Lionesses Digital Transformation Playbook for Africa's Women Entrepreneurs Offers First-Person Hacks, Tactics and Strategies for Building Businesses Back From Covid-19 Pandemic

22 March 2022
Content from a Premium Partner
African Development Bank (Abidjan)
press release

Report financed by African Development Bank's Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) initiative

22-Mar-2022

A new guide for, and by, African women entrepreneurs provides first-hand tips on how to kick start and implement a digital transformation roadmap to build business resilience to Covid-19 and other shocks.

The Digital Transformation Playbook for Africa's Women Entrepreneurs is the first in a series of digital tools for Africa's women entrepreneurs, produced by the Lionesses of Africa Public Benefit Corporation, with the support of the African Development Bank through its Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa initiative, also known as AFAWA. The playbook features 24 leading African women entrepreneurs who share their personal digital transformation "playbooks".

"Digital transformation can be a game changer for women-led enterprises. It may even help accelerate access to finance, markets, knowledge and innovation for a segment that until now has been largely unserved," said Esther Marieme Dassanou, the Bank's Manager for AFAWA.

"Digital transformation may also lift unconscious biases that added to the barriers women faced pre-Covid," Dassanou added.

The Playbook provides seven key business dimensions for women to assess in their businesses from a digital transformation perspective: leadership & strategy, technology, cybersecurity, business processes, people, marketing & sales, and financial transactions.

The 100 Lionesses Playbook series provides practical business advice and insights delivered directly by leading African women entrepreneurs selected from the organization's 100 Lionesses network. Experienced entrepreneurs share their proven hacks, tactics and strategies for getting things done in business. The knowledge is shared in an easy-to-read format for women entrepreneurs to apply in their own businesses.

"Women-owned businesses need to build resilience during disruptive and turbulent times, and digital transformation is key to successfully navigating these challenges. Having essential digital infrastructure in place means having the ability to stay agile, to react quickly to both opportunities and threats," said Melanie Hawken, Lionesses of Africa Founder and CEO.

"Digital-enabled activity can drive efficiency and productivity levels and reduce operating costs whilst at the same time create tools to tap into new market opportunities," she added.

The Digital Transformation Playbook for Africa's Women Entrepreneurs can be downloaded here.

Contact:

Alphonso Van Marsh, Principal Digital Content and Events Officer, African Development Bank, email: a.vanmarsh@afdb.org

Melanie Hawken, Founder and CEO, Lionesses of Africa, email: melanie@lionessesofafrica.com

Read the original article on African Development Bank (AfDB).

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