FLASHBACK: 5 African women millionaires making economic impact on the continent

In March this year, we brought you a list comprising of African women millionaires making giant economic strides on the continent.

Notable in the list is Ghana's very own Patricia Poku-Diaby who is the Founder and CEO of Plot Enterprises Ghana Limited – a wholly indigenous cocoa processing company.

Read the full story first published by face2faceafrica.com and republished on GhanaWeb.com

Women in Africa are oftentimes wrongly perceived to be incapable of attaining the level of success and achievements of men in different aspects of life. In the political and government cycle, the likes of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf – former Liberian President, and Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-iweala – former World Bank executive and current Director-General of the World Trade Organization, stand out as true representations of the power, wisdom, managerial, and leadership capabilities of the African Woman.

In the corporate and entrepreneurial cycles, women like Folorunsho Alakija of Nigeria and Patricia Poku-Diaby of Ghana stand tall as CEOs with loads of accolades for their business success. African women are now rising and doing great exploits.

A few women (Isabel Dos Santos and Folorunsho Alakija) have conquered the world’s billionaires list, which was dominated by men in the past. Celebrating these achievements, we look at some African women multi-millionaires who are creating wealth and making economic impacts in Africa and beyond the continent.

1. Wendy Appelbaum

Wendy is the wealthiest woman in South Africa, as well as the Founder and Chairperson of De Morgenzon Wine Estate – a wine and agricultural farm in Stellenbosch, South Africa. She is also the Founder of the Appelbaum Foundation, a non-governmental organization focused on addressing the health and education concerns of South African women.

Wendy is a Director, Trustee, and member of numerous organizations in South Africa and beyond, including the Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre (pty) Ltd, the Donald Gordon Foundation, the World Wide Fund for Nature South Africa (WWF-SA), Sphere Holdings (pty) ltd, Western Tourism Trade and Investment (WESGRO), Harvard University’s Women’s Leadership Board, and many more.

She is the daughter of Donald Gordon, the Founder of Liberty Group. Her father’s business successes influenced her to become a successful businesswoman today.

2. Patricia Poku-Diaby

Patricia is the wealthiest woman in Ghana. She is the Founder and CEO of Plot Enterprises Ghana Limited – a wholly indigenous cocoa processing company, specializing in the manufacturing and exportation of natural and alkalized cocoa liquor, natural-cocoa butter, and many other cocoa-related products.

3. Bola Shagaya

She is a Nigerian businesswoman with business interests in fashion, oil and gas, banking, real estate, and photography. Bola Shagaya is the Founder and CEO of Bolmus Group and a patron of the Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria (FADAN).

She started her business career in 1983, with the importation and distribution of the Konica brand of photographic materials and other brands of photographic materials in the West African Market. She has investments in the financial, real estate, and fashion industries.

4. Bridgette Radebe

The South African multi-millionaire businesswoman is the Founder and Executive Chairperson of Mmakau Mining. She began her career in the 1980s as a common miner operating individual shaft mines and producing materials for the well-established large-capacity miners in South Africa. Her years of experience in mining operations led to the formation of her company – Mmakau Mining.

She is the Founder and BOT Member of the New Africa Mining Fund, as well as the Founder and President of the South African Mining Development Association. Bridgette is the Sister of the South African Billionaire, Patrice Motsepe, and South Africa’s First Lady, Tshepo Motsepe Ramaphosa, making her the Sister-In-Law to the President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa.

5. Folorunsho Alakija

She is a multi-millionaire businesswoman, philanthropist, and dynamic entrepreneur. Folorunsho is currently the richest woman in Nigeria, and was once a billionaire and the wealthiest woman in Africa. She is the Co-founder and Executive-Vice Chairman of Famfa Oil, a true-family business in Nigeria and one of the largest wholly indigenous exporters of crude oil. She founded the company together with her husband, Modupe Alakija. Folorunsho’s business interests span the fashion, oil and gas, real estate, and printing industries.

Also Known as Apostle Folorunsho Alakija, she is the National President and Lifetime Trustee of the Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria (FADAN). She is also the Founder of Digital reality Print Ltd (formerly ‘Rose of Sharon Prints & Promotion), a printing company specializing in monogramming, heat/picture transfer, screen printing, highly technical digital large format printing, and direct imaging format printing.

She is the Group Managing Director of the Rose of Sharon Group. Aside from business, she is the author of several inspirational and life-changing books. Folorunsho is also a Christian Minister and the Founder of Rose of Sharon Glorious Ministry, a faith-based Christian organization.