From boardrooms shaping entrepreneurship to global platforms championing women’s leadership, Afua Osei has dedicated her career to creating opportunities for African women to thrive.
Through innovation, education, and community building, she has become one of the leading voices inspiring women across the continent to pursue bold ideas, build successful businesses, and lead with confidence.
As the co-founder of She Leads Africa, Afua has helped build one of the continent’s most influential communities dedicated to empowering ambitious African women.
By connecting women with business education, career development resources, mentorship, and strategic partnerships, she has contributed to expanding opportunities for hundreds of thousands of women across Africa and beyond, demonstrating that when women are equipped with the right knowledge, networks, and support, they become powerful drivers of innovation, economic growth, and lasting change.
Born in Washington, D.C., Afua Osei spent her formative years in Prince George’s County, Maryland, where she developed an early passion for leadership, public service, and creating opportunities for others. Her academic journey reflected that ambition.
She graduated cum laude from Allegheny College with a degree in Political Science and became the institution’s first student to design an interdisciplinary major in Black Studies. Her academic excellence earned her both the Ray Smock Political Science Award and the Faculty Prize for the Best Interdisciplinary Senior Thesis.
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Determined to strengthen her understanding of business and public policy, Afua went on to earn a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a Master of Public Policy from the Harris School of Public Policy.
She also completed studies in International Management at the London School of Economics, further expanding her global perspective on leadership, business, and economic development.
Before embarking on her entrepreneurial journey, Afua served as a Fulbright Scholar in Malaysia and later worked in the Office of former United States First Lady Michelle Obama.
She subsequently joined McKinsey & Company in Lagos, Nigeria, where she advised organisations across Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, and the United States on strategy and operations, gaining valuable experience that would later influence her approach to entrepreneurship and ecosystem building.
In 2014, Afua co-founded She Leads Africa alongside Yasmin Belo-Osagie with a vision to create a platform that would equip ambitious African women with the knowledge, resources, and community needed to succeed.
What began as an initiative supporting women entrepreneurs has grown into one of Africa’s leading platforms for career development, entrepreneurship, and leadership, reaching more than 800,000 women across over 100 countries through educational programmes, digital content, mentorship, and professional development initiatives.
Under her leadership, She Leads Africa established strategic partnerships with globally recognised organisations including Google, Facebook, Visa, Unilever, Nestlé, Samsung, Estée Lauder, and L’Oréal. These collaborations have enabled programmes designed to provide African women with business education, digital skills, leadership development, and access to opportunities that support long-term career and entrepreneurial success.
The organisation’s growing influence has attracted international recognition. She Leads Africa has been featured by leading global media organisations including CNN, the Financial Times, CNBC Africa, HuffPost, and Black Enterprise. In 2016, the organisation marked a significant milestone by ringing the Closing Bell at the New York Stock Exchange, highlighting its growing global visibility and impact.
Beyond She Leads Africa, Afua continues to support entrepreneurs as a Partnerships Strategist, helping digital entrepreneurs and founders build strategic corporate partnerships that accelerate business growth. Through coaching, advisory work, and speaking engagements, she continues to share practical insights on entrepreneurship, relationship building, and sustainable business development.
Her contributions have earned widespread recognition. Forbes named her among the 20 Youngest Power Women in Africa, Ventures Africa recognised her among Africa’s leading innovators to watch, and Quartz Africa included her among the continent’s leading innovators.
She has also served as a judge for the Chivas Venture global entrepreneurship competition and has spoken at major international events including TEDxEuston, the G20 Africa Partnership Conference, the Thomson Reuters Foundation Trust Conference, and Essence Festival Durban.
Beyond the awards, recognitions, and international platforms, Afua Osei’s greatest contribution lies in the community she has helped build. Through education, mentorship, entrepreneurship, and collaboration, she has inspired countless African women to pursue leadership with confidence, embrace entrepreneurship, and build businesses capable of creating lasting impact within their communities.
As Africa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem continues to evolve, leaders like Afua remind us that meaningful progress is built not only through innovation but through empowering others to succeed. By creating spaces where women can learn, connect, and grow, she continues to help shape a future where more African women are equipped to lead, innovate, and transform industries.
Afua Osei represents a generation of African leaders redefining entrepreneurship through collaboration, purpose, and opportunity. Her journey demonstrates that when knowledge is shared, communities are strengthened, and women are empowered, the impact extends far beyond individual success, helping shape a more inclusive and prosperous future for Africa.
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