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African Business Stories A podcast - Interviews and conversations with resilient business leaders who against all odds stay winning.

We did it!Presenting the inaugural cohort of the ABS Scale Ready Bootcamp!What started as a question — How do we close t...
19/11/2025

We did it!
Presenting the inaugural cohort of the ABS Scale Ready Bootcamp!

What started as a question — How do we close the funding gap for female-led businesses in Africa and support their scale? — has now moved from conversation to action.

Over the years, we’ve convened leaders across global platforms, spotlighting the barriers and the opportunities for women-led enterprises. Drawing directly from those insights, we built something practical and powerful: the ABS Scale Ready Bootcamp, a capacity-building program designed for growth-stage female founders ready to scale across regions.

This is a continent-wide initiative, and Lagos is only the beginning. Our mission is clear: to build a strong, visible pipeline of fundable women for financiers across Africa and the diaspora.

A heartfelt thank you to our strategic partners Microsoft, Shecluded, LSETF, Afreximbank, AfCFTA, and DSN Nigeria — for helping bring this vision to life.

To women founders across the continent: visit our website and complete the interest form. We’re coming to a city near you soon.

Here are the highlights from our inaugural bootcamp in Lagos, Nigeria.
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On November 7, we brought together leaders from government, finance, tech, and the private sector at Microsoft’s Lagos o...
18/11/2025

On November 7, we brought together leaders from government, finance, tech, and the private sector at Microsoft’s Lagos office for a powerful conversation on how we position women led business for scale in Nigeria and beyond.

From digital transformation to investment readiness and AfCFTA opportunities, the room was charged with insight, clarity, and momentum.

Grateful to Hon. Mrs. Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade & Investment, Lagos State, and Mr. Gbenga Oyebode, MFR, Co-Founder, Aluko & Oyebode, for setting the tone with their remarks. Thank you to all our speakers our sponsor Microsoft and partners US-Nigeria Business Council and So.Me Solutions for their support.

Swipe for highlights.

Meet the incredible facilitators powering the ABS Scale Ready Bootcamp!We’re proud to be guided by a phenomenal lineup o...
06/11/2025

Meet the incredible facilitators powering the ABS Scale Ready Bootcamp!

We’re proud to be guided by a phenomenal lineup of experts driving change across Africa’s business and innovation landscape:
Ifeoma Uddoh – Founder & CEO, Shecluded
Ody Akhanoba – Director, SME Development, Afreximbank
Gemma Mbegabolawe – Principal Officer – Women & Youth in Trade, AfCFTA Secretariat
Chimaoge Esotu – Technical Delivery Lead, Data Science Nigeria (DSN)

These leaders are equipping our inaugural cohort of women entrepreneurs with the knowledge and tools to grow, digitize, and scale their businesses regionally and globally.

A huge thank you to our partners Microsoft, Afreximbank, AfCFTA Secretariat, Shecluded, DSN, and LSETF for making this journey possible.

Meet the Inaugural Cohort!We’re proud to introduce the incredible founders joining the first-ever ABS Scale Ready Bootca...
03/11/2025

Meet the Inaugural Cohort!

We’re proud to introduce the incredible founders joining the first-ever ABS Scale Ready Bootcamp in Lagos.

The 2025 Cohort includes founders from:
🌾 Agriculture & Food
💻 Technology & Finance
🎨 Creative Industries
👗 Fashion & Beauty
🚛 Logistics & Manufacturing

Together, they represent what’s possible when African women lead with purpose, vision, and scale.

Thank you to our partners — Microsoft, Afreximbank, AfCFTA Secretariat, Shecluded, DSN, and LSETF — for making this possible.

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We’re launching something BIG!Introducing the ABS Scale Ready Bootcamp a hands-on workshop designed to equip women entre...
31/10/2025

We’re launching something BIG!

Introducing the ABS Scale Ready Bootcamp a hands-on workshop designed to equip women entrepreneurs with the tools, networks, and strategies to scale their businesses across Africa and beyond.

Through sessions on digital transformation, access to finance, and trade, our inaugural cohort of women founders will build actionable roadmaps to growth — becoming truly Scale Ready.

We’re proud to partner with Microsoft, Afreximbank, the AfCFTA Secretariat, Shecluded, Data Science Nigeria (DSN), and the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) in advancing this mission to close the funding gap and accelerate the growth of women-led businesses across Africa.

Lagos, we’re coming to you!The ABS Roundtable debuts in Lagos on November 7, 2025, as we continue the conversation on Fu...
31/10/2025

Lagos, we’re coming to you!

The ABS Roundtable debuts in Lagos on November 7, 2025, as we continue the conversation on Funding the Gap - Positioning for Scale in Nigeria and Beyond.

