100Women West Africa list features 100women who are from diverse backgrounds and sectors who are making impacts in the world and in their local communities with the power and strength of their ideas and achievements. They are making their mark in the world in all fields including politics, business, philanthropy, technology and finance. They are creating solutions for some of the world’s biggest problems and leaving lasting legacies along the way.

African women leaders are resilient, influential and changing their societies and the world and also wield significant power.

• Yeniva Sissay: She is a Dynamic, multi-faceted educator and consultant with 18 years of progressive experience building and developing the African continent’s most valuable asset—human capital. Advanced expertise in education program management; instructional design; curriculum development; professional development, training and capacity building; project management; research and evaluation; and marketing, branding and communications. Highly adept at curating impactful learning experiences which create both high-caliber youth and professional leaders. Exceptional communication, stakeholder engagement and collaboration skills with well-demonstrated experience working with diverse organizations and project teams throughout West Africa and in the U.S. including IRC, Concern Worldwide, DFID, WHO, AFFORD, UNICEF, London Mining and UNDP.

• Saran Kaba Jones: She is a clean water advocate and social entrepreneur from Liberia. She is the founder of FACE Africa, an organization working to strengthen water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure and services in rural communities across sub-Saharan Africa.^[1] She is World Economic Forum Young Global Leader and a 2016 TIME Magazine Next Generation Leader.Her work with FACE Africa has been profiled in the Boston Globe,and CNN Inside Africa.

• Ms. Patrice Juah: She is a dynamic and multifaceted media and communications professional with proven consulting skills and expertise in strategic communications, public relations, conducting specialized trainings, public speaking and digital content development. As the founder and Managing Partner of MOIE, a diversified media social enterprise, Patrice remains committed to improving the communications sector and entrepreneurial opportunities across Africa. She is an accomplished author and poet, with literary works covering a wide range of themes to include personal life experiences, women’s empowerment, and humor.
  Ms. Juah is a 2014 Mandela Washington Fellow, former Miss Liberia and Girl’s Education Advocate, who has consistently striven to motivate and empower young Liberian women by supporting local non-profit organizations in their efforts to educate women on topics such as HIV/AIDs, teenage pregnancy, education, and workforce development. She’s also a Columnist for Vital Woman Magazine UK’s Girls’ Empowerment Column and blogs for Tropics Magazine’s Tropics Voices platform. Her most notable articles have been featured on PBS NewsHour, African Feminist Forum, Liberian Observer, AllAfrica, Conversations on Liberia and the Sea Breeze Journal of Contemporary Liberian Writings.
  Ms Juah is the founder of the Martha Juah Educational Foundation and its Sexy Like A Book initiative, designed to inspire young women and girls to improve their perspective on reading, literacy & education.

• Shoana Cachelle: She is the founder and executive director of Cachelle International, Marketing, Photography, and Design Company with a branch located in Wilmington DE and headquartered in Monrovia Liberia. Since its start in 1999, Cachelle International has always striven to provide small business owners and entrepreneurs with professional services that everyone can afford. Now as they move forward into their fourteenth year, Cachelle has established itself internationally, while, according to Shoana, carrying on with their mission to “assist business owners, entertainers, and artists build their image at an affordable cost.”
  These past years have been extremely successful for Shoana and Cachelle International. In December 2005, she was selected to photograph her most important client to date, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, the first female president of any country in Africa. That photograph became the official photo of the president. That historic photo is found in every government office and most private offices. At advent of her second inauguration, Shoana was again selected as the official photographer. That historic photograph taken during her historic inauguration is now captured on the first postage stamp of Liberia issued since the country’s civil war. Shoana has also photographed President George W. Bush, Jesse Jackson Jr., and Condoleezza Rice.

• Aisha Buhari: Aisha Buhari is the Wife to the President of Nigeria and the founder of Future Assured. It was founded in a bid for her to continue advocacy work for health and well-being of women and children through community mobilization and health promotion. She was prompted by the need to improve the current poor health outcomes of women, children and other vulnerable groups of Nigerian population..

• Anita Koroma: She is a child’s rights activist, trainer on gender issues and girl’s child rights, mentor, trainer, inspirational speaker. Founding member of Guadalupe Old Girls Association-UK /Founder/Country Director- Girl Child Network Sierra Leone. Director Girls Empowerment Initiative- Girl Child Network Worldwide.
  Qualified Social Worker with 8 years hands on social work experience. I am skilled at working with varied client groups assessing their needs. Experienced in conducting client interviews and writing case reports, reviewing care plans and making recommendation for improvement. Experience in multi-agency working, and being part of a multi-disciplinary team, referring service users to appropriate services. Able to use own initiative to resolve issues, as well as working within organizational policies and procedures. I have excellent IT and organizational skills. Willing to learn new skills and share knowledge to further progress within the field of social work. A global campaigner for the International day of Menstrual Hygiene Management 28th May. International Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) Activist, Focal person- World Children Prize for the rights of the Child in Sweden . Nominee Women4African 2014 in Humanitarian, Ebola medal awarded by the Queen Elizabeth II, Ambassador for humanity Award, Best Female organization in Sierra Leone, Women Initiative Award .

• Ariana Oluwole: She is a self-starter who believes in getting work done. She loves to write and chronicle stories and poetry that inspire. Her background in the sciences created a strong desire for research, forming ideas and creating systems that work and synergize well. Her zest for adventure has led her to professional positions in managing business support systems with an extensive practical knowledge of communications and marketing in the Sierra Leonean context, having worked with numerous multi-nationals in problem solving and creating solutions around project management, systems, implementation of work protocols and creating formidable work forces that are making history. In addition Ariana has been a trainer, facilitator and coach. Ariana is the founder of Narnia, an early learning center which caters for children between the ages of 0- 3 years. Narnia prepares the next generation by equipping them with the knowledge, skills and values necessary to successfully adapt to an increasingly complex world.

• Nkem Onwudiwe: Nkem is a Nigerian born Communications Consultant with a background in Public Relations and Marketing. She has a passion for seeing women thrive and this inspired her to create Her Network in 2016; a Global Inspirational and Lifestyle Platform created to inspire and encourage all women to stand in their greatness and set real life examples by living their truth. In 2016, Nkem was recognized by Leading Ladies Africa as one of Nigeria’s Most Inspiring Women and has gone on to give back through her platform by creating the Annual Her Network Woman of the Year Awards in 2017 which focuses on discovering and celebrating outstanding women in Nigeria and the diaspora.

• Francesca Uriri: She is a social entrepreneur and the founder of a non-profit Leading Ladies Africa which aims at providing skills to African women necessary for their success. She also served as Head of Communications for Uber in 2018.

• Vickie Remoe: Vickie Remoe is a writer and TV producer. The Vickie Remoe Show is a cross between ‘The Oprah Show’ and Anthony Bourdain’s ‘Parts Unknown’ with a clear and direct focus on African business and travel. She is the Managing Director at VRC Marketing Company. Ms. Remoe holds a B.A. in Political Science from Haverford College and an M.S. Degree in Broadcast Journalism from Columbia University. Moved by the spate of gender-based violence in Sierra Leone, she founded Sister Circles, a not for profit that creates safe spaces for women and girls to engage in open and blame-free dialogue on gender-based violence; customary, structural, sexual, or domestic abuse. Ms. Remoe’s mission is to challenge and change attitudes, and behaviors that perpetuate gender inequality in West Africa.

