African Business Women in Leadership 2026

This African Business Women in Leadership 2026 special profiles 20 women leaders – among them founders, CEOs, innovators, entrepreneurs and change-makers – who have risen to senior roles in business and governance.

In doing so, they have reshaped the narrative around women’s leadership across the continent and the wider African diaspora. Make sure to read our series introduction, and Parts One, Three and Four.

Owen Omogiafo
CEO and President, TransCorp

Fresh from her recent appointment to the board of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) – a private sector-led thinktank committed to the development of the Nigerian economy – Omogiafo’s strong start to 2026 represents a natural continuation of the success she has delivered for Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (TransCorp) over recent months. As a major Nigerian diversified conglomerate, TransCorp has enjoyed a period of robust growth over the past year.

In the nine months to September 2025 TransCorp reported a 39% increase in revenue to 413.44bn naira (at the time $278m), reinforcing its strategic position across the power, hospitality and energy sectors.

Her appointment to NESG reflects her broader interest in shaping inclusive economic policy and private-sector engagement for sustainable national development. A keen public speaker, over the past year she has used her platform to advocate for economic growth and a sustainable future at the Future Investment Initiative in Saudi Arabia.

With more than two decades of experience spanning organisational development, change management and strategic leadership, Omogiafo continues to champion a financial growth model that combines commercial success with social impact, and her influence shows no signs of slowing.

Frehiwot Tamiru
CEO, EthioTelecom

In the eight years Tamiru has spent as EthioTelecom’s CEO, she has transformed Ethiopia’s state-owned telecom giant from a conventional telecom operator into a driver of digital inclusion and economic growth.

For the fiscal year ending in June last year, EthioTelecom reported revenue growing by approximately 72.9% to 162bn birr ($1bn) and pre-tax profit surging by more than 80%, reflecting the strong demand for connectivity and digital services across Ethiopia. With a customer base now exceeding 83m subscribers, fixed broadband subscriptions rising by 67.2% year on year to 847,100 and mobile data traffic soaring to 1.43 trillion megabytes (a 52.8% increase year on year), the state-owned firm is well positioned even as the government opens the market to foreign competitors and erodes its monopoly.

Tamiru has overseen EthioTelecom’s introduction of many new and improved customer-centric products over the past fiscal year, including digital cloud solutions and lifestyle services. Its mobile money platform, Telebirr, processed 1.66 trillion birr ($107bn) in customer transactions.

To accelerate growth, she unveiled the Next Horizon: Digital and Beyond 2028 Strategy last autumn. Described by Tamiru as “human-centric”, the plan aims to raise revenues by more than 45% in the coming years, expanding network coverage and extending digital services beyond traditional telecoms into broader digital ecosystems.

Beyond financial performance, Tamiru has positioned EthioTelecom as a catalyst for wider social impact, including partnering with Mastercard to expand nationwide financial inclusion. The next major challenge will be whether she can sustain the group’s lead given the arrival of foreign competitors such as Kenya’s Safaricom.

Adaora Umeoji
CEO, Zenith Bank

The first woman to lead Zenith Bank as group managing director and chief executive officer, Adaora Umeoji has had a breakout year in 2025. She assumed the role in June 2024, marking a historic milestone in the bank’s 34-year history. She had spent decades rising through the ranks, including serving as deputy managing director since 2016, and brings nearly 30 years of financial services experience to the top role.

Under Umeoji’s leadership, Zenith Bank has maintained profitability and solidified its competitive market position. In the first quarter of 2025 the bank delivered a 20.7% year-on-year profit increase to 311.83bn naira ($204m at the end-of-quarter exchange rate), driven by strong growth in gross earnings. By the end of the third quarter profit was at 764.2bn naira.

Over the past year Zenith has initiated upgrades to its core banking and digital infrastructure to facilitate scalability, resilience and agility for its retail business. “The bank’s technology infrastructure should be scalable, supporting rapid innovation and self-sufficiency while maximising ROI [return on investment],” Umeoji told International Banker.

Umeoji brings more to this prestigious role than deep expertise in corporate finance. Dedicated, passionate and guided by a commitment to equity, her rise reflects the increasingly inclusive nature of Nigerian financial services.

Rita Kavashe
Managing Director, Isuzu Motors East Africa

Rita Kavashe, managing director and board chair of Isuzu East Africa, has had a long and distinguished career at Kenya’s largest vehicle assembler. She joined the firm as a sales representative in 1995 when it was still a subsidiary of General Motors, and rose through the ranks in the sales and marketing department. In 2011, the board tapped her to serve as managing director.

When Japanese automotive conglomerate Isuzu acquired a majority stake in the company in 2015, Kavashe stayed as managing director and successfully oversaw its transition into Isuzu East Africa.

Under her leadership Isuzu East Africa has expanded its production capacity in Kenya and contributed to the creation of new jobs in the manufacturing sector. Isuzu sold 5,938 units between January and November 2025, up from 4,835 units in the same period of 2024, according to the Kenya Motor Industry Association (KMIA).

Kavashe sits on the boards of several public and private companies in Kenya, including influential corporations such as Safaricom and British American Tobacco. She is also a certified executive coach who is passionate about shaping the next generation of leaders. “Leadership to me is about service, impact, and legacy and I remain committed to creating spaces where people and organisations can thrive,” she says.

Fatoumata Bâ
Founder, Janngo Capital

For Fatoumata Bâ, 2025 was a year of defining firsts. Under the Senegalese entrepreneur’s leadership, Janngo Capital led several strategic deals, including a $17m investment in Djamo, a financial services app bringing mobile banking to over 1m users in francophone West Africa. Beyond her work at Janngo, Bâ continues to amplify her influence on the global stage. As chairwoman of the French retailer Auchan’s operation in Africa she has played a strategic oversight role in driving innovation in supply chains and local sourcing.

Her venture capital firm Janngo Capital gained global recognition when it was named among the TIME100 Most Influential Companies and won the TIME100 Impact Award in the equality category for its work in gender-lens investing and inclusive entrepreneurship across the continent. The majority of Janngo’s portfolio companies were founded or co-founded by women, and it remains the only African investor and venture capital firm worldwide to receive this distinction.