By Dr. Mandas Marikanda, CEO – Zimbabwe Women’s Microfinance Bank (ZWMB) Zimbabwe stands today at the threshold of a transformative economic moment. Our economy having shifted significantly into the informal sector over the past two decades, now requires innovative structures that preserve the entrepreneurial agility of MSMEs while giving them the institutional compliance and...

Recent remarks by Mabel Chinomona that “there can be no industrialisation without women in leadership” carry an important message not only for Zimbabwe, but for the entire African continent.   Her statement comes at a critical time when African nations are seeking sustainable economic growth, stronger manufacturing sectors, technological advancement, food security, and...

This week, I want to speak directly to you—not just as entrepreneurs and professionals, but as architects of Africa’s economic future. Across our continent, women continue to build, trade, innovate and lead. Yet, one structural barrier persists: access to capital at scale, on equitable terms and within systems designed with women in mind. This is not a gap in talent. It is not a gap...