African women in mining

Africa’s mining industry is experiencing a profound ownership shift as African women in mining build powerful enterprises across gold, coal, manganese, diamonds and ferrochrome. Historically male-dominated, the sector is now seeing rising female influence in capital allocation, mineral exports and ESG governance.

A growing number of African women in mining are building multimillion-dollar and billion-dollar enterprises across gold, coal, manganese, diamonds and ferrochrome.

From South Africa’s platinum belts to West Africa’s gold corridors, these women are not just participating in extraction, they are shaping ownership, policy influence and long-term industrial value creation across the continent’s mineral economy.

Their journeys have not been easy. They have navigated regulatory complexity, funding barriers, and entrenched gender bias in a sector historically resistant to female leadership. Yet through resilience, strategic partnerships, and operational discipline, they have built companies spanning gold, manganese, chrome, coal, diamonds, and ferrochrome.

Beyond profits, their impact extends into job creation, export earnings, and community transformation. Many are champions of responsible mining, pushing environmental stewardship, skills transfer, and women’s inclusion in artisanal and large-scale operations. Several have earned global recognition for advancing gender equity in extractive industries.

These fifteen women, chronicled by Shore Africa, represent a new power dynamic in African mining, one where ownership, influence, and long-term value creation increasingly carry a female signature.

1. Daphne Mashile-Nkosi
Nationality: South Africa
A driving force behind Kalagadi Manganese, Daphne Mashile-Nkosi helped establish one of South Africa’s largest black-owned manganese operations. Her leadership positioned the company as a major exporter feeding global steel demand. Known for bold capital structuring and resilience through commodity cycles, she remains a symbol of industrial-scale female participation in heavy mining.

2. Bridgette Radebe
Nationality: South African
Founder of Mmakau Mining, Bridgette Radebe built one of South Africa’s most respected black-owned mining companies with interests in platinum, gold, chrome, and coal. A pioneer in post-apartheid mining transformation, she leveraged strategic licensing and partnerships to scale operations. Radebe’s influence extends beyond extraction, shaping policy conversations around ownership and empowerment in South Africa’s mineral economy.

3. Noluthando Gosa
Nationality: South African
Noluthando Gosa is a South African corporate powerhouse and entrepreneur whose influence spans mining, industrial investment, and strategic board leadership. She is the CEO and founder of Akhona Group, a 100% Black women-owned investment holding company with interests in mining services and industrial sectors. Gosa’s career began in investment banking, and she has served on multiple major boards, including ArcelorMittal South Africa and MTN Group, shaping governance and capital allocation in resource-linked industries. A former commissioner on South Africa’s National Planning Commission, she is a leading advocate for transformation and women’s economic empowerment in mining and business.

4. Tiguidanke Camara
Nationality: Guinean
Guinea’s Tiguidanke Camara became West Africa’s first female mine owner through Tigui Mining Group. With interests in gold and diamonds, she expanded across multiple West African jurisdictions. Camara combines commercial mining with social investment, supporting women entrepreneurs and education initiatives, positioning herself as both an industrialist and a development advocate.

5. Anna Mokgokong
Nationality: South African
Anna Mokgokong is a trailblazing entrepreneur with significant investments in the mining and energy industries of South Africa. She is the chairperson of Seriti Resources, one of the largest coal mining firms in South Africa, which is essential to Eskom, the national electricity supplier. Under her guidance, Seriti has grown its coal holdings and explored projects in sustainable energy. Mokgokong is additionally the co-founder of Community Investment Holdings (CIH), a conglomerate led by Black women, boasting an investment portfolio that exceeds $900 million, covering sectors like mining, energy, healthcare, ICT, and logistics.

6. Emotan Josephine Aburime-Gleam
Nationality: Nigerian
Emotan Josephine Aburime-Shine is the founder of Piramen Ventures Limited, a company located in Abuja that focuses on extracting industrial minerals and gemstones. Her company extracts and refines valuable and semi-valuable gemstones, increasing their worth by cutting, polishing, and sculpting. Alongside its commercial endeavors, Piramen Ventures is dedicated to assisting artisanal and small-scale miners through training in gemstone identification, safer mining methods, and enhanced productivity practices. Her knowledge in gemstone extraction and enhancement has established her as a top entrepreneur in Nigeria’s mineral sector.

