Women Lead 48% of Africa-Based Venture Capital Firms
Nearly half of all venture capital firms based in Africa now have at least one woman in top leadership, signaling a shift in an industry that has long been dominated by men. These women are reshaping where startup funding flows and who gets a chance to build the next generation of African businesses.
Africa's venture capital industry is breaking ground where others still struggle. While women hold just 15% of senior roles at VC firms worldwide, nearly 48% of Africa-based venture firms now have at least one female partner, founder, or managing partner.
That number matters because these leaders decide which startups get funded and which ideas get a chance to grow. Their presence is changing who gets investment and what kinds of problems get solved across the continent.
Yemi Keri stands at the forefront of this movement as president of the African Business Angel Network and co-founder of Rising Tide Africa. She earned Angel Investor of the Year recognition in 2025 for her work expanding early-stage funding and creating pathways for women investors across Africa.
Mobola Da-Silva brings deep experience to Capria Ventures, where she partners with founders building solutions for local markets. Before joining Capria in 2023, she helped shape investment strategies at the uMunthu Fund and Alitheia Capital, two firms focused on high-growth African businesses.
Trish Thomas is putting money directly into entrepreneurs' hands through Cascador Nigeria. Since 2019, her organization has mentored more than 60 Nigerian founders and provided over 4 billion naira in debt funding to help businesses scale.
Yewande Odumosu moved from engineering roles at ExxonMobil and Google into angel investing. Through HoaQ, the angel syndicate she co-founded, she has backed promising startups including Chowdeck, LemFi, and Norebase.
Eloho Omame wears two hats that complement each other perfectly. As a partner at TLcom Capital, she helps manage $250 million in funding for African startups, while her work co-founding FirstCheck Africa focuses specifically on getting capital to women founders at the earliest stages.
The Ripple Effect
These leaders are doing more than writing checks. They are building networks, mentoring new investors, and proving that backing diverse founders leads to stronger portfolios. Their work creates a cycle where success breeds more opportunity, opening doors that were previously closed to many entrepreneurs across the continent.
The numbers tell a story of real change happening now, not someday.
Based on reporting by Techpoint Africa
This story was written by BrightWire based on verified news reports.
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