Together with investors, policymakers, and female founders, we’ll explore how the right digital trade policies can unlock the next wave of growth for women-led businesses in Africa.

We extend our appreciation to our sponsor, Microsoft and strategic partners, U.S.–Nigeria Business Council and So.Me Solutions for their support in making this edition of the ABS Roundtable Series possible.

One year. Five roundtables. Three cities. Two continents.
The ABS Roundtable Series is bridging the $42B funding gap for...
01/10/2025

One year. Five roundtables. Three cities. Two continents.

The ABS Roundtable Series is bridging the $42B funding gap for women-led businesses in Africa.

Our 2024–2025 Impact Report is here! 📖

Thank you to every speaker, participant, and especially our sponsors who made this journey possible. Together, we’re creating access, catalyzing success, and multiplying female success stories across Africa. 🌍

🔗 Link in bio to read the full report.

At the ABS Roundtable – UNGA Edition, our Founders Panel explored Scaling Female-Led Ventures: Mobilizing Capital and Ne...
29/09/2025

At the ABS Roundtable – UNGA Edition, our Founders Panel explored Scaling Female-Led Ventures: Mobilizing Capital and New Market Access.

From building global brands to breaking into new markets, these trailblazing women showed us what scale really looks like.

Thank you , Founder and Founder, for sharing your stories of growth across multiple continents with us. Thank you Partner, Akin Gump LLP for moderating such an insightful conversation.

What an inspiring week in New York! The ABS Roundtable Series held on the sidelines of UNGA brought together global lead...
25/09/2025

What an inspiring week in New York! The ABS Roundtable Series held on the sidelines of UNGA brought together global leaders, policymakers, financiers, and founders under the theme:
“From Commitment to Capital – Celebrating One Year of Impact.”

In just one year, the Series has convened 5 times across 3 cities and 2 continents — tackling everything from blended finance to diaspora investment. This milestone edition unveiled our one year Impact Report and featured powerful discussions on how to mobilize capital and create pathways for women-led businesses to scale.

A heartfelt thank you to our speakers, sponsors, and community for making this milestone possible. Together, we are creating access and catalyzing success.

🌍✨ 1 Week to Go! ✨🌍The ABS Roundtable Series – UNGA Edition is almost here!
This high level convening will spotlight how...
17/09/2025

🌍✨ 1 Week to Go! ✨🌍
The ABS Roundtable Series – UNGA Edition is almost here!
This high level convening will spotlight how financiers and policymakers are transforming commitment into capital flow and how founders are accessing new markets at scale.

💡 Proud to announce some of our Speakers:

Congresswoman Cherfilus-McCormick - U.S. Representative for Florida’s 20th Congressional District
Hon. Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim – Minister of Women Affairs, Nigeria
Cheryl Buss - CEO, Absa International
Ejike Egbuagu – CEO, Moneda Invest Africa
Ifeoma Uddoh – CEO, Shecluded
Ifedayo Agoro – CEO, Dang! Lifestyle
Lesego Serolong-Holzapfel – CEO, Moedi Wines
Nnedi Ifudu Nweke – Partner, Akin LLP

📅 Tuesday, Sept 23 | 📍 New York City
⏳ Registration closes: Friday, Sept 19
Seats are limited. Don’t wait!

👉 Register now [link in bio]

The ABS Roundtable Series returns to New York on September 23, 2025, for an anniversary edition on the sidelines of the ...
10/09/2025

The ABS Roundtable Series returns to New York on September 23, 2025, for an anniversary edition on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly.

At this milestone edition, we will present our One Year Impact Report, explore what’s working from innovative financing models to national strategies and hear from inspiring African female entrepreneurs scaling businesses across borders.

Be part of the conversation.
*REGISTER* *HERE* - http://bit.ly/4meryPp

While in Angola, we also hosted an intimate breakfast in honor of Her Excellency Dr. Ana Dias Lourenço, First Lady of An...
01/07/2025

While in Angola, we also hosted an intimate breakfast in honor of Her Excellency Dr. Ana Dias Lourenço, First Lady of Angola sponsored by Oriki Group.

We gathered phenomenal women leaders from across Africa and the diaspora to celebrate her lifelong commitment to inclusive development and women’s empowerment.

As an economist and advocate, she shared powerful reflections on investing in people and creating opportunities for women and youth.

A special highlight was presenting the African Business Stories Leadership Award, recognizing leaders driving Africa’s growth. Thank you to Yvonne Ike of Bank of America for presenting this award, and to Joycee Awosika and for sponsoring this gathering.

These quiet moments of connection remind me why ABS exists – to amplify women’s voices and spark collaborations that build the Africa we want to see.

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