Lagos, Nairobi, Kigali – July 2025
In crowded markets, sleek offices, and thriving digital spaces across Africa, women are powering an economic transformation — one business, one innovation, and one community at a time.
According to new research from the African Development Bank (AfDB) and UN Women, African women run more than 60% of informal businesses on the continent and are now making fast inroads into formal sectors like tech, finance, and green energy.
“Women are not just participating in the economy,” said Ngozi Odumosu, a gender economist based in Nigeria. “They are shaping its direction.”
In East Africa, fintech apps developed by women-led startups are revolutionizing savings and microloans. In West Africa, women-run cooperatives in cashew processing and shea butter exports are generating millions in revenue and creating thousands of local jobs.
In Rwanda, the percentage of women in parliament remains the highest in the world — influencing gender-responsive economic policy and funding pipelines for female founders.
Across the continent:
Women-led agribusinesses are boosting food security
Mothers-turned-entrepreneurs are employing other women and young people
Young tech innovators like Ghana’s Esi Appiah, who created a rural digital banking platform, are redefining what leadership looks like
However, structural challenges remain. Female entrepreneurs still face:
Limited access to credit
Discriminatory land rights
Cultural barriers to scale
In response, countries like Kenya, Côte d’Ivoire, and Ethiopia are expanding women’s enterprise funds, mentorship programs, and affirmative procurement policies.
Organizations such as AWIEF (African Women Innovation & Entrepreneurship Forum) and SheTrades are also working to connect African women to global markets and investment networks.
The IMF estimates that closing gender gaps in labor force participation could boost Africa’s GDP by up to 35%.
“If we want inclusive growth, we must invest in women,” said Rania El Mashat, Egypt’s Minister of International Cooperation.
The future of African economies isn’t just about numbers — it’s about who’s leading the change. And more often than not, she’s already doing the work.