Women have always been underrepresented in the venture capital space worldwide. Some of the earliest research from the US (2018) found that only nine per cent of VC decision makers were women. In Africa, new data by Disrupt Africa shows some more promising trends – 39.6 per cent of VCs actively investing on the continent in 2022 had a female partner or founder – yet less than 10 per cent of angels are women.

With data demonstrating a direct link between gender diversity in teams, and increased profitability, the Diversity dividend: Female fund managers in Africa series of case studies and podcasts, produced by Disrupt Africa, commissioned by Boost Africa Technical Assistance Facility and financed by the European Union under EDF Thematic Blending and Cotonou Investment Facility, looks at Africa-focused VC firms that recognise this truth, and put diversity front and centre.

Omobola Johnson and Andreata Muforo, who together make up two-fifths of the management team at Africa-focused VC firm TLcom Capital, are the first focus; Tokunboh Ishmael of Alitheia Capital is the focus of the second; Fatoumata Ba of Janngo Capital the focus of the third; and Patricia Rinke, Azza Khalfallah, and Hana Maalej from the Tunisia-based AfricInvest the focus of the fourth edition of this series.

Diversity dividend: Female fund managers in Africa – Alitheia Capital

Diversity dividend: Female fund managers in Africa – Janngo Capital

Diversity dividend: Female fund managers in Africa – The AfricInvest women

Diversity dividend: Female fund managers in Africa – The AfricInvest women