7. Lindiwe Nakedi
Nationality: South African
Lindiwe Nakedi is the founder and managing director of Gubhani Exploration, a surface diamond drilling firm in South Africa that Black women entirely own. Her knowledge in diamond exploration and drilling has established Gubhani Exploration as a significant entity in the industry, aiding in the identification and assessment of diamond reserves. Nakedi’s leadership in a field traditionally dominated by men underscores the growing presence of women in specialized mining services.

8. Angela List
Nationality: Ghanaian
Angela List is a key player in West Africa’s mining industry, acting as the founder and CEO of Nguvu Mining Limited, a company with activities across Ghana, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Côte d’Ivoire. Nguvu Mining has positioned itself as a major gold producer in the area through subsidiaries like Adamus Resources Limited, Northern Ashanti Mining, Segala Mining Corporation, Samira Hill Gold Mine, and Poura Resources Limited. List’s leadership has prioritized innovation, ethical mining practices, and community involvement, guaranteeing that local populations gain advantages from mining operations.

9. Nombasa Tsengwa
Nationality: South Africa
Nombasa Tsengwa is an experienced leader in South Africa’s mining industry and held the position of CEO at Exxaro Resources, one of the nation’s major coal producers. She was instrumental in Exxaro’s shift to clean energy minerals, leading investments in copper, manganese, and renewable energy initiatives. Her leadership strengthened Exxaro’s dedication to sustainability during the global transition from fossil fuels. In December 2024, Tsengwa was put on precautionary leave while an independent inquiry into workplace behavior and governance standards was conducted before her final resignation in February 2025.

10. Zanele Matlala
Nationality: South African
Zanele Matlala serves as the CEO of Merafe Resources, a mining firm listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange that focuses on ferrochrome production through a partnership with Glencore. Under her leadership, Merafe has sustained its role as a significant entity in South Africa’s chrome mining industry, leveraging the nation’s extensive mineral resources. Having a finance background, Matlala was the CFO of Merafe before taking on the role of CEO in 2012. Her knowledge in financial strategy has enabled the company to manage market changes and stay profitable. As one of the rare female CEOs in mining, Matlala is a pioneer, promoting diversity and sustainable business practices within the sector.

11. Georgette Sakyi-Addo
Nationality: Ghanaian
Georgette Sakyi-Addo is a forerunner in Ghana’s mining sector, recognized for her vast expertise in mineral exploration and her support for women in the mining field. She is the creator and managing director of Georgette Barnes Ltd, a firm providing geological and mining tools to the sector. Having more than 25 years of experience in the industry, she has been instrumental in advancing responsible mining methods and empowering women within the sector. Sakyi-Addo’s efforts have garnered her multiple industry accolades, establishing her standing as a leader in the development of Ghana’s mineral resources.

12. Comfort Asokoro-Ogaji
Nationality: Nigerian
Founder of Richflood Group and a leading voice in Women in Mining Africa, Comfort Asokoro-Ogaji has built influence through advocacy and sustainable mining investments. Recognized among global inspirational women in mining, she promotes formalization of artisanal mining and greater female inclusion, helping reposition Nigeria’s solid minerals sector for structured growth.

13. Shella Maela
Nationality: South African
Through Maela Consortium, Shella Maela emphasizes responsible mineral extraction and ethical supply chains. Her business approach integrates environmental stewardship with commercial returns. By prioritizing compliance and sustainability frameworks, Maela has carved a niche in a sector increasingly pressured by ESG-conscious investors and global commodity buyers.

14. Phuti Mahanyele-Dabengwa
Nationality: South African
CEO of Naspers and former executive chair of Sigma Capital, she has played a key role in mining investment and board leadership, including past involvement with Gold Fields. Her influence spans capital allocation and corporate governance in extractives.

15. Nonkululeko Nyembezi
Nationality: South African
Nonkululeko Nyembezi, former CEO of ArcelorMittal South Africa and chair of Standard Bank Group, has held board roles in mining and industrial companies, influencing resource-linked value chains.