Aisha Dahir Mohamed

A visionary banker who pioneered women's financial inclusion in Ethiopia through her innovative microfinance initiatives.

Aisha Dahir Mohamed (b. 1978) is an Ethiopian economist and founder of Deyessa Bank, the first women-owned and managed bank in Ethiopia focused on empowering rural women through financial services. Growing up in a nomadic family in the Somali region, Mohamed witnessed firsthand the economic marginalization of women in pastoral communities. After studying economics in Addis Ababa and the UK, she returned to Ethiopia in 1998 determined to address systemic gender disparities.

In 2004, Mohamed launched Deyessa Bank with a mission to provide accessible banking services to women excluded from traditional financial systems. The bank's signature program, Women's Empowerment Initiative, offers microloans, savings accounts, and financial literacy training tailored to pastoralist communities. By 2023, the bank had disbursed over 150,000 loans totaling $250 million, enabling women to start businesses like dairy farming cooperatives and textile workshops. Mohamed's innovation lies in integrating mobile banking solutions with cultural sensitivity, using local language interfaces and Koranic literacy programs to overcome literacy barriers.

Her work has transformed Ethiopia's financial landscape, with the World Bank citing Deyessa's model as a blueprint for gender-inclusive banking. Mohamed's TED Talk "Banking on Women's Potential" (2019) has over 1.2 million views. In 2021, she established the Aisha Foundation to support girls' education in conflict zones, reflecting her belief that economic empowerment must be paired with educational access. Despite Ethiopia's political challenges, Mohamed remains committed to her vision of a financially inclusive society built from the ground up.