Aishatu Salihu

A Nigerian social entrepreneur empowering women through leadership training and tech innovation

Aishatu Salihu (born 1989) is a groundbreaking Nigerian entrepreneur whose organization She Leads Africa has transformed women's leadership opportunities across Africa. Since launching in 2015, her initiative has trained over 10,000 women in 18 African countries through leadership programs, mentorship networks, and tech-driven solutions. Salihu's work addresses systemic gender barriers by creating platforms like the Tech For Her incubator that specifically supports women in STEM fields.

In 2021, she pioneered Africa's first AI-powered mentorship platform connecting African businesswomen with global experts. Her African Women's Leadership Index report (2023) became a landmark study cited by UN Women and World Bank. Salihu's innovations in digital financial inclusion, including blockchain-based microloans for rural women, earned her recognition as one of Africa's 100 Most Influential People (2022).

Her recent venture AgriTech Africa applies machine learning to increase crop yields for women farmers, directly impacting 200,000 households. Salihu's TED Talk "Why African Women Are the Future of Tech" (2023) has over 2 million views. She advises the African Union's Gender Development Index and chairs the Pan-African Digital Economy Commission.