemisola founded Nextwear Technologies, Nigeria’s first wearable technology startup that specializes in designing and developing technology worn close to the body, aimed at solving health-related challenges. Among its innovative products is a smart bra device that detects the earliest stages of breast cancer.

Diaspora

Cherae is a globally recognized tech entrepreneur, traveler, and founder of Tastemakers Africa, a dynamic multi-platform brand revolutionizing travel on the continent. Through her enterprise, she actively celebrates and promotes African culture and tourism, transforming perceptions and experiences.

Anuna is at the forefront with Klasha, a platform revolutionizing cross-border payments in Africa. Klasha enables African consumers to purchase international goods and services online using local African payment methods and currencies. Jessica received the UN Women in Business Award, highlighting her significant contributions to the sector.

Ruth founded Bitmama to promote cryptocurrency transactions and advance blockchain solutions for societal challenges. Her work has positioned her among the top 20 influencers shaping Africa’s blockchain landscape, as recognized by CryptoAssetBuyer.

Bola Bardet is the founder and CEO of Susu, a start-up offering a digital health service that allows the African diaspora to provide the best quality of care to their loved ones back home.

Dr. Abuzeid is one of the few black female founders at the helm of a unicorn company. Incredible Health is valued at more than $1 billion and is the largest AI-powered healthcare career marketplace, trusted by over 1 million US nurses and 1,500 US hospitals.

Southern Africa

Aisha, an award-winning scientist, co-founded SweepSouth to provide home cleaning services for professionals and create jobs in the informal sector. She is recognized by prestigious organizations like the World Economic Forum and Forbes Africa for her exceptional work in scalable tech solutions.

Rapelang champions innovative mobile learning solutions. In addition to founding Rekindle Learning, she’s the CO-CEO of Imagine Worldwide, an EduTech scaling global literacy/numeracy solutions to millions of disadvantaged children. She is a Forbes 30 Under 30 alumna.

Jessica leads Yebo Fresh in utilizing technology and social responsibility to empower township entrepreneurs and community organizations by providing easy access to high-quality groceries and essential services through smart technology.

She is known for her leadership in gender-lens investing and her work with Enygma Ventures, focusing on supporting women entrepreneurs in Southern Africa. Her initiatives include the Empress Fund, which invests in gender and climate intersections.

Linda founded DLO Energy Resources Group, a 100% black female-owned independent power producer. Linda’s goal is to be Africa’s largest black female-owned independent power producer, contributing to sustainable energy solutions across the continent.

As a corporate lawyer turned entrepreneur, Monica founded Java Foods with the goal of making nutritious local food widely accessible. She serves on the UN Lead Group for Scaling Up Nutrition and received the 2017 African Agribusiness Entrepreneur of the Year award.

Nneile’s work at Thola, a tech company dedicated to addressing healthcare access challenges in Africa, involves using innovative technology to connect patients with medical services, ensuring timely and efficient healthcare delivery across the continent.

Tebogo Mokwena is a multipotentialite, entrepreneur, and technology enthusiast passionate about solving African problems. She leads Akiba Digital, a South African FinTech startup, connecting small businesses to lenders.

North Africa

Yasmine El-Mehairy is a serial entrepreneur; her latest endeavour focuses on the intersection of female financial empowerment and Shariah-compliant finance. With a new fintech startup, Yasmine aims to empower women through innovative financial solutions.

Aida Kandil founded myTindy, a platform that bridges the gap between customers and local artisans. Aida’s mission is to showcase the rich heritage of Moroccan craftsmanship and support local artisans.

With extensive medical expertise, Rasha Rady and Doaa Aref founded Chefaa, a pharmacy delivery platform that caters to chronic patients, ensuring timely access to recurring prescriptions and personalized support from licensed pharmacists.

A seasoned leader in the fashion industry, Lydia disrupted the beauty landscape by launching Source Beauty, Egypt’s first beauty e-commerce website, curating a unique selection of products that emphasize individuality and sustainability.

  • Farah Emara, Co-Founder & CEO, FreshSource Global (Egypt)

FreshSource is the MENA region’s first technology-driven agricultural supply platform and is on a mission to strengthen food security.  Their data-driven approach benefits both producers and businesses, ensuring better income for farmers and lower costs for buyers.

KIWE, a fintech platform, empowers young users to manage money efficiently, enables collecting, sending, and spending money through its app, catering to the needs of digitally savvy individuals.

