WIMBIZ Conference Addresses Barriers for Women Entrepreneurs

At the 25th annual conference of Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ) held on 5 and 6 November 2026 in Lagos, speakers addressed the systemic barriers faced by African women entrepreneurs in scaling their businesses. During a session titled ‘Where Is Africa’s Female-Led Unicorn, and Why Haven’t We Built It?’, participants highlighted gaps in business support systems, access to capital, collaboration, and enterprise development as significant constraints.

Tokunboh Ishmael, Managing Partner of Alitheia Capital, noted that the issue is not the lack of successful women entrepreneurs but the absence of necessary systems for scaling. Olalekan Olude, Group Chief Executive Officer of Cray, emphasized the importance of collaboration.

Tony Elumelu, Chairman of Heirs Holdings, called for increased investment in African businesses and improved access to capital for women entrepreneurs. Aliko Dangote, President and Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Limited, stressed the need for Africa to capture more value from its resources.

The conference also explored investment opportunities in the green and creative economies.