Gender equality in corporate leadership: Africa 2025

This review of 626 African companies grouped by primary listing venue, provides exchanges, regulators and policy makers with relevant information to help analyze the state of gender equality in the leadership positions of companies listed on their markets.

• Across the group of African stock exchanges analyzed, women hold 25% of board seats on average, with several markets approaching or exceeding a 30% benchmark for board gender balance.
• Women’s board representation ranges from 17% to 33%, reflecting both strong performers and persistent gaps across African markets.
• Despite progress at board level, women represent only 8% of CEOs and 12% of board chairs, illustrating that top executive leadership positions remain overwhelmingly male-dominated.

This UN SSE Market Monitor, prepared with IFC and in strategic collaboration with UN Women, is part of an annual series launched in 2021. This benchmarking series examines companies grouped by primary listing venue to provide exchanges, regulators and policy makers with the state of gender equality in the leadership positions of companies listed on their markets.

Read the full report here.