She Wins Africa Closes First Phase in Lagos, Expands Reach to 1,000 Women Entrepreneurs

She Wins Africa on Thursday wrapped up its first phase with plans to now scale from 100 to 1,000 women entrepreneurs across sub-Saharan Africa.

The closing event, held on February 5, 2026, at the Lagos Continental Hotel, Victoria Island, marked the end of a year-long pilot that supported 100 women-led businesses from 23 countries. 

Backed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the World Bank, in partnership with ASR Africa, women-led businesses in the first cohort mobilised more than $4 million in financing. 

Seventeen startups secured external funding, exceeding the original target set at the start of the program.

Founders from different stages, including early-stage startups and more established companies, participated in the first cohort.

Support focused on technical training, business coaching, mentorship and direct introductions to investors, with founders receiving over 120 hours of targeted technical support, more than 270 investor connections were facilitated, and about 100 mentors were involved across the continent. 

A smaller group of startups received additional advisory support beyond the standard training structure.

L-r: Patience Ekeoba, Acting Deputy Country Representative UN Women; Edidiong Idang, Social Development Specialist, ASR Africa Initiative; Najaatu Rabiu, Social Development Officer, ASR Africa Initiative; Marieme Niang, Regional Gender Lead, IFC Africa; Dr Ubon Udoh, MD/CEO, ASR Africa Initiative; Nelly Elimbi, Senior Operations Officer, Gender, IFC, West and Central Africa; Adaorie Udechukwu, Gender Solutions & Advisory, IFC Africa; Barbara Onyejeose, Programs, VC4A; Mohammed Aliyu, Senior Country Officer, IFC during the SheWins Africa Phase 1 closing ceremony in Lagos, Nigeria.

Speaking at the event, Marieme Niang Camara, IFC’s regional gender lead for Africa, said the pilot provided enough results to justify expansion.

“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,” she said. 

“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.”

The initiative, built on readiness, focused on gaps faced by women founders, especially at the point where businesses move from early traction to engaging investors.

She Wins Africa leveraged catalytic grants of about $100,000 to reduce risk for private investors and this helped attract nearly $400,000 in follow-on investment from regional partners, including Octerra Capital, IMEX, Sahel Capital and Nubia Capital.

ASR Africa’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ubon Udoh, said the expansion reveals lessons from the first phase.

“We’re scaling up from the first phase of 100 women from 23 countries to 1,000 women across Africa,” he said. “This expansion will create more sustainable impact and extend the program’s geographical reach.”

Several founders shared their experiences at the closing event, revealing how the programme helped their business move from operating locally to preparing for cross-border growth, while improving internal planning and investor readiness. 

Mentorship and investor exposure also changed how they negotiated and positioned their company.

The next phase will prioritise businesses that are ready to scale, while still supporting early-stage founders. The expansion is the first of four projects planned under the She Wins Africa platform.

IFC noted that the programme aligns with its focus on private sector growth and women’s economic participation across Africa. 

ASR Africa, on the other hand, will continue to support the initiative as part of its work in economic and social development on the continent.

The closing event formally closed the pilot phase, but partners said the focus now shifts to onboarding a much larger group of women entrepreneurs and building on the results already recorded.

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