The Women in Energy series is a joint project between USEA and USAID to help improve the visibility of women's participation and leadership in the traditionally male-dominated energy sector and their active participation in policies and gender outcomes in organizations.

Every month we feature a woman who has shown exemplary leadership. The women highlighted come from diverse backgrounds and roles, and they bring with them a unique perspective on gender equality within the energy sector. We believe that increasing women's leadership and participation in decision-making for climate policies needs active communications campaigns and championing that catalyze behavioral change and urgent action.

1. How have your education and career path led you to where you are now?

I studied marketing.

My professional journey began with a foundation in marketing, complemented by my accreditation as a Certified Chartered Public Relations Practitioner through the Public Relations Institute of South Africa. For eight years, I successfully established and managed a Marketing Communications Consultancy, honing my entrepreneurial skills and deepening my understanding of business strategy. This experience laid the groundwork for what would later become a transformative career shift.

A pivotal moment came when I partnered with an engineering consulting firm, one of the largest energy consulting firms in the country at the time. This collaboration introduced me to the energy sector and illuminated the profound impact energy access has on communities. Witnessing how energy restores dignity and transforms lives ignited a passion within me to contribute meaningfully to this field. Eager to deepen my knowledge, I pursued several short courses focused on the structure of the energy sector, its value chains, and the role of multilateral organizations in driving socio-economic development across Africa and beyond.

This learning journey opened new horizons and guided me towards advocacy and program design aimed at fostering socio-economic progress. As I diversified my business interests into the energy and power sector, I found myself navigating spaces where women entrepreneurs were significantly underrepresented. This reality both inspired and challenged me. The more I immersed myself in the sector, the more captivated I became by its potential to uplift communities and economies. However, I also encountered systemic barriers hindering women’s participation—limited access to markets, credible information, professional networks, project financing, and targeted skills development. These challenges are well-documented as critical obstacles for women entrepreneurs across various industries.

Without an engineering background, I relied on self-teaching to grasp many of the technical aspects of the energy sector. This personal experience of overcoming barriers fueled my determination to create solutions for others facing similar challenges. It was against this backdrop that I conceptualized African Women in Energy and Power (AWEaP), an organization dedicated to increasing African women entrepreneurs' participation in the energy and power sector across the continent.AWEaP’s success is rooted in strategic collaboration with Municipal Electricity Utilities (MEUs) and Power Pools on the continent, which play a vital role in initiatives designed to orient women entrepreneurs toward opportunities within electricity generation, transmission, and distribution value chains.

Despite policies supporting gender mainstreaming, a persistent narrative suggests that women are not seizing opportunities in this sector. AWEaP seeks to dismantle this misconception by addressing systemic barriers and creating pathways for meaningful participation.

My journey reflects a blend of entrepreneurial spirit, continuous learning, and an unwavering commitment to driving change in the energy sector. Through AWEaP, I aim to empower women entrepreneurs to unlock their potential and contribute to transforming Africa’s energy landscape.

2. How did you develop your passion for empowering women and youth in the traditionally male-dominated energy sector? What lessons have you learned as a leader in the sector?

My passion for empowering women and youth in the traditionally male-dominated energy sector stems from personal experiences and a deep commitment to fostering inclusivity. Throughout my career, I often found myself as the only woman, the only Black woman, or one of a small handful of women in professional spaces. This recurring reality prompted me to investigate why women’s participation in the sector was so limited.

I discovered a significant gap in information and research articulating the barriers hindering women’s involvement, which motivated me to delve deeper into these challenges. As Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka aptly said, "There is no greater force for change, for peace, for justice and democracy, for inclusive economic growth than a world of empowered women." I firmly believe that building inclusive economies and societies is a shared responsibility for all citizens of the African continent. This collective effort is critical to addressing the challenges that hinder Africa’s economic and social progress.

I believe that creating an inclusive energy sector requires a multi-stakeholder approach. Women and youth participation is not only a matter of equity but also a driver of entrepreneurial potential that can propel Africa’s economic growth to new heights. Advancing women’s and youth participation involves identifying real entrepreneurial opportunities within the energy value chain—spanning generation, transmission, and distribution—and ensuring that supportive structures are accessible.

As nations pursue universal access to energy, there is an unprecedented demand for electricity infrastructure, technology, products, solutions, and services. This presents a once-in-a-century growth trajectory for the renewable energy sector globally, with Africa uniquely positioned to play a pivotal role.

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) further amplifies this potential by establishing the world’s largest free trade area with 1.3 billion consumers and an estimated GDP of $3.4 trillion. This agreement aims to expand intra-African trade across all sectors, including energy, creating new entrepreneurial opportunities for women while supporting regional integration as outlined in the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Union Agenda 2063.

Electricity utilities are central to this transformation. They have the power to reimagine an equitable energy sector by instituting gender-mainstreaming policies and inclusive procurement practices that enable women entrepreneurs to participate across the value chain.

