-By Aisha Saleh
Women in Nigeria are more or less relegated when it comes to leadership. Some times they are completely isolated from lots of opportunities that some of these women naturally sit back, and wait for a man that will take care of them.
Yet there are women who refuse to accept that by making sure they position themselves by providing their needs without the help of a man.
These days a good number of women are now exposed and they no longer consider entrepreneurship as man’s business, therefore women are breaking records in all sectors around the world.
Here are some of the Nigerian women that have taken the bull by the horn to make the difference.
Amal Hassan, Co founder of Outsource Global
She is a leading Nigerian technopreneur with diverse interests across different technology verticals. She founded the Outsource Global in 2013, a contact center business process outsourcing with offices in Abuja, Lagos, and Kaduna which is now the leading Nigerian contact center provider servicing the international market, turning the company into a truly global BPO giant, creating over 700 jobs and putting Nigeria on the global map for contact center business process outsourcing. Amal is a partner in Bluetag Group the holding company for Parkway Projects, HealthStation, Bluetag Technologies, Bluetag Synergy and Outsource Global. Amal is also an Alumna of Fortune-US Department of State Global Women’s Mentoring Programme- which links young female leaders to Fortune‘s most powerful women.
Mo Abudu, The co founder of Ebony life TV
She is the founder and CEO of EbonyLife TV. A Nigerian media mogul, her interests span electronic broadcasting, filmmaking and content production. She founded EbonyLife TV in 2013. As the Africa’s first global black entertainment and lifestyle network, her aim in the TV Industry is to create a more positive narrative around within and outside the Africa. She is also recognized as “Africa’s Most Successful Woman”, by Forbes.
Maryam Lawan, Co founder of Blue Sapphire Hub
Blue Sapphire Hub is the first-female owned innovation center Nigeria founded in 2014, The Hub is a Capacity Building programmes, Startup Support and Software Development Lab under which several programmes, seminars, trainings have been and still being carried out that are geared towards increasing girls participation in ICT. Maryam was recognized as 30 under 30 Alumni 2020 by Forbes Africa, IVLP 2021,
A Serial entrepreneur, Founder of Blue Sapphire Hub, Founder of Aikeni Delivery Service, Founder of Fun Hub (Home of toys and accessories) and Director at Seed Project Co ltd.
Tara Fela-Durotoye, Co founder of House of Tara
House Tara makeup brand was founded by Tara Fela-Durotoye in 1991. As one of Africa’s top makeup businesswomen, Tara created different Beauty products, Perfume, and H.I.P Beauty range. Also owner of beauty academy. And several stores around the globe
With their success stories in the Entrepreneurship sector, these hard working women will always be an inspiration to the younger generation.
Ngozi Opara, Co founder of Heat Free Hair
Heat Free Hair which was launched in Washington D.C., came to provide women with high quality protective styling options that would not damage their natural hair. It is also a female movement aimed at educating and informing women about how to take care of their natural hair.
Adenike Ogunlesi, Co founder of Ruff n Tumble
Ruff ‘n’ Tumble is the leading designer, manufacturer, and retailer of designer children’s clothing in Nigeria since 1996. Ruff ‘n’ Tumble is the foremost indigenous lifestyle brand operating to international standards in the design, manufacturing and retail of children’s clothing. Ruff ‘n’ Tumble is of the top manufacturers of children’s clothing throughout West Africa.
Aisha Kwaku, Co founder of Kwaku & Associates
The Associate is leadership development Cisco networking Academy and an Entrepreneurs hub. Her aim is to empower people with knowledge and skills that will make a difference by offering professional training with internationally recognised certificates. With a world standard curriculum, her organization prepares youth to excel in the performance of real life tasks by laying emphasis on hands-on and industry experience. Her mission is to breed successful Leaders, ICT experts and Entrepreneurs equipped with the skills required to take on the challenges of today’s world.
Dr. Maryam Koko, Co founder of Association of Northern women entrepreneurs
The association provides business support, mentoring, networking and promote innovative solutions for peace, stability and sustainable economic development for women and youths in northern part of Nigeria.