• Dr. Yakama Jone: She is The Head of the President of Sierra Leone’s Delivery Team. She is also a lecturer at the University of Sierra Leone, and Team Lead on the Economics Pathway of the Partnership for African Social and Governance Research (PASGR) Master of Research and Public Policy Program in Sierra Leone. She is also the founder of Yak Jones Foundation. The foundation is focused on promoting literacy in Sierra Leone. Given the limited availability of public libraries and the inability of many schools and parents to afford books necessary for effective teaching, learning and even leisure reading, the Yak Jones Foundation is undertaking a text book donation drive

• Mary Ann Kai Kai: Madam Wokie is a Sierra Leone based fashion brand created by Mary-Ann Kaikai in 2009 to design exclusive yet stylish, durable and affordable African-inspired garments and accessories. The brand name is inspired by Mary-Ann’s maternal great-grandmother, Madam Wokie Massaquoi, one of the few female Paramount  Chief’s is post-colonial Sierra Leone. She was a beautiful, strong and stylish lady who loved expressing herself through fashion. Madam Wokie specialises in producing African inspired ready-to-wear and bespoke pieces. The brand fuses heritage Sierra Leonean aesthetics with elegant modern designs. Having started off with a ready-to-wear line, the brand has now expanded to include bespoke tailoring, fashion consultancy, bags, jewellery, footwear and fabrics. Since 2009 Madam Wokie has become well known in the Sierra Leonean community- both at home and abroad. The brand has also established itself beyond the Sierra Leonean community, and has been featured on various international fashion shows and magazines.

• Eldeen Elba: She is a Chartered Global Management Accountant and Human Resources Analyst; a member of Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) and American Academy of Project Management. My career as a Management Accountant and Human Resources generalist spans over 13 years in the private and public sectors, seven of which were in Senior Management. My areas of expertise are Strategic HR Management, Risk Management, Financial Management and Business Development. She also owns and manages a nine-year old human resources management company called JobSearch. We provide recruitment, skills development and human resources management services.

• Anita Erksine: s an Award Winning Media Mastermind armed with a rich and powerful appreciation for Africa, its legacy, stories, heritage and promise. Anita Erskine owns and runs Anita Erskine Media which delivers Communications Solutions for Social Impact in partnership with international agencies such as the United Nations and mass media giants such as Discovery Communications. She founded the Women’s Elevation Fund through which she has signed a ten – year partnership with Ghana’s National Film and Television Institute to provide scholarship and educational bursaries for outstanding female students from underserved communities whose ambition it is to be Film Directors and TV Producers.

• Fatima Seseay: She is the founder of Unimax SL LTD, which is specialised in Logistics( Transport,Clearing and Forwarding ) courier, dispatch and messenger services.
  This company was establised as a result of our domestic courier service business competition idea, which won the British Conservative Social Action Project ” Young Enterpreneur of the Future” business competition in Sierra Leone July 2012.

• Satta Matturi: Satta Matturi is a woman who knows her diamonds. Like her father before her, Matturi has spent much of her professional career in the diamond trade working for DeBeers. Her latest venture Satta Matturi Fine Jewelry combines this experience and knack for design to bring precious and semi precious stones to Africa’s rich and glamorous. Matturi who previously launched Freetown Chic, a costume jewelry line says SMFJ is going to be Africa’s answer to Cartier and Tiffany. Her client’s in Ghana, Nigeria, Botswana, and Sierra Leone commission SMFJ for weddings, as keepsakes, and for special occasions. SMFJ seeks to be the first choice for African brides at home and in the diaspora.

• Mariama Oni: She is the founder of the organization Smiling Through the Light. Smiling through Light is a company which works with a network of women to provide clean, reliable and sustainable energy in Sierra Leone. By setting up distribution networks and supporting small female-run businesses, the organisation helps communities access safe, clean light technology, whilst simultaneously creating employment and income opportunities. The profits of the company are reinvested in the social enterprise: buying more solar products, providing capacity building training and ongoing support to the women.

• Yvonne Aki-Sawyer: Yvonne is a finance professional with over 25 years of experience in strategic planning, risk management and project management in the public and private sectors. Yvonne is passionate about the development of Sierra Leone. She is a Chartered Accountant and holds an MSc in Politics of the World Economy (London School of Economics) and a BSc Hons in Economics (Fourah Bay College). Yvonne Aki-Sawyer is a Sierra Leonean politician, and the current mayor of Freetown, Sierra Leone.

• Dr. Fatu Forna Sesay: Dr. Fatu Forna Sesay is Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director of The Mama-Pikin Foundation. She is an Obstetrician-Gynecologist and writer who was born in Sierra Leone and moved to the US as a child. She received her undergraduate degree from Florida A&M University, her Medical Degree from Duke University School of Medicine, her Masters in Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and completed her Obstetrics and Gynecology residency at Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Forna Sesay is a passionate advocate for the reproductive health of young women, and the author of the book “From your doctor to you. What every teenage girl should know about her body, sex, STDs and contraception.”

• Priscilla & Kim Addison: Priscilla and Kimberly Addison are the creators of this luxury chocolate made in Ghana by Ghanaians, for Ghanaians. Their chocolates which come in dark, milk, white chocolate, mocha latte and bissap flavours are uniquely packaged in adinkra symbol shapes. Kim the youngest sister fell in love with the possibility of making chocolate when she went on a factory tour in Switzerland.  Intrigued by the fact that although Ghana was the 2^nd largest exporter of cocoa, the main ingredient in chocolate, in the world, yet produced insignificant amounts of the final product, Kim decided to embark on an adventure to make chocolate from bean to bar, in order to add more value to the cocoa bean, right at home. Priscilla had always preferred the flavor of vanilla to chocolate, but after witnessing her sister create these titillating treats, her respect for the chocolate-making process rose to new heights. She is excited to embark on this creative journey with Kimberly. Not only does she serve as co-chef, she also brings her marketing and communications expertise to this venture.”

• Dzibordi Dosoo:  She is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Allure Africa Group an award winning premier Spa & Lifestyle Business headquartered in Accra Ghana with an office in Washington DC USA. The primary business focus of Allure Africa is to develop and grow premium Spa & Lifestyle companies throughout Africa, with an emphasis on forging international strategic partnerships. The companies within the group are Allure Spa In the City, Allure Sales and Distribution Company, and AllureCollege Its Core Business Activities are Day Spa and Grooming Services Delivery, Product Distribution, Education and Training and & Spa, Grooming and Image Consulting.

• Esther Cobbah: Esther A. N. Cobbah is an award-winning communications consultant and qualified Gestalt facilitator based in Accra, Ghana. She holds degrees from the University of Ghana, Legon and Cornell University. With over 30 years experience in the communication field, Esther has a keen understanding of the value of effective communication processes for national development and has a track record of providing effective communications strategies to promote innovation and enhance public awareness. Esther is also founder and Chief Executive Officer of Strategic Communications Africa Ltd (Stratcomm Africa), a communication and reputation management agency based in Ghana, which has served over 150 local and international clients. Stratcomm Africa specialises in evolving and implementing communication strategies for companies, individuals, public, private, local and international organisations.

