From Dakar to Abidjan: Investing in Women Entrepreneurs in Francophone Africa with Stephanie Sarr Dioh

Unlocking Africa

Episode #170 with Stephanie Sarr Dioh, Tech and Finance Business Leader, Gender Lens Investor and Board Executive at Women’s Investment Club (WIC).

Stephanie SARR is driving inclusive economic transformation in West Africa through her pioneering work with WIC Capital, the first investment fund in Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire dedicated exclusively to supporting businesses led by women. As a prominent figure in gender lens investing, Stephanie draws on her extensive background in both finance and technology to help reshape the entrepreneurial landscape for African women.

In this episode, we explore how WIC Capital is unlocking the full potential of women-owned and women-run micro, small and medium enterprises across the region. Stephanie takes us inside the fund’s unique investment approach, which blends capital provision with tailored technical support and hands-on mentoring.

What We Discuss With Stephanie

• The inspiration behind pursuing impact investing
• The reasons behind selecting Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire as the starting points for WIC Capital’s investment focus.
• Notable milestones and success stories from WIC Capital that highlight the impact and progress made.
• The methods used to evaluate both financial performance and social impact when investing in women-led businesses.
• The key factors and evaluation strategies used to identify high-potential businesses for investment.

Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss How to Enhance Supply Chain Efficiency in Africa Through Product Digital Identity Management? Make sure to check it out!

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Connect with Stephanie:
LinkedIn - Stephanie Sarr DIOH

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