Governments are also stepping up; in South Africa, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced in 2020 that 40% of public procurement would be designated for women-owned businesses—a move that compels state-owned entities and municipalities to reassess their procurement systems.

However, despite these advancements, significant gaps remain. Research indicates limited data on women’s participation in large-scale electricity projects tied to utilities, even as funding for energy infrastructure increases across Africa. Most initiatives focus on rural electrification or household-level solutions, leaving larger-scale projects—such as utility-scale generation and transmission—largely unexplored from a gender perspective.

Women are vital contributors to economic growth through entrepreneurship and labor market participation. Yet they face persistent barriers such as limited access to finance, which hinders their ability to sustain businesses or capitalize on opportunities in high-growth sectors like energy. Addressing these challenges requires levelling the playing field within financial systems to provide affordable services tailored to women entrepreneurs' needs.

The motivation for electricity utilities to foster an inclusive and equitable energy and power sector is underscored by the critical need for funding to support infrastructure investment and rehabilitation. Many African countries are expected to turn to multilateral organizations for financial assistance. According to the World Bank’s Public-Private Partnership Legal Resource Center (PPPLRC), Multinational Development Banks (MDBs), along with bilateral and national development banks and other leading development organizations, are increasingly committed to financing and supporting infrastructure projects that integrate gender considerations.

As a leader in this space, I have learned that fostering inclusivity demands collaboration across multiple stakeholders—utilities, governments, financial institutions, development organizations, and private enterprises. It also requires challenging entrenched norms that perpetuate gender inequities while building ecosystems where women can thrive as entrepreneurs and innovators.

The nexus between gender, electricity access, and entrepreneurship remains underexplored in academic literature and industry practice. Bridging this gap is critical for reimagining an energy ecosystem where gender equity is not just an aspiration but a central tenet driving sustainable development across Africa. By empowering women and youth in the energy sector today, we lay the foundation for more inclusive economies and resilient communities tomorrow.

3. While women are underrepresented in several developing countries in the energy sector women as energy entrepreneurs can incubate new ideas, start their own enterprises, and provide added value to society. In your opinion as an energy sector entrepreneur what role do women entrepreneurs play in Africa’s energy transition?

The Role of Women Entrepreneurs in Africa’s Energy Transition: Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right but also a cornerstone for building inclusive, peaceful, and sustainable societies. However, to drive meaningful change, it is equally important to demonstrate the business imperatives of gender inclusion to ecosystem players. Women entrepreneurs, particularly in Africa, hold the key to unlocking transformative growth in the energy sector and beyond. Their role as catalysts for economic development cannot be overstated.

Unlocking the Potential of African Women Entrepreneurs: African women represent a vast reservoir of entrepreneurial talent, resilience, and potential. Sub-Saharan Africa boasts the highest rate of women entrepreneurs globally, with 27% of women engaged in entrepreneurial activities. Despite this impressive statistic, most female-led enterprises in the region remain small-scale with limited growth potential. Women account for 58% of self-employment in Africa and contribute approximately 13% to the continent’s GDP. However, they face systemic challenges, including a significant gender funding gap estimated at US$42 billion. This disparity underscores the urgent need for targeted interventions to provide women with access to finance, markets, technology, and skills development.

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) presents an unprecedented opportunity for women entrepreneurs by creating a single market that could increase Africa’s economic output by US$29 trillion by 2050. The AfCFTA Protocol on Women and Youth in Trade marks a significant milestone in integrating women into trade-led development. By addressing barriers to participation and fostering an enabling environment, this agreement has the potential to transform the economic landscape for women entrepreneurs across the continent. 

Energy as a Cornerstone of Empowerment: Energy is fundamental to empowerment—it drives economic success and restores dignity to individuals, families, communities, and nations. Achieving universal access to electricity is not merely a necessity but a pathway to Africa’s prosperity. As nations work towards Agenda 2063 and the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, energy access must be recognized as a critical enabler of inclusive growth.

Driving Change Through Collaboration: To fully harness the potential of women entrepreneurs in Africa’s energy transition, leaders must adopt an ecosystem approach that fosters collaboration among governments, private sector players, financial institutions, and development organizations. Empowering women entrepreneurs requires addressing systemic barriers such as access to finance and markets while creating supportive policies that promote gender equity.

The Path Forward: Africa is at a pivotal moment in its energy transition journey—a once-in-a-century opportunity driven by global growth in renewable energy. Women entrepreneurs are central to this transformation. By addressing barriers to their participation and unlocking their full potential, Africa can achieve not only an equitable energy sector but also broader socio-economic development.

Women are not just participants; they are drivers of innovation and change. Their entrepreneurial spirit holds the key to fostering sustainable growth across industries while ensuring that Africa’s energy transition is inclusive and transformative for all.