• Hannah Acquah: She has her over 16 years professional experience across 4 continents (Africa, Asia, EU and USA) and has worked and/or consulted for financial institutions such as Acumen Fund, Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Deloitte & Touché; and in learning institutions such as Lagos Business School, The MBA Tour, YALI West Africa, and took a crash apprentice course as a finalist on the inaugural Apprentice Africa reality show in Nigeria (2008). Hannah Acquah holds a Masters of Economics (honours) from Vanderbilt University, USA (2006), and a Bachelors of Management Information Systems (MIS) and International Economics from University of Maryland, USA (2003) and a Mandarin (Chinese) certificate, Beijing, China (2007). She is a Fellow at Royal Society of Arts (UK), Wimbiz member (Nigeria) and was listed as one of the ’25 Faces of the New Africa’ (BRICS Magazine, 2013).

• Joyce Abaibo: She is an award-winning Ghanaian fashion designer and founder of the Joyce Ababio College of Creative Design. She has developed a signature style that embodies elegance and an imaginative spirit. From her debut fashion show in 1992, “Catwalk Extravaganza”, she has demonstrated her creativity and tenacity as a leader in the fashion design industry. Ms. Ababio has been awarded many accolades for her creativity and ingenuity as a designer. Some of her achievements include, Best Formal Evening Wear Award, Miss World (1995, Sun City), Ebony Award for Bridal and Pageantry (1999), Best Evening Wear, Miss Ghana (2000), Best Formal Evening Wear, Miss World (1995), Fashion Contributor Award in Education and Mentoring, Ghana Fashion Awards (2012) and the esteemed, Life Time Achievement Award, Glitz Africa Fashion Week.

• Renee Q Boateng: Renée Q. Boateng is a Self Branding & Development Coach who is living her purpose of bringing women into the realization of their own strength & beauty by giving them the tools to activate self-love, worth and confidence to break boundaries and attain higher heights. She’s also the Founder of Butterflies & Pearls, a network group set up to encourage and empower women in supporting one another.

• Yawa Hansen Quao:  She is a Ghanaian founder, social entrepreneur and a feminist.She sits on the board of Ashesi University College, serves on the Advisory Board, Women’s Institute for Global Leadership, Benedictine University, is founder of the Leading Ladies Network (LLN), and a member of the African Leadership Network and the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Community. She is a force to reckon with in the education and well-being of the girl child.

• Yvonne Okoro: She is a Ghanaian actress. She received Ghana Movie Awards Best Actress Award in 2010and was nominated for Africa Movie Academy Awards Best Actress twice in a row in 2011 and 2012 for her movies Pool Party and Single Six.  She has also received four Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awardand in 2012 was honoured with a Distinguished Achievement Award at the Nigeria Excellence Awards.

• Claudia Lumor:  She is the CEO of Glitz Magazine. She has a degree in Economics and Law and a LLM in Corporate Finance Law from the University of Westminster. Claudia with her strong passion for fashion, pushed further to create Glitz Magazine which has become a household name in Africa today.

• Bernice Daapah: Sheis a Ghanian social entrepreneur and CEO of Ghana Bamboo Bikes. After a difficult upbringing, she decided to start a business that would positively impact women in Ghana. In 2009, with support from the Clinton Global Initiative, she founded Ghana Bamboo Bikes as a way to employ and empower women while also using renewable resources to satisfy a need in her community. By building high quality, handcrafted bicycles using locally sourced bamboo, Bernice and the women she employs are able to provide a means of transportation to girls who would otherwise be forced to walk miles to get to school.

• Afi Amoro: She is the Founder and Chief Executive of Jandel Limited, a top-level event management company in Ghana, over the last 20 years has brought in class, creativity, and innovation to change the face of the industry.  She has 20 (twenty years) of experience in the total event management business which includes management of state, corporate and private events such as weddings and parties. We also have subsidiaries that provide construction, interior decoration, horticulture and landscaping, and purchasing and supply.

• Rebecca Akuffo-Addo: Rebecca Akufo-Addo is the First Lady of the Republic of Ghana and wife of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, 5th President of the 4th Republic of Ghana. The Rebecca Foundation complements the efforts of government by undertaking the following; supporting and promoting initiatives that improve the economic status of women; enhancing literacy and learning skills in children; improving environmental health and sanitation by greening public spaces; Our vision is to deliver excellence as a team and impact positively on the lives of Ghanaians

• Juliet Yaa Asante: Juliet Asante is an award-winning and renowned Ghanaian actress, talk show host, film and television producer and film director. The graduate of  Harvard University’s J.F. Kennedy School of Government is the founder and C.E.O of the production and communications consulting firm called Eagle Production Limited. The firm has produced television shows, films and workshops that train actors. Juliet has also served as the editor of an entertainment magazine, Entertainment Today, and the president of the Ghana Chapter of Women in Film in Television International.

• Anne Marie Imafidon: Anne-Marie Imafidon  is a British computing, mathematics and language child prodigy. She is one of the youngest to pass two GCSEs in two different subjects while in primary school. Imafidon founded and became CEO of Stemettes in 2013, a social enterprise promoting women in STEM careers.  Stemettes runs panel sessions and hackathons supporting girls and young women who are considering a STEM career.

• Fatima Bello Raji: A creative and result-oriented Legal and Humanitarian Practitioner with 12 years post-call to bar experience both in Private and Public Prosecution/Defense, Fatima is engaged in providing pro-bono legal services to women and children whose rights have been violated in Adamawa State, under the umbrella of the INGO International Federation of Women Lawyers, commonly known as FIDA-Adamawa State Branch that advocates for Women and child rights both civil and criminal. She is the liaison person and representative for a substantial number of persons of concern to UNHCR in court as relates to Sexual and Gender Based Violence cases. Contributed tremendously to strengthening the referral mechanism (SOP) developed by UNFPA in collaboration with all stakeholders on response to cases of SGBV in Adamawa state.

• Hilda Pwaleri Makonto:  The story of Mrs. Hilda Pwaleri Makonto, mni is an inspiring one. She turned her misery to an opportunity to impact the world. The challenges faced as a young widow made her to accomplish a lot particularly her passion as a philanthropist in the society with challenged women. She pioneered the Adamawa State Widows Association as the President, ensuring that the right and privileges of widows and their children are protected. As the President of the Adamawa State Widows Association that she holds so dearly, Mrs Hilda Makonto dedicates most of her time, resources and engaging widows of all backgrounds towards channeling their energies into self-development. She is also involved in various capacity building programmes in promoting Peace and Security of women and their children’s interest in both Governmental and Non-Governmental Organisations including the United Nations as UN Women Lead Mentor in Adamawa State Nigeria.

• Mobolaji Akiode: The former Fordham basketball player, who has helped African girls find success on the court through the nonprofit she founded, took a leading role after news broke that 300 Nigerian school girls had been kidnapped by a terrorist organization.

