Women Rising: Meet Africa’s Only 2 Female Finance Ministers
Leadership in Africa is taking a different dimension. We have seen
the rise of accomplished women taking up prominent positions and using it to
influence lives positively across the continent. As some consider it an
opportunity to rub shoulders with their male counterparts, others have also
used it to inspire young women who look up to role models. Even though the
roles they take can be very challenging they have also proven to be up to the
task and their accomplishments have become a model to which others are carving
their career path.
During my routine research on influential African women for my
rating company Avance Media, I have taken notice of how women are making the
continent proud whiles delivering excellently in their roles across both
governmental and non-governmental organisations, the world over. Mention can
and should be made of Amina J Mohammed, the Deputy Secretary-General of the
United Nations and her colleagues who head other departments in the
distinguished global establishment.
In my recent publication on the female Health Ministers leading
the fight against Covid-19 in Africa, I also developed an interest in looking
out for other women ministers across the continent. My curiosity in the finance
sector grew stronger when I got to identify how male-dominated it is and how
only two women have the opportunity to head this sector which is very prominent
in every economy around the world.
In Africa, one of the most respected positions is that of Finance
Ministers, who are put in charge of various economic activities across the
country. Their performance affects the ratings of the economy and how
comfortable citizens get to live.
The first female African Finance minister, Marie-Christine
Mboukou, from the Central African Republic was appointed in 1975, and the
second was Ellen Sirleaf Johnson from Liberia who was appointed in 1979. She
actually went on to later become president of her nation. She is currently one
of the most influential leaders in Africa.
For the past years, we can count only about 30 women who have been
given this opportunity to serve as ministers of finance across the continent
and for the past decade, successive Nigerian Federal Governments has reserved
this position for women.
Beyond their roles, Vera Daves De Sousa (35) and Zainab Ahmed (59)
from Angola and Nigeria respectively remain the only female finance ministers
across on a continent of over a billion citizens. They are huge inspirations
for young women taking up roles in the finance industry across the continent.
In Angola, Vera Daves De Sousa received her appointment as the
only female country’s Minister of Finance at age 35. She previously served as
Secretary of State for Finance and Treasury and became the first woman ever to
lead Angola’s Finance ministry. She is now tasked with reviving an oil-based
economy suffering its worst recession since the civil war ended in 2002.
She also previously served in the Markets and Capitals Commission
and but gained visibility as a regular economic commentator on several media
programs.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Vera disclosed her determination to
reduce the presence of
the state and diversify the economy as the country still hugely relies on
revenue from crude oil export.
She was born in Luanda and has a degree in Economics from the
Catholic University of Angola (UCAN). She also has several certificates in
finance, management and leadership and is the co-author of a book on Public
Finance.
As the minister of the largest economy in Africa, Zainab Shamsuna
Ahmed is the fourth female finance minister of Nigeria, the only country to
have reserved this position for women in the last decade. As the Minister
responsible for Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab is responsible
for everything related to the economy of the most populated country in
sub-Saharan Africa.
An accountant by training, Zainab started her career working for
the Ministry of Finance in Kaduna State before leaving to pursue other
interests. She has served the Nigerian republic in other high ranking positions
including being the Managing Director of Kaduna Investment Company Ltd, Chief
Finance Officer of the Nigeria Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTEL) and
Executive Secretary and National Coordinator of the Nigeria Extractive
Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI).
Zainab holds a B.Sc. in Accounting from the Ahmadu Bello
University, Zaria and a Masters in Business Administration (MBA). Mrs Ahmed is
a Fellow of Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN) and Fellow,
Institute of Certified Company Commercial Accountants of Nigeria among other
professional organizations.
Below is a list of all time ministers of finance in Africa
- Ângela Viegas Santiago - São Tomé and Príncipe
- Antoinette Sayeh - Liberia
- Ayaovi Demba Tignonkpa - Togo
- Bintou Sango - Burkina Faso
- Bouaré Fily Sissoko - Mali
- Christine Georges Diguibaye - Chad
- Cristina Duart - Cape Verde
- Denise Sinankwa - Burundi
- Edith Nawakwi - Zambia
- Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
- Liberia
- Kemi Adeosun - Nigeria
- Lamia Zribi - Tunisia
- Luísa Diogo - Mozambique
- Malado Kaba - Guinea
- Mamphono Khaketla -
Lesotho
- Margaret Keita - The Gambia
- Margaret Mwanakatwe - Zambia
- Maria do Carmo Silveira - São Tomé and Príncipe
- Maria Kiwanuka - Uganda
- Maria Tebús - São Tomé and Príncipe
- Marie-Christine Mboukou - Central African Republic
- Nenadi Usman - Nigeria
- Ngozi Okonjo Iweala - Nigeria
- Rosine Sori-Coulibaly - Burkina Faso
- Saada Salum - Tanzania
- Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila - Namibia
- Syda Bbumba - Uganda
- Vonintsalama Andriambololona - Madagascar
- Zakia Meghji – Tanzania
Written by Prince Akpah, Managing Director of Avance Media
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