Championing Female Entrepreneurs Across Sub-Saharan Africa
The Womenpreneur Initiative, a global organization dedicated to empowering women in technology and entrepreneurship, has held a panel discussion under its Womenpreneur Tour, themed “Empowering Female Entrepreneurs in Agritech and Fintech in Sub-Saharan Africa.”
The event, which took place on Thursday, October 31, 2024, at ALX Tech Hub in East Legon, Accra, gathered leading voices to discuss and foster women’s entrepreneurial participation in Ghana’s agritech and fintech sectors.
The panel, moderated by Nina Neiss, explored the role of institutions in driving women’s success in these sectors. Industry experts and entrepreneurs shared insights, advice, and personal journeys to inspire attendees.
Distinguished speakers included Audrey Abakah, Director of SME, Agency Banking, and Partnerships at Absa Ghana; Mary Aboagye, co-founder of aiScarecrow Technologies, an agritech startup specializing in crop protection; Nana Yaa Amarteifio, COO of Djembe Consultants; and Stephen Adomako, Entrepreneurship Development Manager at Sand Technologies, among others.
During the discussion, Audrey Abakah highlighted that “traditional barriers, such as collateral requirements for business loans, are being addressed by financial institutions, enabling more small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to access loans without collateral.”
In an interview with ABC News GH, Sana Afouaiz, Founder of the Womenpreneur Initiative, emphasized the need for initiatives like the Womenpreneur Tour, especially given the funding challenges faced by women entrepreneurs.
“Our organization operates in more than 23 countries, supporting over 20,000 women in technology and entrepreneurship. We’re here in Ghana to celebrate local startup successes and strengthen the ecosystem supporting women-led ventures in fintech and agritech.”
The Womenpreneur Tour in Ghana was organized in collaboration with the Entrepreneurship Academy, managed by Finance in Motion, and supported by Kosmo Innovation Centre, Djembe Consultants, Sand Technologies, The FutureList, and ALX Ventures.
By Ruth Sekyi, Derrick kumi Kissiedu, Henry Ayisi
