Meet The Next Generation of Female Entrepreneurs in Africa

Times are changing and so are the tides. Unlike in the 1980s when the idea of owning a business seemed to have been exclusively reserved for men, we are beginning to see a growing number of successful female entrepreneurs across the world that are doing wonderful things.

In Africa to be precise, the success stories of women in business have continued to inspire other women to take the same leap of faith in hopes of breaking more economic and social boundaries. Here are some of the women shaping the narrative in favour of the continent.

1. Winifred Selby, Founder, Afrocentric Bamboo

Winnifred Selby was only 15 years old when she co-founded Afrocentric Bamboo with Bernice Dapaah. Afrocentric Bamboo is a company that specializes in manufacturing and marketing bicycles made from bamboo.
Weird as the idea seemed at inception, Afrocentric Bamboo now struggles to meet demands with its in-house designed, Afrocentric Bamboo bikes which have been described as sturdy yet affordable. The bikes were designed to tackle the high terrain and rough roads of rural Ghana, and later on, other rural communities in Africa. Her innovation has received commendation for its sustainable outlook, and a proof that African women can use the materials which nature provides around them to change their economic fortunes.

2. Monica Musonda, Founder, Java Foods

In 2012, after years of a high profile career as a lawyer, Monica left her job with Dangote, a Nigerian manufacturing conglomerate and founded Java foods. The company was to her, a little way to spur economic activities in Zambia.

Over the years, the company has produced several food products including eeZee Instant Noodles, which is now one of the leading brands in Zambia.

Monica now serves as CEO while also seating on the Boards of several other companies in Zambia.

3. Temie Giwa-Tubosun, Founder, LifeBank

LifeBank is a business enterprise which enables timely delivery of blood to hospitals
and patients who need it.

In 2012, Temie returned to Nigeria after schooling abroad and started a nongovernmental organisation called “One Percent Blood Donation Enlightenment Foundation” or One Percent Project with the aim of ending blood shortage, educating people on the importance of blood donation for people in need of blood, to overcome
fears, prejudice, myths and apathy for people on blood donation, and to increase an efficient distribution network of blood to blood banks in Nigeria.

The project morphed into LifeBank in January 2016, a company set up to tackle the problem of blood shortage across hospitals and clinics in the country.

She was the youngest Nigerian listed in 2014 as one of BBC’s 100 Women, and also won the MIT Solve Global Challenge in the health category…

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EDITOR’S NOTE: Read the entire piece here. It’s on page 26 of our ’50 Most Influential Women in Business’ edition.