The HerStory Women

Meet the extraordinary women shaping Africa's future through leadership and innovation
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Adesuwa Ifedi

Africa Senior Vice President, Heifer International
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Adesuwa Ifedi

Africa Senior Vice President, Heifer International

Adesuwa Ifedi is a highly accomplished leader in sustainable development, agriculture, and economic empowerment. With over 30 years of experience, she currently serves as Africa Senior Vice President for Heifer International, leading programs that impact over 800,000 smallholder farmers and create job opportunities for over 200,000 youth.

Key Achievements

  • Secured over $78 million to drive agricultural transformation and youth empowerment across nine African countries
  • Driving large-scale agricultural and economic empowerment across Africa by securing major funding, innovating youth programs, and reshaping development finance models
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Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes

Founder & CEO, Aruwa Capital Management
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Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes

Founder & CEO, Aruwa Capital Management

Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes is the Founder and CEO of Aruwa Capital Management, one of the few women-owned and managed growth equity and gender-lens funds in Africa. With over 15 years of experience in investment banking and private equity, she has worked with global institutions such as J.P. Morgan, specialising in emerging markets.

Key Achievements

  • First female in Nigeria to raise over $10 million in a first institutional fund
  • Founder of Aruwa Capital, a leading gender-lens investment firm
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Akinniyi Toyin

Vice President, Africa Luminate
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Akinniyi Toyin

Vice President, Africa Luminate

Toyin Akinniyi is a leader in the philanthropy and global development sectors with extensive experience working on governance and social justice issues. Toyin is currently Vice President, Africa at Luminate. In this role, Toyin leads Luminate’s work in Africa to ensure everyone can influence the decisions that affect them and society. Toyin is also a member of Luminate's Leadership Team.

Key Achievements

  • Published contributor to key works including African Muckraking and Remaking Nigeria: Sixty Years, Sixty Voices
  • Stanford Draper Hills Fellow, recognised for her leadership in global development and philanthropy
  • Serves on multiple Advisory Boards and Steering Committees of funder collaboratives advancing social impact
  • Holds a Master’s degree in Peace and Conflict Studies and a Bachelor’s degree in English, alongside certifications in journalism, project management, and impact investing
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Akosua Annobil

Founder, TechInGhana and AB2020
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Akosua Annobil

Founder, TechInGhana and AB2020

Akosua Annobil is an award-winning communications strategist and global tech ecosystem builder. As the Founder of AB2020, she connects African startup, innovation, and investment communities, serving as the official Ghana partner for GITEX Africa.

Key Achievements

  • Founded AB2020
  • Launched Tech in Ghana and key initiatives that connect African tech communities with global investment and innovation networks
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Betty Irabor

Founder, Genevieve lifestyle magazine & Intentional Living Network
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Betty Irabor

Founder, Genevieve lifestyle magazine & Intentional Living Network

Betty Irabor is a pioneering media entrepreneur, author, and mental health advocate with over 35 years of experience in publishing, communications, and wellness advocacy. She is best known as the founder of Genevieve Magazine, Nigeria’s leading lifestyle publication, which has shaped conversations on fashion, beauty, and women’s empowerment for over two decades.

Key Achievements

  • Founded Genevieve Magazine, Nigeria’s leading lifestyle publication
  • Prominent advocate for mental health awareness in Africa
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Busingye Matsiko

Board Trustee, Berkeley College
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Busingye Matsiko

Board Trustee, Berkeley College

Busie Matsiko is a strategic business consultant, executive advisor, and board diversity advocate with extensive experience in finance, networking, and business development. She specialises in connecting top-tier CEOs and C-suite executives with opportunities that enhance their professional impact, particularly in corporate governance and leadership roles.

Key Achievements

  • Advised top CEOs and C-suite executives on business development, strategy, and leadership roles.
  • Advocated for boardroom diversity, empowering women and underrepresented groups in leadership positions
  • Worked with leading global financial institutions to drive impact in corporate governance and sustainable development
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Busola Dakolo

Head of Communications, Co-creation Hub (CcHUB)
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Busola Dakolo

Head of Communications, Co-creation Hub (CcHUB)

Busola Dakolo is a creative entrepreneur, photographer, and advocate for gender equality. As CEO of Busola Dakolo Images, she specialises in personal branding photography and social impact storytelling, working with individuals and businesses to craft authentic visual narratives. Her work has been featured in The Guardian, ThisDay, Genevieve, TW, and Vanity Fair UK.

