Why Africa can’t afford to waste half its talent – Ishioma Imokhai-Bello

African women run 58% of the continent’s businesses, yet struggle to access capital and leadership roles. This isn’t just inequity—it’s an economic disadvantage. Closing gender gaps could add $2.5 trillion to Africa’s GDP.

Ishioma Imokhai-Bello, founder of The Benchmark and the Africa Female CEO Conference, argues that gender inclusion isn’t charity work—it’s smart economics. Here’s what she told us about why Africa needs to get serious about using all its talent.

What would a gender-inclusive African economy actually look like?

Simple: women wouldn’t have to work ten times harder than men to reach the same positions. Right now, we have cultural baggage holding us back. Boys grow up hearing ‘no matter how young a boy is, he’s older than the oldest woman in the room.’ These attitudes poison our workplaces.

In a truly inclusive economy, talent would matter more than gender. Women would get promoted based on performance, not politics.”

How can companies move beyond diversity theatre?

Stop with the photo ops where women sit in the front row but have no real power. Start with actual gender parity in leadership roles.

Send women to leadership programs and networking events like our Africa Female CEO Conference. This matters because women face unique networking challenges. A man can spend three hours after work building relationships. A woman? She’s probably managing responsibilities as a daughter, wife, or mother.

McKinsey research shows women have smaller, less diverse professional networks, especially at senior levels. Companies need to actively fix this gap.

Why are education and digital skills crucial?

Education unlocks potential. Without digital literacy, women in informal sectors stay trapped there, even when they could do more.

Everyone talks about women in STEM, but we’re missing a huge opportunity in the creator economy. Look at successful creators like Maraji and Taoma—they’ve built audiences and income streams using Instagram and YouTube. Many young women want to follow this path, but don’t know how.

We need structured programs teaching digital content creation, not just traditional tech skills. This could open entirely new career paths for African women.

Which sectors could be game-changers for women?

Agriculture is obvious. Women already dominate African farming, but they can’t own land in many societies. Give them actual ownership, plus tractors, training, and export connections—that’s transformative.

Renewable energy is the sleeper hit. Africa has massive power problems. Train women to build solar systems and sustainable energy solutions. They’ll generate income for themselves while solving one of our biggest infrastructure challenges.”

How do we get men involved?

Men need to understand: women aren’t here to steal jobs. We’re here to make things better. Fresh perspectives improve results.

But it starts young. Stop telling boys that girls belong in kitchens. Stop teaching children that women are naturally subordinate. These childhood messages create the workplace barriers we fight later.

Treat women as equal citizens with equal opportunities. It’s really that straightforward.”