• Ngozi  Attah: Ngozi Atta’s journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s top Beauty experts and Makeup Instructor crystalised when she trained at House of Tara in 2007, and in 2010 she left Visafone (a telecomms company) to set up Jagabeauty Studio. Her passion for impacting young ladies has given birth to a support group called Girls of Destiny, where ladies are mentored into finding their voice and assignment in life.

• Obioma Liyel-Imoke: Obioma is the Founder and Board Chair of Partnership Opportunities for Women Empowerment Realization (POWER) is a woman of many parts. She is an attorney, a seasoned administrator, a serial entrepreneur, a child rights crusader, a women’s empowerment facilitator and development activist. She is one of the few wives of public officers who have continued to run the initiatives they set up while in office. POWER, the NGO she founded is one of the leading groups intervening in child and maternal health issues as well as economic empowerment of women. She was educated at the Federal Government College, Enugu, and the famous University of Nigeria where she bagged honours degree in Law, and the Nigerian Law School, Lagos for her B.L.

• Afua Osei: She is an entrepreneur, investor and public speaker who co-founded She Leads Africa, a media company for millennial African women. In 2014, Osei co-founded She Leads Africa, a “community for smart ambitious young African women,” with Yasmin Belo-Osagie. She Leads Africa provides women across more than 35 countries with business and career advice and has been featured in several international publications including The Financial Times, CNN, CNBC Africa, Huffington Post, and Black Enterprise. On December 9, 2016, She Leads Africa rang the Closing Bell at the New York Stock Exchange.

• Oluwaseun Ayodeji: She is passionate about teaching men to respect women’s rights. Oluwaseun Ayodeji was born and raised in Nigeria. She received a master’s degree in International Relations at Swansea University, United Kingdom, and a bachelor’s degree in Local Government and Development Studies at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. As the Executive Director of Stand to End Rape Initiative (STER), she is responsible for conducting advocacy and project implementation and ensuring survivors of gender-based violence receive medical, legal, and psycho-social services. Through her work, she is proud to have been selected as one of 200 Obama Young Leaders: Africa. As an advocate, she is proud to have broken the culture of silence on rape in Nigeria and establishing an NGO to provide support to victims.

• Timipre Wolo: Timipre Wolo is that proud Elder Sister who has risen from depths and is paving the way for the ones coming after her. She is a former Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) management staff, who has now moved on to pursue ‘her calling’ as she puts it – through Centre for Gender Equality, Education, and Empowerment (CGEEE). Her empowerment initiative for vulnerable girls and women, and her energy company; TFN Energy. She attributes discovering her passion to working at PTDF, where she has created opportunities for about 400 young people.

• Unoma Okoroafor:  Unoma Ndili Okorafor is a Nigerian computer scientist and entrepreneur. Okorafor founded Working to Advance African Women, a program which supports African women in technology, in 2007. She is the Chief Executive Officer at Herbal Papaya and Radicube Technologies. Okorafor founded Working to Advance African Women (WAAW). WAAW is a  not-for-profit which promotes STEM education to African women. She launched the program with savings she made as a graduate student. WAAW runs 13 programs in Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Cameroon, Malawi, Togo, Nigeria and South Africa.They have over one hundred volunteer university fellows and have reach several thousand girls a year. Alongside educating young women, Okorafor works with communities and families to ensure that no one tries to stop girls choosing STEM subjects.

• Dr. Kemi Da-Silva Ibru: Anita Kemi Da-Silva is a specialist Obstetrician and Gynecologist with a medical back-ground that extends to Public Health. A qualified and experienced specialist since 2002, Dr. Dasilva has worked in Lagos for over 10 years in private practice, where she has dedicated her time to working closely with non-government organizations and related agencies in addressing the
  prevailing issues of gender based violence, rape and trafficking of young girls and women in communities throughout Lagos, by offering free medical support and counselling. Dr. Dasilva is a strong advocate of gender equality and empower all women and girls and is known
  for her unmitigated passion for women’s rights which has shaped her life and has led to her establishing the Women at Risk International Foundation WARIF. She believes that it is our primary social responsibility, to ensure that globally, all young girls and women live in a society free of rape and sexual violence.

• Betty Anyanwu Akeredolu: Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu was born on 20 July, 1953, to the family of Chief BUB and Nneoma Dora Anyanwu, in Emeabiam, Owerri-West, in Imo State. Anyanwu-Akeredolu attended the University of Nigeria, Nsukka where she obtained a bachelor of science degree in zoology in 1977. She holds a master of science degree in fisheries, major in aquaculture, from the University of the Philippines Visayas in Iloilo City. She started the nonprofit organization, Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria (BRECAN)  to raise awareness of the disease. She has won awards in recognition of her work and commitment in the fight against breast cancer in Nigeria. She is also a supporter of the Bring Back Our Girls movement.

• Bola Tinubu: Bola Tinubu founded The Cece Yara Foundation and is responsible for the strategic direction of the organisation. Bola Tinubu Founded “The Cece Yara Foundation”. She is responsible for the strategic direction of the organisation. A lawyer who has spent most of her life advising companies and business owners; Bola currently leads the Corporate Services Group of the law firm of Olajide Oyewole LLP, a member of the DLA Piper Africa Group, based in Lagos, Nigeria. Her special interest is in corporate restructuring and acquisitions, and she is on the board of several companies and non-profit organisations, which she supports passionately.

•  Tara Fela Durotoye: Tara Fela-Durotoye is a Nigerian makeup artist and lawyer. A pioneer in the bridal makeup profession in Nigeria, she launched the first bridal directory in 1999, set up international standard makeup studios and established the first makeup school in Nigeria. She is the founder and CEO of House of Tara Internationaland creator of the Tara Orekelewa Beauty range, Inspired Perfume and the H.I.P Beauty range. In 2007, she was awarded the Africa SMME Award and the Entrepreneur award in South Africa and in 2013, Forbes listed her as one 20 Young Power Women In Africa.

• Funke Bucknor-Obruthe:  Funke Bucknor-Obruthe is a Nigerian entrepreneur and lawyer. She is the founder and CEO of Zapphaire Events and is regarded as one of Nigeria’s pioneering event planners. In 2003, her love for event planning made her start Zapphaire Events, an independent event planning enterprise. She has since gone on to plan and organize several high-profile events within and outside Nigeria and has won awards and recognition including being featured in CNN’s Inside Africa for planning a Nigerian royal wedding. Some of these include the Future Award for “Entrepreneur of the Year” (2006), the Wedding Planner Magazine Award for “Wedding Planner of the Year” (2007), Go2girl Life Achievement Awards (2011), Nigerian Events Awards for Outstanding Contribution to the Events Industry (2012).

• Oreoluwa Lesi: Oreoluwa Lesi is a Nigerian entrepreneur and UK-trained economist and IT expert. She is the founder and executive director of Women’s Technology Empowerment Centre (W.TEC), a non-profit organisation that empowers women and girls socially and economically through education in Information technology. W.TEC was established in the year 2008. She is a fellow of Ashoka and a recipient of ABIE Award Winners, Change Agent.

