Tied to the WYFEI 2030 platform, EmpowerHer Africa aims to unlock pathways for 50 million adolescent girls and young women across the continent, granting them access to financing, technology, and entrepreneurship resources..PHOTO from AU
A bold new chapter in Africa’s drive for inclusive development has taken shape with the recent convening of stakeholders under the Women and Youth Financial and Economic Inclusion (WYFEI 2030) Initiative.
As stated in a press release on July 23, 2025, the forum marked a pivotal moment in aligning private sector capital with inclusive growth for Africa’s women and youth.
It was organized by the African Union Commission’s Women, Gender and Youth Directorate, in partnership with the Sterling One Foundation and supported by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through GIZ.
Since its inception in 2022, WYFEI 2030 has acted as a critical vehicle under the broader African Women’s Decade on Financial and Economic Inclusion (2020–2030).
It has consistently rallied multi-stakeholder platforms to shape and advance financial inclusion strategies targeted at women and young people across the continent.
“A fundamental shift is needed to place women and youth at the center of resource allocation, policy-making, and accountability,” said Ms. Prudence Nonkululeko Ngwenya, Director of the AU Women, Gender and Youth Directorate.
“The private sector is not a guest at this table, but a co-owner of the agenda. WYFEI 2030 is designed for co-investment, innovation, and scale—to move from isolated impact to ecosystem change.”
The most recent dialogue, held in the lead-up to the Africa Social Impact Summit (ASIS) 2025, sharpened focus on one core mission: mobilizing $100 billion in private investment to support at least ten million women and youth by 2030.
At the center of the initiative lies a call for systemic transformation, reforming financial products and services, dismantling regulatory barriers, and scaling blended finance models to unlock capital in historically underserved markets.
As articulated by key leaders, this is not merely a development goal; it is a necessary shift in Africa’s economic architecture.
Ms. Olapeju Ibekwe, CEO of Sterling One Foundation, reinforced this sense of urgency and shared ownership.
“Inclusion cannot be rhetoric. Women and youth are not peripheral to Africa’s economy. Any agenda that sidelines them is simply incomplete. Every day, capital doesn’t reach them, opportunity is withheld from the continent,” she said.
“Partnerships must move beyond alignment and toward shared execution that reflects the realities of Africa’s investment landscape.”
Catalyzing Capital for Inclusive Growth
A dynamic panel session brought together voices from both public and private sectors to interrogate the mechanisms through which private capital can be deployed more effectively to underserved populations.
From deal origination to data infrastructure, the discussion emphasized the need to redesign investment ecosystems that better reflect the realities of Africa’s youthful and entrepreneurial population.
The convening also marked the introduction of EmpowerHer Africa, a flagship initiative unveiled by Dr. Nadi Albino, Deputy Director of Partnerships at UNICEF.
Tied to the WYFEI 2030 platform, EmpowerHer Africa aims to unlock pathways for 50 million adolescent girls and young women across the continent, granting them access to financing, technology, and entrepreneurship resources.
Dr. Tobias Thiel, Director of the GIZ African Union Portfolio, echoed their concerns while highlighting the stakes.
“Addressing systemic barriers is both a moral and economic imperative,” he said. “We must move forward together, with boldness and resolve, to create an Africa where opportunity is truly equal and potential is limitless.”
By anchoring this commitment in a co-implementation model, the initiative recognizes that transforming Africa’s future depends on multi-sectoral alignment among governments, funders, financial institutions, CSOs, and grassroots actors all playing their part.
From Dialogue to Delivery
More than just a convening, this private sector roundtable signaled the launch of a coordinated engagement process led by the AU Commission’s Women, Gender and Youth Directorate.
With the Sterling One Foundation anchoring these efforts, a series of dialogues and partnerships will be rolled out across the continent in the coming months.
These engagements are designed to catalyze strategic partnerships, create innovative financial products, and align policy environments with the lived experiences of women and youth.
As the continent eyes inclusive economic transformation, the WYFEI 2030 initiative will serve as a cornerstone for mobilizing capital and commitment toward systemic, scalable solutions.
With less than five years remaining in the African Women’s Decade, stakeholders agree: the moment to act boldly and collectively is now.
