By Spy Uganda
Women in Africa are frequently incorrectly considered as being unable of achieving the same degree of success and achievements as males in several sectors of life.
In the political and government cycle, former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-iweala, former World Bank executive and current Director-General of the World Trade Organization, stand out as true representations of the African Woman’s power, wisdom, managerial, and leadership capabilities.
In the corporate and entrepreneurial cycles, women like Nigeria’s Folorunsho Alakija and Ghana’s Patricia Poku-Diaby stand tall as CEOs with numerous accolades for their commercial success. African women are rising and accomplishing wonderful things. A few women (Isabel Dos Santos and Folorunsho Alakija) have topped the world’s billionaires list, which was formerly dominated by men. In honor of these accomplishments, we look at several African women multi-millionaires who are building wealth and having an economic influence in Africa and beyond.
Bridgette Radebe
The multi-millionaire businesswoman from South Africa is the founder and executive chairperson of Mmakau Mining. She began her career as a common miner in the 1980s, operating individual shaft mines and providing minerals for South Africa’s well-established large-capacity miners. Her years of mining experience led to the founding of her company, Mmakau Mining.
She is the President and Founder of the South African Mining Development Association, as well as the Founder and BOT Member of the New Africa Mining Fund.
Bridgette is the sister of South African billionaire Patrice Motsepe and South Africa’s First Lady, Tshepo Motsepe Ramaphosa, making her the President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa’s sister-in-law.
Patricia Poku-Diaby
Patricia is Ghana’s richest woman. She is the Founder and CEO of Plot Enterprises Ghana Limited, a totally indigenous cocoa processing company that specializes in the production and exports of natural and alkalized cocoa liquor, natural cocoa butter, and a variety of other cocoa-related goods.
Bola Shagaya
She is a Nigerian entrepreneur who has interests in fashion, oil and gas, banking, real estate, and photography. Bola Shagaya is the founder and CEO of Bolmus Group, as well as a patron of the Nigerian Fashion Designers Association (FADAN).
She began her commercial career in 1983, importing and distributing Konica brand photographic products as well as other brands of photographic materials in the West African market. She has holdings in the financial, real estate, and fashion sectors.
Wendy Appelbaum
Wendy is South Africa’s wealthiest woman and the founder and chairperson of De Morgenzon Wine Estate, a wine and agricultural farm in Stellenbosch, South Africa. She is also the founder of the Appelbaum Foundation, a non-governmental organization dedicated to tackling South African women’s health and education concerns.
Wendy is a Director, Trustee, and member of numerous South African and international organizations, including the Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre (pty) Ltd, the Donald Gordon Foundation, the World Wide Fund for Nature South Africa (WWF-SA), Sphere Holdings (pty) ltd, Western Tourism Trade and Investment (WESGRO), Harvard University’s Women’s Leadership Board, and many more.
She is the daughter of Liberty Group founder Donald Gordon. Her father’s business success inspired her to become a successful businesswoman herself.
Folorunsho Alakija
She is a multi-millionaire entrepreneur and philanthropist. Folorunsho is currently Nigeria’s richest woman; she was formerly a billionaire and Africa’s wealthiest lady. She is the Co-Founder and Executive-Vice Chairman of Famfa Oil, a true Nigerian family business and one of the largest completely indigenous crude oil exporters. She and her spouse, Modupe Alakija, started the company. Folorunsho has business interests in fashion, oil and gas, real estate, and printing.
She is the National President and Lifetime Trustee of the Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria, also known as Apostle Folorunsho Alakija (FADAN). She also founded Digital Reality Print Ltd (previously ‘Rose of Sharon Prints & Promotion), a printing company that specializes in monogramming, heat/picture transfer, screen printing, highly technical digital big format printing, and direct imaging format printing.
She is the Rose of Sharon Group’s Group Managing Director. She is the author of several inspirational and life-changing books in addition to her company. Folorunsho is also a Christian minister and the founder of the faith-based Christian organization Rose of Sharon Glorious Ministries.
