By Olatunbosun Obafemi
Female-led SMEs are spearheading a shift to sustainable industrialisation, despite energy and financing hurdles.
The factory floor at Psaltry International hums with the sound of cassava being transformed into food-grade starch—powered entirely by a 1-megawatt solar system and backed by a 1.6 MW battery. Located in southwestern Nigeria, the woman-led enterprise is Africa’s largest cassava processor and a model for the continent’s green industrial future.
Led by Oluyemisi Iranloye, Psaltry embodies the emerging force of women entrepreneurs leading Africa’s shift toward inclusive and sustainable manufacturing. Historically overlooked in industrial economies, women-led SMEs are now at the forefront of innovation, especially in energy adaptation and ESG principles.
Yewande Adewusi of Alitheia Capital sums it up: “Women-led SMEs are the backbone of inclusive economic growth… unlocking untapped potential.”
Alitheia Capital—through its Alitheia IDF fund, Sub-Saharan Africa’s largest gender-lens investment vehicle—is partnering with the UK-funded Manufacturing Africa initiative to scale women-led businesses like Psaltry, SKLD, Reel Fruit, and Anergy. Their joint platforms, Nzinga and the Green Business Platform, offer advisory, funding, and growth support.
Energy remains the sector’s biggest constraint. Nigeria has over 90 million people without reliable electricity. For SMEs, this translates into high costs, low productivity, and slow growth. But entrepreneurs are adapting. SKLD cut diesel use by over 70% with a hybrid energy system. Reel Fruit switched to CNG and LPG, slashing fuel costs to a third.
This wave of resilience signals more than survival—it’s a blueprint for transformation. Women-led manufacturing in Africa isn’t just keeping the lights on; it’s leading the charge into a greener, more inclusive industrial era.
