Across Africa, women entrepreneurs are driving innovation but still face major barriers to finance.

In a joint CNBC Africa op-ed, Elisa Desbordes, CEO of the Ecobank Foundation, and Maxime Houinato, Regional Director of UN Women West & Central Africa, highlight how gender-smart finance can move beyond access to reshape systems that often exclude women.

Despite representing 60% of Africa’s self-employed workforce, women entrepreneurs face a $42 billion financing gap. The authors call for stronger integration of women into supply chains, digital ecosystems, and leadership to unlock Africa’s full growth potential.

Read the full article on: Financing Women Entrepreneurs: From the Margins to Africa’s Growth Story - CNBC Africa