4. As the President of African Women in Energy and Power how are you leading the organization to contribute to the current industry transformation and broader goal of energy equity and economic empowerment in Africa or even globally?

The African Women in Energy and Power (AWEaP) is a Pan-African non-profit organization established to support and accelerate the participation of women entrepreneurs and professionals across Africa's vast energy ecosystem. Founded on the principle of inclusion and economic empowerment, AWEaP actively works to break down barriers and create opportunities for women to assume impactful roles within the industry, fostering gender equality and leadership.

Despite operating with limited financial resources, AWEaP has implemented a lean yet highly effective operational model funded through grants, donations, and sponsorships. These resources are strategically allocated to maximize impact, allowing AWEaP to run numerous programs that support women’s entry, growth, and leadership within the energy sector.

Through its innovative and progressive initiatives, AWEaP has created unique platforms to elevate women into industry leadership roles, driving forward the vision of a more inclusive and diverse energy landscape in Africa.

AWEaP’s work in promoting women in leadership within its organizational structure and through its programs reflects a powerful contribution to gender equity and sustainable development across Africa. This investment in women’s leadership capacity-building serves not only the energy sector but also the broader economic development goals for the continent, positioning women as central figures in Africa’s energy transition.

Through its structure, AWEaP has created the following leadership opportunities for women:

Advisory Board

AWEaP has assembled an advisory board of distinguished energy sector experts and business leaders from across Africa and around the world. These advisors provide invaluable insights and guidance on the design and execution of initiatives that align with AWEaP’s vision and mission to empower women in Africa’s energy sector.

Advisory Board members have been actively engaged in AWEaP's flagship programs, including its in-country initiatives, the renowned Webinar Series, and the B2B mission to Turkey. Additionally, they have participated in high-level leadership engagements across the continent, contributing to a collaborative approach that strengthens AWEaP’s impact on gender equity and sustainable energy solutions in Africa.

Country Chairpersons

AWEaP has strategically selected Country Chairpersons who are established professionals and respected leaders within their fields. These leaders were chosen not necessarily for their public profiles but for their genuine passion and commitment to advancing gender mainstreaming in their respective countries.

Today, these Country Chairpersons have become prominent champions of gender equity, actively driving AWEaP initiatives with dedication. They have led impactful projects locally, ensuring that AWEaP’s programs achieve broad reach and significant impact. Their efforts are instrumental in furthering AWEaP's mission of creating meaningful opportunities for women in Africa’s energy sector.

The African Women in Energy and Power (AWEaP) stands firmly as an advocate for fair and equitable pay for women’s contributions in the energy sector. We recognize that too often, industry initiatives led by both public and private sectors carry an outdated notion that women’s empowerment and development initiatives can be implemented on the backs of voluntary, unpaid resources. AWEaP believes that this approach undermines the true value of women’s passions, talents, expertise, and intellectual property, which should be compensated at market rates.

Socio-economic development, particularly the sustainable advancement of women, youth, and persons with disabilities, cannot rely solely on volunteer work.

We need a paradigm shift within South Africa and across Africa’s economic ecosystem to recognize that genuine emancipation and equitable inclusion must come with proper investment.

Both public and private sectors must explore and allocate funding solutions that fully support the costs associated with Gender Mainstreaming and Social Inclusion, and this must include fair remuneration for all contributors.

In alignment with this belief, AWEaP has implemented a remuneration structure for its in-country project work. While our Country Chairpersons volunteer their profiles and leadership to lend credibility to AWEaP’s mission, they are compensated for project-specific work.

This approach ensures that AWEaP’s programs are executed with expertise and commitment, which require fair compensation.

We have, on principle, declined industry engagements that undervalue or fail to remunerate our resources adequately.

AWEaP strongly believes that if women and allies do not stand united in demanding the end of volunteer-dependent approaches to Gender Mainstreaming, the continent will fall short of achieving meaningful impact and reach. By prioritizing the fair remuneration of women’s contributions, AWEaP aims to set a standard that recognizes the importance of adequately funding initiatives that drive true socio-economic progress and inclusion across Africa.

Our programmes are designed to catalyse ecosystem collaboration to support and grow the participation of women, youth and persons with disability especially across value chain segments that present the lowest barriers to entry:

AWEaP Just Energy Transition Skills Development Programme: Entrepreneurs and Utility Professionals

https://aweap.africa/jet-skills-development-programme/aweap-jet-programm...

AWEaP Just Energy Transition Skills Development Programme: Utility Professionals

https://aweap.africa/jet-skills-development-programme/aweap-jet-skills-d...

https://aweap.africa/jet-skills-development-programme/jet-pilot-programm...

AWEaP Channel Partner Programme: https://aweap.africa/aweap-channel-partner-programme/

AWEaP Webinar Series: https://aweap.africa/aweap-webinar-series/ 

AWEaP B2B Mission: https://aweap.africa/b2b-mission/participating-smmes-and-their-short-pro...