KEY POINTS
- Trailblazing African women who are shaping the business world.
- Folorunso Alakija: Through sheer hard work, she established an oil empire worth more than one billion dollars in Nigeria.
- Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu: Founder of a world-recognized shoe brand called SoleRebels.
In Africa today, many women have transformed society and the business world to be what it is now.
These are people who not only create companies for themselves but also contribute to the formation of a new generation of entrepreneurial movement on the continent.
From gadgets we use to clothing that we wear, from charity to wealth creation, here are six trailblazing African women and how they’re influencing change in different fields.
Folorunso Alakija: Oil magnate and philanthropist
Nigerian businesswoman, Folorunso Alakija, is one of the most influential women in Africa. Beginning her career in fashion, she moved to the oil industry, where fortune was made as the Vice Chair of Famfa Oil. The story of her rise from relative obscurity to a billionaire is a story of hardship and success as a businessperson. Apart from her oil business, Alakija has also established the Rose of Sharon Foundation, which helps to take care of orphans and widows within Nigeria.
The story of her success has made many young women believe that they can achieve their dreams irrespective of the field that they want to venture into. According to Alakija, there is a need to work hard, believe, and persevere in what one wants to achieve in his or her life.
Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu: Crafting a global footprint in sustainable fashion
Ethiopia’s Tilahun Alemu is an example of an entrepreneurial personality who transformed her hobby into an international activity in the sphere of sustainable fashion.
In contrast, Alemu, the founder of SoleRebels, has adapted these age-old techniques of shoemaking in Ethiopia to a global manufacturing brand for chemical-free shoes. This business started as a local initiative to employ in her area and has turned into a brand that now operates on an international market and sells its products in over 50 countries.
Her ability to blend traditional home product manufacturing methods, sustainable business practices, and ground-breaking initiative to lead the fight for fair trade and ethical fashion business has made her successful business venture famous all over the world.
Rebecca Enonchong: Tech innovator and advocate for African startups
Rebecca Enonchong, a Cameroonian technology entrepreneur, is one of the most prominent personalities in the African tech market. Currently, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of AppsTech Limited, Enonchong, has been at the forefront of supporting the growth of the continent’s technology space. Due to her technology skills, she has not only mastered the art of business but is also a voice of African tech startups.
As one of the founding members of the African Business Angel Network (ABAN), Enonchong also plays a part in nurturing and providing funding to the future tech companies in Africa.
Thanks to her devotion, for which she made a mission to encourage technological advancement and the spirit of entrepreneurship, she has been named among the best female innovators in technology. Enonchong is evidence that Africa’s future in technology is radiant, more so, female-founded.
Mpumi Madisa: Pioneering leadership in South Africa’s corporate world
Mpumi Madisa can be reported as the first black lady to head one of the biggest firms in South Africa known as the Bidvest Group. From humble beginnings, Madisa has worked her way up through the company over the last twenty years and now runs a group with divisions that span from freight management to financial services.
Her leadership at Bidvest can be considered a major achievement not only for her but for the whole corporate business sector in South Africa.
Madisa is a flexible and culturally sensitive leader who is now changing the view on leadership for South African businesses. Her success story should be read and studied by any woman who wants to succeed in the corporate world.
Roberta Annan: Empowering women and driving sustainable development
Roberta Annan, a successful Ghanaian businesswoman and investor, is focused on empowering women and encouraging sustainable development across Africa.
As the founder of the African Fashion Foundation, Annan’s goal is to promote young African fashion designers to the international market. She also supports ideas of social entrepreneurship and impact investing, trying to direct more attention to the projects that will have a positive impact on society.
Annan focuses in some of her work on fashion, philanthropy, and sustainability in business. As an African citizen with a passion for women and development, she has played a crucial role in both business and social transformation in Africa.
Wendy Appelbaum: Champion of women’s empowerment in South Africa
Wendy Appelbaum is one of the richest businesswomen in South Africa who actively participates in charity and sponsorships. Before she switched focus to charity and farming, she had achieved a lot in the field of finance.
Currently, she is the owner of DeMorgenzon Wine Estate. Appelbaum is a marketing professional with a great interest in agriculture; she also supports women’s issues—health, education, and employment—to empower them.
Appelbaum does not restrict her leadership authority in business; she is also a leader in the fight for the causes that enhance the lives of women and children in South Africa. She has served as a model for women across the globe and mainly the African continent due to her hardworking nature and ability to pay back.
Building the next generation
These are pacesetters in building the next generation of leaders in different capacities and in various organizations.
They have begun to pave the way for future generations, clearly sending the message that where there is a push, creativity, and leadership, there’s nothing that cannot be achieved.
These women are not only reforming the face of business in Africa but also altering how people worldwide perceive African entrepreneurship.
