Closing Africa’s $49 Billion Gap for Women Entrepreneurs

The initiative leverages the African Development Bank’s AFAWA program and We-Fi to bypass traditional banking hurdles. Many women entrepreneurs currently remain excluded from formal credit because they lack conventional collateral or established credit histories. By utilizing AXIAN’s Mixx and MVola platforms, the program delivers mobile-based loans and digital financial services directly to business owners in Madagascar, Tanzania, and Senegal. This approach allows entrepreneurs to manage transactions and build verifiable financial records without the need for physical bank branches.

Beyond immediate funding, the project addresses the knowledge barrier through a comprehensive training curriculum. Starting in Madagascar, Tanzania, Senegal, Togo, and Comoros, 25,000 women will receive instruction in digital literacy, budgeting, and business planning. Erwan Gelebart, CEO of AXIAN Digibank and Fintech, noted that the challenge across the continent is not a lack of entrepreneurial spirit, but a deficit in access to growth-oriented tools. This effort builds upon a broader $160 million loan approved by the Bank in early 2025, signaling a commitment to integrating women-owned enterprises into the formal economy while driving wider community development.