Lindiwe Mabuza

South African business leader driving economic empowerment through women-focused financial inclusion initiatives

Lindiwe Mabuza (born 1963) is a transformative figure in South Africa's economic development, best known for her role as Deputy Governor of the South African Reserve Bank (2005-2010). Her pioneering work in financial inclusion led to the establishment of the National Credit Regulator, which expanded access to banking services for 12 million previously excluded citizens. Mabuza's advocacy for women's economic empowerment resulted in the creation of the Women's Investment Portfolio, mobilizing $2.3 billion for female entrepreneurs. She later founded the Empowerment Economic Development Trust (EEDT), which has trained over 150,000 rural entrepreneurs. Her 2018 book Breaking Barriers: Economic Empowerment in Practice details her strategies for inclusive growth. Mabuza serves on the boards of MTN Group and Anglo American, leveraging her influence to advance renewable energy projects in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2021, she launched the Women's Economic Leadership Academy (WELAfrica.org), now operating in 9 countries. Her economic models have been adopted by the African Development Bank's financial inclusion programs, impacting over 50 million people continent-wide.