• Thursdaline Peter: Thursdaline Peter, a self defence advocate who is literally fighting domestic and all forms of violence and abuse against women through martial arts. Peter, Nigeria’s youngest Taekwondo referee is the founder of The Body Dynamics where she teaches Taekwondo, self defence, and works as a fitness trainer. She was inspired to join Taekwondo to fight violence against women. She trains people on how to defend themselves in face of danger and also takes her gender equality and self-defence advocacy to secondary schools across the country.

• Lola Omolola: Lola Omolola is a Nigerian former journalist who founded the Female IN (FIN) group on Facebook. Lola is the first Nigerian woman who created a place where other women can share their untold stories regarding their sexual abuses, and other challenges they are facing. She was featured in the 2018 Facebook F8 Conference.

• Eno Martins Bakare:  Eno Martins Bakare is the CEO of Girls on Wheels Nigeria, a Female Drivers Service and Female Mobile Autowash. A very unconventional pursuit one might reckon but Eno is spurred by a need to correct negative stereotypes often associated with being a female driver and she is killing it!

• Alliance for Africa Women Initiative: Alliance for African Women Initiative (AFAWI) is a grassroots Ghanaian organisation that has been striving to narrow the gender gap and empower women and children in Ghana for over ten years. We strongly believe in sustainable development and are working towards ensuring our projects become self-sufficient for decades to come.

• Claudine Talon: She is the first lady of Benin and the founder of Claudine Talon Foundation. The foundation aims to improve the lives of the most vulnerable women and children in the western African country, nestled between Nigeria and Togo. The foundation will work under the umbrella of six core values: solidarity, the family, respect for differences, integrity, humility and efficiency. The Claudine Talon Foundation will take a holistic approach to improving health and social outcomes for women and children in Benin. It will focus on expanding maternal and paediatric health services, improving general hygiene and sanitation, increasing access to quality drinking water, improving standards of nutrition and raising literacy rates through a wider access to education. Activities will include increasing access to HIV testing in paediatric health centres and supporting organizations caring for orphans. It will also focus on ending discrimination for people living with and affected by HIV.

• Tope Imasekha: She is a humanitarian, she is the founder of Women Impacting Nigeria Organisation (WIN). Founded in 2015, WIN was motivated by the significant gender gaps in education, living conditions, economic empowerment and political participation that exists in Nigeria. Discriminatory laws and practices, violence against women and gender stereotypes hinder greater progress towards gender equality and thus socio economic development in our country. Tope is also the CEO of The Zen Lifestyle (ZEN). A wellness brand rooted across the pillars of Love, Health, Fitness and Nutrition. Launched in 2012, on the premise that love is the foundation of life and that the mind/body/spirit/soul is inextricably linked. With the belief that we have more control over how we express our health than we currently understand, ZEN offers a holistic approach to living healthily in Nigeria.
  Further to this Tope has vast knowledge and experience in Corporate Finance, Investment Advisory, Mergers &Acquisitions and Private Equity, having spent several years in Finance working in both the Nigerian Agriculture sector and the Nigerian Oil & Gas sector.

• Titilola Vivor Adeniyi: She is the coordinator of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team. They help to provide sensitive services; to victims of domestic and sexual violence; while promoting healthy relationships as we strive to enhance our coordinated community response to domestic and sexual violence in Lagos State and indeed in Nigeria.

• Nkemdilim Begho: She is the founder and Managing Di­rector of Future Software Resources Limited, an IT solutions provider focused on online solutions, e-learning and IT security. As one of a few Nigerian women in the industry, her success is founded on a passion for driving innovative thinking, building a globally recognized technology brand and setting trends in the Nigerian Technology space. 

• Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde: She is a Nigerian Actress, Singer, Philanthropist and former Model. Since her Nollywood film debut in 1995; the leading actress has appeared in 300 films, selling millions of video copies. After receiving numerous high-profile awards, launching a music career, and amassing an enviable fan base, the press has revered the Screen Nation “Best Actress” as the “African Magic”. She is the first African celebrity to receive over 1 million likes on her Facebook page.She currently has a total of 3 million followers on Facebook. Beyond her show business accomplishments, she is also applauded for her remarkable humanitarian efforts. Omotola is one of the pioneers of the Video Film Era of Nigerian Cinema, becoming the most watched actress in Africa. In the year (2013), she was honoured in Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world alongside Michelle Obama, Beyoncé and Kate Middleton.

• Blondie Okpuzor: Blondie Okpuzor is the CEO and Founder of Africa’s leading skincare, bath and body company, BathKandy Co. She graduated with a B.Sc. in Business Management and Sociology from StonyBrook University, New York. BathKandy Co. is an environmentally friendly, skin loving, beauty preserving, artisan bath and body company. They create sumptuous dessert – inspired beauty treats, utilizing unconventional raw materials such as garri and chocolate, infused into beauty and skincare products.In addition to running BathKandy Co., a social enterprise which focuses on environmental sustainability practices, she also works as a consultant with a specific passion for bringing small ideas to the life, she has worked with companies such as Ciuci Consulting, Petroli Energy, Burrito Xpress, Bubble Tii, LaSerene Hospitality,  Three82 Solutions and Luxe Beauty Lounge, to name a few.

• Aminetou Mint El Moctar: She is President of a non-governmental organisation called the Association of Women Supporting Families (Association des Femmes Chefs de Familles- AFCF) which advocates for Mauritanian women’s equality, empowerment and their access to decision making bodies. In Mauritania we are struggling against child marriage which is widespread and is a violation of the rights of girls and young women in our society. Although the Family Code states that people must be at least 18 years old before they marry, the law is not enforced to protect the poorest and least educated. Slavery is also a widespread and abhorrent practice in my country. My organisation works with and advocates for the rights of women slaves and their children. We are vocal in denouncing slavery and calling for people involved in perpetuating it to be brought to justice.

• Coumba Dieng: She is the founder of Amenons Nos Filles a l’ecole(ANFE) .ANFE started out as a simple idea that enabled five girls to go to school. Coumba and her husband, as well as three friends, each sponsored a girl. Since then, the project has grown to sponsor 92 girls for the 2008-2009 school year.Early on, Coumba realized that it was no possible to help the girls without helping the mothers. ANFE took on a secondary program that forms microcredit group with the mothers. The more a girl or woman is educated, the more choices she has in her life. In 1996 I decided to bring girls to school but the big problem is that the public school in my country is really bad and for many parents it is better to keep the kids at home. There are approximately 100-200 children in each classroom and they need to do rotation two times per day to give other children the classroom. I decided if I’m to help, I want to take as many girls as possible out of this discouraging public school system. For the beginning of my project, I brought five girls to private school. I paid for one, my husband another, and three friends paid for the others girls. This was the beginning of Bringing Our Girls to School.“

• Isatou Touray: Executive Director of the Gambian Committee on Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Girls (GAMCOTRAP), a women’s rights organisation that I co-founded in 1992 to promote sexual and reproductive health and rights, and work to eliminate Female Genital Mutilation. The Gambia Committee on Traditional Practices (GAMCOTRAP) is an organisation committed to the promotion and protection of women and girls’ political, social, sexual, reproductive health and educational rights.

