She Wins Africa and ASR Africa to Support Women Entrepreneurs

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), in partnership with the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa), is expanding its She Wins Africa program to support 1,000 women entrepreneurs across Africa. The program, designed to empower women-led startups, provides training, mentorship, and networking opportunities. Recent outcomes from the initial phase include the mobilization of over $4 million in financing for participating businesses.

Program Overview

She Wins Africa is an investment readiness program aimed at empowering women entrepreneurs across Africa. It offers training, mentorship, and networking opportunities to help their startups succeed. The initiative is a collaboration between the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, and the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa). IFC focuses on private sector development in emerging markets through technical assistance, investor linkages, and strategic support. ASR Africa, founded by African industrialist and philanthropist Abdul Samad Rabiu, provides additional support.

Initial Results and Expansion

Over the past year, She Wins Africa has supported 100 women-led small and growing businesses across multiple African markets. Participating startups collectively raised more than $4 million, with 17 businesses securing external financing. The program delivered 123 hours of targeted technical support, 22 startups received tailored advisory support, 275 investor connections were facilitated, and 100 mentors were mobilized. Additional support included business coaching, masterclasses, and investment-readiness training.

The program is expanding to support 1,000 women entrepreneurs across more African nations, building on the success of the initial phase. The expansion will be segmented to cater to startups, growth-stage businesses, and scale-up companies, with tailored technical support and access to funding through IFC-backed financial institutions.

Crowding in Private Investors

She Wins Africa utilizes catalytic funding to attract private investment. An initial grant envelope of approximately $100,000 helped mobilize nearly $400,000 in follow-on investment, working with regional and local investment partners. These funds supported startups in expanding production capacity, strengthening infrastructure, and hiring staff, while reducing investor risk.

Recognized Beneficiaries

During a recent event, four beneficiaries of She Wins Africa’s grants were recognized: Aisha Langat, CEO and founder of Sulma Whole Food (Kenya); Ifeoma Uddoh, CEO of SheCludded (Nigeria); Julie Cremieux, CEO and founder of Neofarm (Senegal); and Ifedayo Durosinmi-Etti, CEO of Hereconomy (Nigeria).

The expanded phase represents the first of four projects envisioned under the She Wins Africa umbrella. IFC and ASR Africa plan to prioritize scale-ready ventures while continuing to support early-stage businesses to drive inclusive economic growth across Africa.