Nolithia Bonyongo

Founder of She Leads Africa, empowering women in tech and entrepreneurship across the continent

Nolithia Bonyongo is a South African entrepreneur and social innovator best known for founding She Leads Africa in 2015. This groundbreaking platform has become a cornerstone for women's leadership development in Africa, providing mentorship, networking opportunities, and capacity-building programs for over 25,000 women across 45 African countries. Through her work, Bonyongo has challenged traditional gender norms in tech and business sectors where women are historically underrepresented.

Born in Cape Town in 1985, Bonyongo's career began in the tech sector with roles at Google and Microsoft before she shifted focus to social entrepreneurship. Her vision for She Leads Africa emerged from observing the systemic barriers facing African women in leadership roles. The organization's flagship program, the Leadership Accelerator, has trained over 1,000 women in digital transformation and strategic leadership skills through partnerships with institutions like MIT Sloan School of Management.

In 2019, Bonyongo launched the Africa Women's Leadership Index, the first continent-wide benchmarking tool measuring women's representation in corporate boards and political leadership. This initiative has influenced policy changes in six African nations, including Nigeria's 2021 mandate requiring 35% female representation on corporate boards. Her work was recognized with the 2020 Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 award and the 2022 Women in Tech Excellence Award from the African Technology Awards.

Beyond her organizational leadership, Bonyongo pioneered the #DigitalDivas movement, which has trained 50,000+ girls in coding and digital literacy through mobile learning labs deployed across rural Africa. She also co-founded the Pan-African Women's Innovation Network, connecting tech entrepreneurs with venture capital funding. In 2023, her TED Talk 'Reimagining Leadership in Africa' has been viewed over 2 million times, positioning her as a global voice for inclusive leadership.

Her impact extends to policy advocacy through the African Union's Gender Mainstreaming Committee, where she advises on digital economy frameworks. Bonyongo's unique approach combines grassroots community building with high-level policy influence, creating sustainable pathways for women's economic empowerment. By 2030, She Leads Africa aims to have 1 million African women in senior leadership roles across all sectors.