IFC, ASR Africa Scale She Wins Africa to Empower 1,000 Women Entrepreneurs
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, and the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa) have announced the expansion of the She Wins Africa program, increasing its reach from 100 to 1,000 women entrepreneurs across Sub-Saharan Africa.
The announcement was made at the closing ceremony of the inaugural cohort in Lagos, where organisers highlighted strong early results, including the mobilisation of more than $4 million in financing by participating women-led startups.
Over the past year, She Wins Africa supported women-led small and growing businesses across multiple African markets, delivering measurable outcomes in business growth, investment readiness, and access to finance. IFC’s Senior Operations Officer and Regional Gender Hub Lead for Africa, Marieme Niang Camara, said the pilot proved the program’s transformative potential.
“When we started with 100 women entrepreneurs, it was a successful pilot, but we realised that 100 is just the beginning for a region like Africa. Now we’re moving from 100 to 1,000, and we’re doing it strategically through segmentation, from startups to growth-stage and scale-up companies,” she said.
The first cohort exceeded expectations, with 17 women-led enterprises securing external financing. The program delivered 123 hours of targeted technical support, facilitated 275 investor connections, and mobilised 100 mentors across Africa.
Tailored advisory services and catalytic funding helped startups strengthen operations, expand production, and attract private capital. ASR Africa’s Managing Director, Dr Ubon Udoh, described the initiative as one of the most impactful programs on the continent. “We’re scaling up from the first phase of 100 women from 23 countries to 1,000 women across Africa. This expansion will create a more sustainable impact and extend the program’s geographical reach,” he said.
Through an initial catalytic grant of $100,000, She Wins Africa mobilised nearly $400,000 in follow-on investment, working with partners such as Octerra Capital, IMEX, Sahel Capital, Nubia Capital, and Convergence Advisory. The expanded phase marks the first of four projects envisioned under the She Wins Africa umbrella.
IFC and ASR Africa say the next stage will prioritise scale-ready ventures while continuing to support early-stage businesses, building a stronger pipeline of women-led enterprises positioned to drive inclusive economic growth across Africa.
With the scale-up, She Wins Africa is set to deepen regional reach, strengthen investment pipelines, and accelerate access to finance and technical expertise for female founders, reinforcing its role as a catalyst for women’s entrepreneurship across the continent.
