Top 3 Female Business Leaders In Africa

There has been a rise in the number of women-owned business in Africa, over the past few years. Women are taking over in different business sectors, be it in Information Technology, oil, mining, fashion, media, e-commerce, aviation and many other sectors.  Female entrepreneurs are breaking gender stereotypes and showing that what a man can do, a woman can also do, if not better. Bold and fearlessly ambitious, here are 5 female business leaders who shape the future of the continent and inspire not only countless other women but also anyone who dares to dream.

1. Folorunsho Alakija began her career as a secretary for the now-defunct Merchant Bank of Nigeria. She quit her job in the 80s to study fashion design in England and returned to Nigeria after a few years to set up Supreme Stitches, a fashion label that catered for elite Nigerian women. In 2016, the 65-year-old businesswoman became Africa’s second wealthiest woman when she discovered an oil block and established her oil exploration company Famfa Oil. She is estimated by Forbes to be worth $2.1 billion. She is also an investor in real estate.

2. Isabel dos Santos is the eldest daughter of Angolan president, Jose Eduardo dos Santos and is considered the richest woman on the continent in 2018. She has an estimated net worth of $3.3 billion. She accumulated her wealth in oil, diamonds, as well as in the communications and banking sectors. In Angola, she’s the chairwoman of Unitel SA, one of the country’s largest mobile network companies, valued at more than $5 billion.

3. Sibongile Sambo started her own aviation business after being rejected by South African Airways for lacking the minimum height requirements to become a flight attendant. Today, she is the founder and managing director of SRS Aviation, the first black female-owned aviation company in South Africa. SRS Aviation offers professional and personalised flight options to destinations around the world, with charter services in a variety of categories, including VIP charter, tourist charter, and cargo charter. The company also provides game count and capture, and medical evacuation services. 42-year-old entrepreneur inspiring work has seen and has earned her a number of awards over the years, including the Regional Business Woman of the Year award, the Black Women in Business award, and the Top Emerging Gender Empowered Company award.

Olatorera Consultancy Limited provides business development services to high net-worth individuals and companies looking to grow, enter or do business in Africa.

If success is what you really want, you must read Olatorera Oniru’s Book “The World Needs Africa”, The Aspiration, Leadership and Greatness Story of Success by an African, within Africa, is highly inspirational and educational. The book is certainly one of Africa’s Best.