Key Achievements

  • Founder of SkillsKitchen.com and CEO of Busola Dakolo Images
  • Advocate for gender equality
  • Head of Communications at Co-Creation Hub
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Chief Diana Chen

Chairman/ CEO, GAC Motor Nigeria
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Chief Diana Chen

Chairman/ CEO, GAC Motor Nigeria

Chief Diana Chen is a visionary business leader and investor shaping Africa’s industrial and automotive sectors. As Chairman and CEO of GAC Motor Nigeria, she oversees the company’s expansion in Africa under Choice International Group (CIG), a conglomerate with diverse business interests.

Key Achievements

  • Secured over $2 billion in investments and fostered economic ties between China and Africa through her role with the China-Africa Business Council (CABC)
  • Pioneered LAGRIDE
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Chief (Dr.) Folashade Okoya MON

Managing Director, Eleganza Industrial City Ltd
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Chief (Dr.) Folashade Okoya MON

Managing Director, Eleganza Industrial City Ltd

Chief (Dr) Mrs. Folashade Noimat Okoya (MON) is a renowned business leader, industrialist, and philanthropist who has played a pivotal role in shaping Nigeria’s manufacturing industry. As the Deputy Managing Director of Eleganza Industrial City Ltd, she has led the company’s expansion into large-scale production of consumer and industrial goods, ensuring innovation, efficiency, and high-quality standards. With a background in Banking and Finance from Lagos State Polytechnic and Sociology from the University of Lagos, she combines strategic business acumen with operational expertise, making Eleganza one of the leading manufacturing brands in Africa. Her leadership has driven job creation, industrial growth, and economic empowerment, positioning her as a key figure in Nigeria’s business landscape.

Key Achievements

  • Deputy Managing Director of Eleganza Industrial City Ltd, leading the expansion into large-scale manufacturing across Africa
  • Recipient of prestigious national honors, including Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) and an Honorary Doctorate in Business Management and Corporate Leadership
  • Recognised with awards such as Businesswoman of the Year, Most Valuable Business Executive of the Year, and the Lifetime Achievement Merit Award
  • Holds several influential traditional titles, including Bewaji of Lagos and Yeye Oge of Epe Kingdom, for her contributions to community development
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Chinwendu “Chichi” Ofor-Nwoko

Founder & CEO, WHAT Media Group
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Chinwendu “Chichi” Ofor-Nwoko

Founder & CEO, WHAT Media Group

Chichi Nwoko is a visionary leader in the African media and entertainment industry, dedicated to elevating the continent’s creative landscape. As the founder and CEO of WHAT Media Group, she has over three decades of experience in film, television, and broadcasting, positioning herself as a key player in amplifying African stories globally.

Key Achievements

  • Founder and CEO of WHAT Media Group
  • Produced Nollywood films
  • Created T33 Academy
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Dr. Adedunmola Oluwo

Medical Doctor, Entrepreneur, e-Health Manager
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Dr. Adedunmola Oluwo

Medical Doctor, Entrepreneur, e-Health Manager

Dr. Adedunmola Oluwo, fondly known as Dr. Dedun, is a medical doctor, entrepreneur, and mentor committed to empowering individuals through healthcare, personal development, and business. With a strong passion for transformation, she draws from her own journey of resilience to inspire and uplift others.

Key Achievements

  • Founded four businesses at 17 while studying medicine
  • Created a Dr Dedun mentorship programme to empower young professionals
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Dr. Funmi Adewara

Founder & CEO, Mobihealth International
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Dr. Funmi Adewara

Founder & CEO, Mobihealth International

Dr. Funmi Adewara is a British-Nigerian physician, bioscience entrepreneur, and award-winning telehealth pioneer. As the Founder and CEO of Mobihealth International, she is leading Africa’s telemedicine revolution, providing virtual access to local and global doctors to bridge healthcare gaps across the continent.

Key Achievements

  • Founder & CEO of Mobihealth International, pioneering Africa’s telemedicine revolution and impacting over 200,000 lives with the goal to reach 1 million patients annually
  • Launched Africa’s first telehealth services within the Nigerian Air Force
  • Recognised by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Forbes and the World Bank for her contributions to digital health and healthcare accessibility in Africa