• Una Kumba Thompson: She is the Chief Executive Officer of an organisation called Women of Liberia Peace Network (WOLPNET). My work with WOLPNET began in 2006 upon leaving an appointed assignment as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Administration. My desire to contribute to the development of women in a socio-economic and political context at a community level propelled me to commit my efforts and skills to building a strong women-based institution through which women’s rights, issues and concerns can be addressed. Many things are easier said than done, but conviction in a cause has made it possible for me to walk the talk. I motivate and help women daily to follow their true feelings.

• Mariam Tendou Kamara: She is the co-founder of a non-governmental organisation called WAFRICA which aims to improve the social, economic and professional status of women and girls, particularly those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. I returned to live in Conakry in 2006 and have put my energies towards mobilising women and young people to dialogue around issues affecting their lives, and to building an effective response to HIV/AIDS. One of the initiatives I pioneered was a social dialogue platform which enables around 150 people to meet and discuss an issue of importance to them. These platforms are being broadcast on national television and radio and are contributing to national debates on equality and on development. They also give space for women and young people to claim their voice and express their opinions and ideas to a national audience. I am also involved in the government-led response to HIV/AIDS as a member of the Country Coordinating Mechanism for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. In 2008 I was appointed to the Cabinet of the Minister of Youth Employment as a national advisor.

• Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah: She is a  Programme Officer for Fundraising and Communications with the African Women’s Development Fund in Ghana allows me to marry my passions, beliefs and skills. I believe that all women have the right to a joyful, fulfilling and rewarding existence free from the socio-cultural limitations often placed upon women. My job allows me to work towards the realisation of this vision for all African women.

• Grace Idaehor Osakue: She is the co-founder of Girls’ Power Initiative (GPI) Nigeria a feminist, youth development organisation whose activities I co-ordinate in Edo State; Country Co-ordinator of the International Reproductive Rights Research Action Group (IRRRAG) in Nigeria; Principal of Itohan Girls Grammar School – an all girls Senior High School in Benin City, and the Secretary of Ikpoba Okha Local Government Chapter of the All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary schools (ANCOPSS).

• Yasmin Belo-Osagie: She is the She Leads Africa co-founder who has made a name for herself with the popular platform, which seeks to advise and inspire African women on entrepreneurship and opportunities. The community is comprised of women on the African continent and in the diaspora, who connect online or congregate at the #SheHive events all over the world. The Princeton University alum teamed up with Afua Osei to create a place where smart, ambitious women could learn from each other and grow. Since She Leads Africa came into existence, Microsoft tapped Osagie to star in an ad, in which she explains how technology helps SLA serve women all over the continent. Osagie is a high-achieving entrepreneur who is studying for a Law degree at Harvard University, which she will complete in 2020. The U.S born leader is empowering African women to think big with their businesses, and support each other on the way to the top.

• Bukky Karibi-Whyte: Bukky Karibi-Whyte is a Communications & Special Events Expert, Public Speaker and an Entrepreneurial Coach. In 2007 she founded the Bobby Taylor Company, a boutique Communications Agency that has evolved to become Robert Taylor Media. She is also the brain behind nightlife and destinations tech start-up “Crawl” (www.mycrawlapp.com) soon to be launched to the Nigerian Market Q4 2019. For well over a decade, Bukky has consulted for both local and global organizations and personalities; conveying relatable and unique brand stories to targeted audiences, communities and stakeholders. Her agency, Robert Taylor Media has built a strong reputation specializing in Public Relations, Media Relations, Project Management, Advisory, Brands Strategy, Competitive Analysis and Special Events Management. Bukky has a passion for telling positive African stories through her works and believes that positive story-telling, via innovative channels, can significantly redefine the African narrative

• Sindi Medar-Gould: She works with Baobab for Women’s Human Rights, a non-profit, non-governmental and non-religious women’s human rights organisation that is committed to the promotion and protection of women’s human rights under the three parallel systems of law in Nigeria, namely customary, statutory and religious laws. The organisation that I work for is structured on feminist principles and aims to give women opportunities to be empowered. I have also been an active member of the network of Women Living Under Muslim Laws for several years.

• Djingarey Maiga: She serves as the Director of a Malian organisation Femmes et Droits Humains (Women and Human Rights). My organisation seeks to defend women’s rights, and takes a holistic approach to tackling sexual and reproductive health, political participation, economic rights and the right to education. She continue to collaborate with fellow activists internationally through networks including Women Living under Muslim Laws, Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Heath and Rights and the Africa Democracy Forum. I also oversaw the participation and planning of Malian civil society in the Community of Democracies process hosted by Mali. This is an international effort to strengthen democratic norms and values worldwide.

• Tosin Durotoye: Tosin Durotoye is a consultant strategist and the Founder of the Bloom Africa – an initiative that curates engagements and safe spaces for ambitious African women to connect, speak, learn and grow. Most recently, Tosin served as the Director of GreenHouse Lab where she established the first female-focused tech accelerator program in Nigeria and the only “Powered by Google” accelerator program in Africa. Prior to joining GreenHouse Lab, Tosin worked as the Director of Strategic Partnerships at an edutech company based in Boston, USA.  Tosin has more than 14 years of experience in both the public and private sectors. She served for 8 years as a Manager at NeighborWorks America – an NGO founded by the United States Congress. In this role, she managed training programs and special projects for 250 NeighborWorks’ network organizations and managed grants totaling over $10M.

• Asma’u Joda: She is the founder of the Centre for Women and Adolescent Empowerment, an organisation that works with the community to empower women and adolescents to take responsibility for their own rights, and know their rights and responsibilities both as citizens and as women and men. Our previous work has included stopping child marriages, securing divorce for women in abusive or unhappy marriages and getting legal redress for girls who have been raped. She is also a member of the Nigerian Feminist Forum.

• Leymah Roberta Gbowee: She is the Executive Director of Women Peace and Security Network Africa. She lead a team of highly competent women to promote women’s participation in peace and security governance in Africa. This entails training rural women in community peacebuilding processes (one of my true passions), and organising and mobilising non-violent peace advocacy campaigns. I also spend part of my time lobbying policy makers for implementation of the many instruments on women’s involvement in peace and security processes, specifically UN Security Council Resolutions 1325 and 1820. I initially did not like lobbying as it seemed too focused on talk, with little or no action. However I realised that decision makers at this level have only a bird’s eye view of what is happening.

• Peace Hyde: She is a British Ghanaian TV personality, social activist and media entrepreneur. She is the founder of Aim Higher Africa, a not for profit improving education by using ICT. She is also the Forbes West Africa Correspondent. In 2017, she was appointed the head of digital media and partnerships for Forbes Africa.  Hyde is also the founder of education non-profit Aim Higher Africa, which has a focus on empowering unemployed youth in Africa to transform their passion into business. She is also a journalist whose work has appeared in Black Enterprise, Huffington Post, Ebony and Fox News. She was included in the United Nations’ Most Influential People of African Descent list for 2017.

