Let’s look at numbers worldwide. Women from all around the world are more and more to follow the path of Entrepreneurship. 36% of all the businesses are owned by women, and this number is still growing! It is 30% higher than in 2007. The discrimination seems to disappear, even if there is still a long way to go. Businesses are more likely to get funded (64% higher) if they have a woman on their team. Gender diversity seems to be a key to success.
A research shows that women are more likely to be entrepreneurs in Africa. Billionaire women entrepreneurs like Folorunsho Alakija, Isabel Dos Santos, and Hajia Bola Shagaya are great examples of women living the dream in the continent. Hard work pays off! These are the big names in Africa since all of them are in the top 5 of the richest women in the continent. Folorunsho Alakija for example (the second richest woman in the continent), is a Nigerian businesswoman. She is the executive director of Famfa Oil, one of the largest gas and oil exploration and production companies in the continent. She is also involved in the printing and fashion industry (she is the biggest designer in Nigeria). She has a net worth of over 2.5 billion dollars, and her Oil company is currently worth over 800 million dollars.
Business is not the only available option for women to be successful in Africa. Fatima-Zahra Mansouri is the mayor of Marrakech. She is one of the most powerful women in the country, according to Forbes. Naisula Lesuuda is a Senator in Kenya, she is the youngest female member of the Senate. These are also good examples. In fact, Africa is the continent with the most female presidents throughout time. 7 female presidents (and two are still in function today). But we are not here to talk about politics.
Let’s take a deeper look into Africa they don’t show on television. Multi-millionaire tycoon like Grace Amey-Obeng, a Ghanaian woman that made her fortune by promoting beauty products for black skin at a time when bleaching products (dangerous for the skin) were highly demanded on the African market. She is now one of the most successful people in Ghana. It is not even about the money, but the story itself is beautiful! Another wonderful story is the founder of She Leads Africa (SLA). Afua Orfei and Yasmin Belo-Osagie. She Leads Africa is a platform that helps talented women entrepreneurs connect with each other; It also provides knowledge and finances to build a successful business in Africa.
Kofi Annan once stated: “There is no tool for development more effective than the empowerment of women”.
There was a time when it was difficult for a woman to be successful. It was difficult everywhere in the world, but it was worse in Africa. The wealth was controlled by men. But now, Africa is literally the best continent for women entrepreneurship. Women control a significant part of the African wealth.
