This week’s Woman of the Week is Tokunboh Ishmael, a Nigerian investment leader whose work has transformed the landscape of impact investing and women-focused entrepreneurship across Africa.

As the co-founder and Managing Director of Alitheia Capital, Tokunboh has spent nearly two decades proving that investing can generate both strong financial returns and meaningful social impact. Through the firm, she has supported businesses that improve access to finance, clean energy, healthcare, technology, and other essential services for underserved communities across the continent.

In 2015, she co-founded Alitheia IDF, one of Africa’s pioneering gender-lens investment funds. The fund was created to address the financing gap faced by women-led and women-owned businesses, providing capital to high-growth enterprises while promoting greater female participation in leadership and economic development. The initiative has become a model for inclusive investing across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Before launching Alitheia Capital, Tokunboh built an impressive international career in investment banking and private equity, working across Africa, Europe, and the United States. Throughout her career, she has advised on multi-billion-dollar mergers and acquisitions and has consistently championed investments that create long-term value for businesses and communities alike.

A Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Tokunboh is also a Yale World Fellow and has served on several corporate and industry boards. She has become a respected voice on responsible investing, financial inclusion, gender equity, and entrepreneurship, inspiring investors to view profitability and social impact as complementary rather than competing goals.

Her leadership philosophy centres on intentionality—believing that diverse teams, inclusive investment strategies, and access to capital can unlock Africa’s immense economic potential. Under her guidance, Alitheia Capital has invested in businesses that are creating jobs, empowering entrepreneurs, and driving sustainable growth across the continent.

Tokunboh Ishmael’s career is a testament to the power of visionary leadership and purpose-driven finance. By championing businesses that uplift communities while delivering commercial success, she continues to redefine what it means to invest in Africa’s future.