• Joy Ngozi Ezeilo: She serves as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Trafficking (2008 to 2011) and I also teach law at the University of Nigeria, where over a decade ago I pioneered the teaching of “women’s law”. As an activist, I have been involved in social movements for a long time. Through a feminist organisation known as Women Aid Collective (WACOL) I have championed the cause of gender equality and women’s empowerment, and worked to build the next generation of transformational feminist leaders. WACOL prides itself as a gender conscious organisation and is today a citadel for feminist learning and civic engagements for change.

• Orode Uduaghan: She is the founder of Pink Pearl Foundation. Pink Pearl Foundation was set up in 2007 to empower women to fight against cervical and breast cancers. It has carried out advocacy activities across the country and reached out to about 3,800 women on a yearly basis in the last five years.

• Mo Abudu: Mo Abudu with the full name Mosunmola Abudu is a Nigerian media personality, entrepreneur, philanthropist and former human resources management consultant. Mo Abudu is the CEO of EbonyLife TV and known for her talk show “Moments with Mo”.According to Forbes, she is the first African woman to own a Pan-African TV Channel. Mo Abudu is often referred to as the Oprah Winfrey of Africa and was also named as “One of the 25 most Powerful Women in Global TV” by the Hollywood Reporter.

• Olajumoke Adenowo: Olajumoke Adenowo is a prominent Architect and Philanthropist who when profiled by CNN was referred to as “Africa’s Starchitect”. She is also known as an author, broadcaster and public speaker. Olajumoke is a Jury member of the Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards. She has presented at the Global Women’s Forum, Harvard Business School and Solve at MIT.She is a Director at Vocational Training and Professional Development Academy (VPDA), Director at Hamilton Prep School  ,  Director at Bristish School of Lome and Director at Fountain Holdings Limited.

• Adenike Ogunlesi: Adenike Ogunlesi is a Nigerian fashion entrepreneur, a leading designer, manufacturer and retailer of designer children’s clothing. She is a force to reckon with in children’s fashion industry in west Africa. Adenike Ogunlesi is the proud founder and creative director of Ruff ‘n’ Tumble, one of the best manufacturers of children’s clothing in Nigeria. Nike is one of those entrepreneurs whose success story brings hope and encouragement to young Nigerians and Africa as a whole.

• Bilikiss Adebiyi: Bilikiss Adebiyi is an inspiring Nigerian social entrepreneur and founder of WeCyclers. Her company offers waste collection and recycling services to the Lagos informal settlements, where an estimated 66% of Lagosians live. As a part of the process, residents are offered an incentive for collecting their household waste which is picked up for free by Wecyclers using specially adapted bicycles. To create incentives among low-income households to participate, rewards are given to them for every kilogram recycled, via points sent by SMS. These points are then redeemable against goods they value, such as cell phone minutes or basic food items. The rewards have been funded in partnership with big brands such as Coca Cola and GlaxoSmithKline.

• Kofo Akinkugbe: Kofo Akinkugbe is recognised globally for her entrepreneurial success story and strong business track record. She is founder & CEO of SecureID Nigeria Ltd a market leader in smart card technology and digital security. SecureID is a world-class manufacturing facility with the only smart card production plant in West Africa and one of only six on the continent. This company serves 16 countries across Africa and is fully certified by VISA, Verve and MasterCard. In 2012, Kofo won the Africa Awards for Entrepreneurship Mature Business Award.Kofo is one of Africa’s thought leaders in the subjects of entrepreneurship and innovation in the technology sector. 

• Nkem Okocha: Nkem Okocha is the founder of Mamamoni a social enterprise that empowers poor rural and urban slum women with free vocational/financial skills and micro-loans.She is very passionate about lifting women out of poverty and her company aims to break the cycle of poverty in Nigeria. Since 2013, she has impacted and empowered over 4000 women in several rural/urban slum communities and given out over 100 micro-loans. Nkem Okocha is a Tony Elumelu foundation Entrepreneurship Programme Alumna, a Young African Leaders Initiative Alumna and LEAP Africa 2016 Social Innovator.

• Josephine Marie Godwyll: She is the Founder of Young at Heart Ghana. Young at Heart Ghana has over the past 3 years championed the use of digital platforms in creating exciting learning experiences for Ghanaian children. We have reached out to over 5000 children since 2013 through ICT outreaches, Digital Learning Clubs, Running ICT learning Hubs, Fairs and e-learning platforms. Our core mandate has been to empower children in our program with practical digital literacy skills and encourage the use of these skills to explore learning other subjects. “Ananse the Teacher” is the latest addition to our program. It is an all-inclusive practical science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (S.T.E.A.M) app, running on android phones and web platforms. The app mszakes use of local content, through Ananse Stories, to encourage practical and fun activities built on (S.T.E.A.M) lessons. This allows children to easily relate to the lessons they are taught in school, as they are guided to conduct practical activities with items they see around them every day. 

• Ndidi Nwuneli: She is a Co-Founder of Sahel Consulting and serves as its managing partner. She has 23 years of experience in international development, and through her work with Sahel has shaped agriculture strategy and policy in West Africa for a range of clients in the public, private and nonprofit sectors.She is also the co-founder of AACE Foods, a social enterprise which processes nutritious food made from the best of West Africa’s cereals, herbs, pulses and spices. She is the founder of LEAP Africa, which works across Africa inspiring, empowering and equipping the next generation of dynamic, principled and innovative young leaders. 

• Juliet Ehimuan: Juliet Ehimuan is the Google Country Manager in Nigeria. Under her leadership, Google Nigeria has launched a series of innovative products and services  aimed at building the online ecosystem in Nigeria through a three-pronged strategy – (1) driving initiatives around Internet access to make the internet more available and affordable to the Nigerian user, (2) facilitating local content development, and (3) building capacity. “One of our key focus areas has been local content creation because the Internet would be more useful for people, if they can find locally relevant information. To this end we have deployed a number of products and programs to support the creation of local content.

• Morenike Olaosebikan: She is the founder of the Ribbon Rouge. he Ribbon Rouge Foundation is an organization that raises funds to get to zero HIV locally and internationally, by supporting local emerging talents in the arts, fashion and music. We wield the intrinsic power of the arts to change perceptions, stir social conscience, educate the public and create positive change globally. We achieve this by holding events that support local Edmonton talent in fine arts, music, and fashion. Ribbon Rouge is now in its eleventh year and has served as a platform for over 260 artists while raising and donating over $46 000 for HIV relief to HIV Edmonton, The Stephen Lewis Foundation and the Joint United Nations AIDS program. Today, the foundation exists to frame and surface structural determinants of health inequities which contribute to the spread of HIV for public engagement on these issues. We exist to sustain/ help sustain/ contribute to a public conversation by providing pathways for solutions for addressing underlying social justice problems which currently contribute to the spread of HIV such as: gender based violence, health inequity, racism, and poverty.

• Serah Makka Ugbabe: Serah is a development professional who is passionate about social equity and justice. She is currently the Nigeria Country Director for ONE Campaign. Serah began her career with the Fate Foundation USA, supporting the first Nigerian non-profit organization focused on entrepreneurship training to create employment. In 2006, Serah’s passion for social justice and girls’ empowerment led her to an assignment to teach girls English in Kabul, Afghanistan. Upon returning to Nigeria, Serah worked at the Tony Elumelu Foundation providing technical support to the Office of the Presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. She was nominated by the Young People in International Affairs as one of the top 35 Under 35 Young African Leaders in International Affairs.