Former UK lawyer and visionary entrepreneur, Tarneem Saeed founded Alsoug in 2016, now Sudan’s leading e-commerce platform. In 2021, Alsoug secured a landmark $5 million in institutional funding, marking the first such investment in Sudan since international sanctions were lifted in 2020 after a 30-year isolation.

As a visionary entrepreneur, Houda co-founded Historiar, transforming cultural tours and revolutionizing the tourist experience. Historiar revitalizes archaeological sites by employing cutting-edge artificial intelligence and augmented reality.

Central Africa

Gisèla founded Zuri, a beauty tech platform focusing on inclusive cosmetic products for diverse skin tones. She was the only Francophone African woman listed in the 2018 Forbes Under 30 business category.

Nelly founded Ejara, Africa’s first non-custodial crypto wallet and mobile investment platform. It enables Francophone Africans and the diaspora to invest in fractionalized stocks and cryptocurrencies. Additionally, Ejara offers mobile money-based savings and provides financial education through Ejara School.

Eunice Ajim brings her expertise in startup funding, management, and strategic leadership to Ajim Capital. This early-stage fund supports tech startups across Africa, providing the financing they need to thrive.

Dr. Nzolantima pioneered “Ubizcabs,” the first female-driven taxi company in the DRC. Recognized globally, she is part of the Clinton Global Initiative and Forbes Afrique’s top 100 African economic leaders.

Kah Walla, an entrepreneur and political leader, founded STRATEGIES!, a premier consulting firm that propels economic development. It provides innovative management and marketing solutions to African businesses, international corporations, and multilateral organizations.

East Africa

Anerlisa Muigai established Nero Company Limited, a leading luxury beverage company known for its high-end products. Demonstrating that young entrepreneurs can achieve significant success independently of family wealth, her company received a nomination for the European Quality Award in 2021.

Esther pioneered a mobile and web application connecting farmers to genuine agricultural inputs, markets, and information. EzyAgric has empowered 42,000 smallholder farmers to improve harvests and raise living standards.

From beauty queen to business mogul, Hellen Dausen founded Nuya’s Essence, an all-natural skincare brand inspired by Zanzibar’s rich heritage. Dedicated to producing toxin-free, paraben-free, and cruelty-free products, her commitment to sustainability and quality earned her a spot on the Forbes 30 under 30 list in 2016.

An award-winning and creative serial entrepreneur, Wanjiru founded FunKidz Limited, an innovative children’s brand that designs and manufactures exciting products for children aged 0-16. Her visionary approach has positioned FunKidz as a leading name in kid-focused design and manufacturing.

Kate Kallot, a recognized AI expert and advisor to international organizations and governments, founded Amini to address Africa’s data scarcity. She is dedicated to building robust environmental data infrastructure across the continent, aiming to transform how data supports sustainable development.

Cynthia co-founded and heads Kwara, a startup that helps financial cooperatives better manage their operations using technology. With over 100,000 members, Kwara’s mission is to enable the under-served to become financially stable and balanced.

Joanna Bichsel established Kasha Global, Africa’s leading digital platform based in Rwanda for health and household products. Kasha facilitates access to essential goods, delivering across several African countries and serving as a vital link between pharmaceutical manufacturers and global health organizations.

Lucrezia leads Kukua,  an educational entertainment company with a vision to increase child literacy in Africa. Children users follow Sema, Africa’s first animated young heroine, through a set of smartphone games building skills around reading, writing and math.

Cathy Chepkemboi founded Tushop, a pioneering social commerce platform in Kenya that facilitates group purchasing of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs). By leveraging community leaders to collect orders from neighbors and support last-mile deliveries, Tushop offers up to 60% savings for shoppers, enhancing community-based shopping experiences.

Bakulu Power is a Uganda-based renewable energy provider focused on projects that drive social, environmental, and economic development. Lucia is named one of the 100 African Economic Leaders for Tomorrow and lectures at the Yale School of Management and the University of Cambridge.

Tsega has significantly impacted African investment by channeling funds into enterprises, supporting infrastructure, and creating jobs. Notably, she helped raise a $120 million private equity fund with Zephyr Asset Management. Her work addresses healthcare and education challenges, improving many lives. By promoting innovative solutions, she unlocks Africa’s economic potential and inspires new entrepreneurs and investors.

Quick Shop