The African Development Bank Group (AfDB), through its Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) initiative, and social impact enterprise Lionesses of Africa have launched a new digital playbook designed to help women entrepreneurs secure financing and scale their businesses across the continent.
Titled Financing Business Growth, the publication features the experiences of 25 women entrepreneurs from 17 African countries operating in sectors including agribusiness, technology, healthcare, manufacturing, renewable energy, fashion and finance. Several of the featured founders have received direct support through AFAWA.
The playbook comes as Africa continues to grapple with a $42 billion financing gap for women-led businesses, a challenge that limits the growth potential of enterprises despite increasing entrepreneurial activity among women.
Rather than presenting theoretical advice, the publication draws on first-hand accounts from entrepreneurs who have navigated different funding pathways, from bootstrapping and grants to bank loans, supplier credit, angel investment, venture capital and revenue reinvestment.
Released on Tuesday, the playbook highlights a recurring message that securing finance is a continuous process of building credibility through strong financial records, customer traction, governance and operational discipline.
The report argues that successful fundraising is rarely about finding a single investor. Instead, founders who demonstrate consistent performance, clear financial management and a well-defined growth strategy are better positioned to attract capital suited to their stage of business development.
It also encourages entrepreneurs to build relationships with investors before funding is needed and to ensure their businesses are “investment-ready” through sound reporting systems and measurable impact.
Lionesses of Africa founder and CEO Melanie Hawken said the publication is rooted in peer-to-peer learning, noting that women entrepreneurs often gain the most practical guidance from others who have successfully overcome similar challenges in accessing finance.
“The most valuable business lessons a woman entrepreneur can learn often come from another woman who has already walked the path to success,” Hawken writes in the foreword, adding that the featured entrepreneurs provide practical, experience-based guidance on navigating the complexities of business funding.
Melissa Basque-Roux, coordinator of AFAWA at the African Development Bank, said the initiative reflects the program’s broader mission of expanding women’s access to finance by strengthening financial institutions and promoting more inclusive financing mechanisms.
She said women entrepreneurs are often constrained not by a lack of ambition or capability, but by financial systems that fail to meet their needs.
The playbook, she noted, aims to equip founders with practical tools for building sustainable and scalable businesses while helping lenders better understand the realities facing women-owned enterprises.
Beyond supporting entrepreneurs, the publication is intended as a resource for financial institutions, policymakers and business support organizations seeking to narrow the financing gap and unlock the economic contribution of women-led businesses across Africa.
