KEY POINTS

• She Wins Africa to expand from 100 to 1,000.
• She Wins Africa cohort raised over $4 million.
• She Wins Africa uses grants to crowd in capital.

The International Finance Corporation and the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative are expanding She Wins Africa, a program designed to help women entrepreneurs raise capital and build investment-ready businesses across sub-Saharan Africa.

After piloting the initiative with 100 participants, the partners said they plan to scale She Wins Africa to reach 1,000 women-led enterprises in its next phase. The announcement followed a year-long program that combined training, mentorship and investor engagement, culminating in a closing event in Lagos.

Organizers cited early fundraising outcomes as evidence the model can be replicated at a larger scale.

She Wins Africa delivers early capital gains

According to the partners, participants in the inaugural cohort mobilized more than $4 million in financing, with 17 women-led businesses securing external investment. The results exceeded initial targets and reinforced the case for expansion.

She Wins Africa blends structured training with hands-on technical assistance aimed at strengthening operations and improving fundraising readiness. Over the past year, the program delivered 123 hours of targeted support and provided tailored advisory services to 22 startups beyond standard classroom sessions.

The initiative also facilitated 275 investor connections across regional and international markets and engaged 100 mentors from across the continent. Organizers said that structured support helped founders refine business models, strengthen governance and present clearer investment propositions.

A catalytic funding component provided about $100,000 in grants, which helped mobilize nearly $400,000 in follow-on investment from partners including Octerra Capital, IMEX, Sahel Capital, Nubia Capital and Convergence Advisory.

She Wins Africa targets broader reach

Program leaders said the grants were used to expand production capacity, upgrade infrastructure and hire staff, helping to reduce perceived risk for private investors while allowing businesses to scale.

Furthermore, Marieme Niang Camara, IFC’s regional gender lead for Africa, said the next phase will segment support across startup, growth and scale-up stages, with access to capital provided through funds and IFC-backed financial institutions.

Dr Ubon Udoh, managing director of ASR Africa, also said the expanded rollout will extend the initiative beyond the 23 countries represented in the first phase. He added that lessons from the pilot would inform implementation as the program grows.

According to Billionaires Africa, the partners described the expansion as the first of four projects planned under the She Wins Africa platform, with a focus on building a stronger pipeline of women-led enterprises positioned to contribute to inclusive growth across Africa.