Feature Interview

In Conversation with Jules Ngankam, Group Chief Executive Officer, African Guarantee Fund

The 2nd Start-Up Night Africa event on 11 June 2024, in The Hague, The Netherlands, provided the opportunity to highlight the critical role of investment and the power of partnerships to address the gender finance gap for high-growth women entrepreneurs in Africa. Continuing the conversations on this important subject, Lionesses of Africa spoke to Jules Ngankam, Group Chief Executive Officer of the African Guarantee Fund, a real champion of empowering women entrepreneurs and fostering inclusive financial practices to drive sustainable economic growth across Africa.

Feature

Over the past eight years, Start-Up Night Africa events have aimed to stimulate real change by bringing together women entrepreneurs, with decision-makers and policy-makers, to discuss the challenges and real solutions needed to close the funding gap. At this year’s event on 11 June 2024, in The Hague, The Netherlands, a highlight of the programme was the panel discussion, where invited guest experts shared their insights and knowledge on the challenges women entrepreneurs face in getting access to finance and growth market opportunities. The focus was on discussing what progress has been made over the last twelve months, and also what new initiatives have been launched to practically shift the dial for women entrepreneurs in getting access to the growth funding they need. Chairing the panel discussion was Lionesses of Africa founder and ceo, Melanie Hawken, who was joined live on stage by Chiinga Musonda, co-founder of Savanna Premium Chocolate from Zambia. Joining via Zoom link were Patrick Lumumba, Group Director: Capacity Development at the African Guarantee Fund, and Vignesh Subramani, Head: Sales & Distribution, SME Business at Absa Bank, South Africa.

Speech by Peter Derrek Hof, Ambassador Women’s Rights and Gender Equality, Director Social Development, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at Start-Up Night Africa on Tuesday 11 June 2024

Excellencies, representatives from the African Development Bank, the African Guarantee Fund, the ABSA Bank, the private sector, civil society, government, dear and esteemed guests, Welcome!

Welcome, on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, represented tonight by yours truly and by my colleague Wampie Libon, whom you will see later.