• Abosede George-Ogan: She is the Founder of Women in Politics- a platform that engages, encourages, equips and empowers women in Nigeria to get involved and participate in Politics. She’s also the author of ‘Building a conscious Career’- a book that equips career enthusiasts with necessary knowledge and resources to build a career that not only excites and rewards, but also positively affects the lives of others. She is a tri-sector leader with over 14 years’ experience working across the non-profit, private and public sectors as a development professional. She began a career in development over a decade ago with Actionaid International Nigeria.

• Adesua Dozie: She is General Counsel of GE Africa. As General Counsel, Adesua has advised on over $10 billion of transactions across the continent, in turn facilitating regional growth, strengthening corporate governance and compliance cultures across diverse business communities, and serving as a guardian of the complex dynamics between purpose, profit and risk.Adesua is a passionate advocate for empowering diverse talent, and is proud to act as Co-Chair of the GE Women’s Network in Africa.

• Anita Kouassigan: As Founder of Investing In Women’s social impact initiative (powered by live media events), Anita seeks to empower women with greater economic opportunities so that they can help build economically secure and healthier communities. She aims to achieve this through partnerships and collaborations with organisations pushing for the economic, social and political empowerment of women. Anita is also the Founder of Minerva Recruitment and co-Founder of Time Out Nigeria, where she served as Managing Editor.

• Ariyike Akinbobola: She is the Founder of the Ariyike Arise Initiative, she is a television presenter, talk show host, model, blogger, author, trained lawyer and occasional actress. Her book: The Cost of Our Lives has garnered wide readership and endorsement from Authors, Bloggers and Social Entrepreneurs in Nigeria. Ariyike has advocated for several social causes in the past years including ‘Female Genital Mutilation Campaign’ and ‘Stand to End Rape Campaign’ an offshoot of the Stand to End Rape Foundation. She uses her social media platforms to actively call out social ills whilst giving visibility to youth cutting their teeth in entertainment industry.

• Betty Abah: She is a Nigerian journalist, author and a women and children’s rights activist. She is the founder and Executive Director of the Centre for Children’s Health Education, Orientation and Protection (CEE HOPE), a girl-child rights and development non-profit organization that engages with and fights for the rights and welfare of the most vulnerable of Nigerian children. Through CEE HOPE, Betty runs the Girl Leadership and Empowerment Club in urban slums and rural areas, The Rise-Against-Rape-and-Abuse (RARA) school outreach and advocacy programme, The Harbingers of Hope Scholarship Scheme for indigent kids in rural areas and urban slums and a host of other child-centered initiatives. Betty has a first degree and a master’s degree in Literature in English from the University of Calabar and the University of Lagos respectively. She has also authored five books, including two collections of poems (Sounds of Broken Chains, Go Tell Our King) and a biography (Mother of Multitudes).

• Chinyere Anokwuru: She is an empowerment Specialist,  a poverty alleviation expert, a  grassroots reformer and a multi- award winning advocate for the economic empowerment of women. 
  She is the founder of Selfworth Organization For Women Development,  a grassroots non profit organisation that works to eliminate the lowest form of poverty by creating employment opportunities in the fashion space ‘one stitch at a time” for low income women particularly widows.
  The organisation is focused on empowering low income women by providing free professional training in fashion and design as well as access to business support tools to help them set up businesses even from the comfort of their homes, thereby helping them break free from generational cycles of poverty and becoming financially and socially independent. 
  Her organisation invests in local women to help them acquire life skills and start up small businesses to help ease the conflict between work and family responsibilities – one of the many reasons for women’s economic inequality and domestic violence.She believes that in order to end extreme poverty, domestic violence in homes and extreme violence across the country, local economic development activities must be strengthened by encouraging economic activities at the local level which can be achieved by empowering those at the bottom of the pyramid particularly low income women with vocational trade skills and tool kits that is necessary for their economic survival.

• Folashade Bamisaye: She is the Founder- My Period Kit, is a social entrepreneur who is passionate about menstrual hygiene for girls and women of reproductive age. She has close to a decades’ experience improving psycho-social well-being of girls and women at the grassroots. She is also the founder of Young Women Arise- an organization that equips girls and women with knowledge on self-worth and esteem. Folashade believes women should be empowered to make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health.

• Samira Bamuwia: She is the founder and CEO of the Samira Empowerment and Humanitarian Projects (SEHP), described as a not-for-profit organization established with the purpose of empowering the underprivileged in Ghana through diverse social intervention projects to improve lives.

• Glory Osei:  She is the founder of Femfunds- a growing organization with a goal of providing women in Nigeria with interest free loans and free skill acquisition. She is also the CEO and Co-founder of Divergent Enterprise, Land Lagos and PorkMoney.com. Glory is also a travel blogger who chronicles her travel escapades formerly under the name Nigerian Abroad on her social media page.

• Onyedikachi Ekwerike: She is the founder of Postpartum Support Network – a Non-profit organizations set up to raise awareness about perinatal mood and anxiety disorders among mothers in Africa. The organization has educated thousands of mothers and has consistently helped mothers get professional help to overcome postpartum depression.

• Aminata Kane: She is the CEO of Orange Sierra Leone. Perfectly bilingual, Aminata was previously the head of Orange Mobile Money division in Senegal. She earned her MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management and she is an MIT Legatum Fellow.  In Sierra Leone, she will have to put her experiential capital to work to build up Orange’s operations in this new country. Orange Sierra Leone was launched in October 2017 following the acquisition of Airtel by Orange Group. Since the acquisition in July 2016, the group has invested more than 30 million euros in infrastructure upgrades.

• Wadi Ben-Hirki: She is the Founder, Wadi Ben-Hirki Foundation started her foundation at the age of 17, to help disadvantaged kids in northern Nigeria and impact the lives of the less privileged, marginalized and disadvantaged through humanitarianism and activism. Mostly focused in Northern Nigeria, due to the high rates of insurgency, illiteracy and poverty rates in that part of the country she has continued despite challenges such as insufficient funds and inaccessibility of some victims, to reach out to women in these groups.

• Christine Sesay: Christine is the founder and CEO of Africa’s Moneyprenuer, a financial education platform created to help make discussing money and finances easy and fun. With a background in accounting, Christine Sesay has always done some accounting —even when she wasn’t working in the field. Her professional interests have taken her across the African continent, Christine has lived in Niger among other countries. However, her career isn’t limited to finances, Christine also works with Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Health and Sanitation, an opportunity that arose during the Ebola epidemic in 2014

• Abisoye Ajayi-Akinfolarin: She is a Nigerian Women and Girls Advocate Social Entrepreneur. She is the founder of Pearls Africa Youth Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organization aimed at educating young girls in under-served areas in Nigeria with technology skills. On November 1, 2018, Ajayi-Akinfolarin was named one of ten CNN Heroes of the year. Later that month she was listed as one of BBC’s 100 Women.