KFC celebrates inspirational African women accelerating equality
Gender Gap Progress Slows, But Women Step Up
Despite a near standstill in closing the gender gap in South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, women across the continent are refusing to accept the status quo. Instead, they are taking bold steps to drive progress towards gender equality, showcasing resilience and leadership in their respective fields.
KFC Africa’s Initiative: Recognizing Women Who Lead Change
In celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8, with the theme “Accelerate Action,” KFC Africa has unveiled a new initiative spotlighting 54 women who are making significant strides in empowering, educating, and supporting other women. This initiative follows last year’s campaign, which recognized 53 “female firsts” who overcame immense challenges to break barriers in their respective countries.
Honoring Trailblazers Across Africa
The 2025 list highlights remarkable pioneers such as:
- Dior Fall Sow – Senegal’s first female prosecutor
- Nelly Mutti – Zambia’s first female parliamentary speaker
- Adelaide Retselisitsoe Matlanyane – First woman to head Lesotho’s central bank
It also celebrates young trailblazers in technology, including:
- Christine Ogo (Cote d’Ivoire) – Encouraged thousands of girls to pursue STEM careers
- Rachel Sibande (Malawi) – Taught coding to 92,000 women and children
- Regina Honu (Ghana) – Founded Tech Needs Girls, training over 20,000 girls in coding
The Gender Gap Challenge
The urgency of this recognition stems from the latest World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report, which found that only 68.4% of Sub-Saharan Africa’s gender gap has been closed, showing minimal progress from 68.2% in 2023. South Africa, despite being Africa’s highest scorer, regressed slightly from 78.7% in 2023 to 78.5% in 2024. If this trend continues, full gender parity will not be achieved until 2158.
KFC Africa’s General Manager, Akhona Qengqe, emphasizes the importance of accelerating action. “That’s why the efforts of these women are so critical. They are actively reshaping industries, breaking down barriers, and paving the way for a more equitable future.”
Empowering Women in Business and Leadership
As a leader herself, Qengqe has championed female empowerment within KFC through programs like:
- KFC Add Hope – Provides meals to children in over 3,000 feeding centers
- Women on the Move – Leadership program that increased the number of female leaders in KFC Africa by 14% in two years
Recognizing the need for broader industry-wide change, Qengqe also launched Women in Franchising Africa (Wifa) in 2024, the first network dedicated to supporting women franchisees and franchisors. This initiative aims to educate, mentor, and provide funding opportunities for women in business.
A Call to Action
KFC Africa’s Chief People Officer, Nolo Thobejane, underscores the need for collective effort: “Accelerate Action is not just a theme—it’s a movement. By forming alliances and partnerships, we can amplify impact and create a more inclusive environment for women.”
She highlights key strategies, including:
- Building infrastructure that supports women
- Increasing female participation in sustainable agriculture
- Promoting women’s achievements in sports, as demonstrated by KFC Mini Cricket
“There’s a lot we can do as individuals too,” Thobejane adds. “We can challenge stereotypes, confront discrimination, and celebrate women’s successes. Everyone has a role to play in accelerating action.”
Recognizing and Nominating More Women
With the addition of the latest 54 names, KFC Africa has now recognized 107 inspirational women over the past two years. Qengqe affirms that this is only the beginning, urging the public to nominate other women making an impact across Africa.
📌 Explore the full list of 54 women driving change: https://apo-opa.co/4heEjqM
📩 To nominate a woman Accelerating Action, email: za-kfcafricamedia@yum.com