Director Woman is inviting women working across Africa, including African women based in the diaspora, to put themselves forward for The Next 50: Financing Africa, our 2027 editorial recognition initiative celebrating 50 women shaping the continent’s financial future.
The selected women will be recognised in The Next 50 and featured in The Next 50: Financing Africa Impact Report (FAIR), a publication bringing together their professional contributions, expertise and perspectives on the future of African finance.
What will it take to finance Africa’s next decade?
From banking and investment to fintech, accounting, capital markets, insurance, development finance and economic policy, the financial ecosystem is shaped by people making decisions, building institutions, moving capital and developing solutions.
We want to hear from the women doing this work. The people influencing how capital is mobilised and deployed, expanding access to financial services, developing new technologies, strengthening institutions and creating opportunities across African markets.
The Next 50 will bring 50 of these finance professionals into focus, recognising the depth and diversity of their contributions while creating a record of the ideas and perspectives shaping the continent’s financial landscape.
Who should put herself forward?
We are looking for women whose professional work, leadership, expertise or ideas are contributing to Africa’s financial ecosystem.
This includes women working across the continent as well as African women based in the diaspora whose work contributes to African markets, institutions, businesses or financial development.
Whether you are leading a financial institution, directing investment, building a fintech business, shaping economic policy, advancing financial inclusion or influencing the wider financial ecosystem, we want to hear about your work.
You do not need to hold a particular title or work in a specific type of institution. What matters is the substance of your contribution and its relevance to Africa’s financial future.
Contribute to the Financing Africa Impact Report
The 2027 FAIR will bring together the professional experiences and perspectives of the women selected for The Next 50. We want the report to offer more than profiles. It will create space for informed thinking about the opportunities, challenges and decisions that will shape how Africa finances its growth.
As part of your application, you can choose how you would like to contribute:
- Answer the questions: Respond to a set of focused questions about access to finance, assumptions that need rethinking and the changes needed to support Africa’s growth.
- Explore a topic in depth: Develop an essay around one central question: What will it take to finance Africa’s next decade? You may address the continent as a whole or focus on a particular country or market, drawing on your experience and area of expertise.
We are interested in original thinking, practical insight and perspectives grounded in professional experience.
How to put yourself forward
The Next 50 is a self-nomination process. We want to hear directly from the women putting their names forward, so applications must be completed by the individuals themselves.
If you know a woman whose work deserves to be part of this conversation, you can share our invitation page with her and encourage her to apply. The invitation is a way to put the opportunity on her radar; she will need to complete her own application.
Ready to put your name forward?
For more information about the initiative, its scope and the thinking behind this edition, visit The Next 50: Financing Africa.
Know someone who should consider applying? Share the invitation.
