10 Women Tech Founders in West Africa Building AI Startups & Shaping the Future

1. Charlette N'Guessan – Côte d'Ivoire/Ghana

Founder, BACE Group

Charlette N'Guessan is one of the early African women entrepreneurs who have started their own ventures in the field of artificial intelligence and digital identities. Charlette, in 2018, founded BACE Group and developed BACE API, a remote identity verification solution based on facial recognition technology which aims to solve the problem of online identity thefts and to improve digital identity infrastructure in Africa.

• Built an AI-based identity-verification solution

• Won the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation

• Focused on African data and digital identity challenges

The experience of Charlette is a clear demonstration of the manner through which female founders of AI companies in Africa can create solutions to challenges that have not been recognized by the major international platforms. She has since been actively involved in various AI projects.

2. Marie-Reine Seshie – Ghana

Founder & CEO, Kola Market

Marie-Reine Seshie established the Kola Market to assist small businesses in addressing issues of erratic sales, inventory, and inadequate access to finance. The Ghanaian start-up has developed into an AI-based retail intelligence company, where KolaAI assists MSMEs with product decisions and business growth.

• Builds AI tools for African retailers

• Focuses particularly on women-led MSMEs

• Uses WhatsApp, SMS and voice-based access

Kola Market was funded in November 2025 by the GSMA Innovation Fund for Impactful AI for the development of its initiative to help Ghanaian MSMEs through the use of AI and indigenous knowledge, with a vision of reaching more than 10,000 MSMEs in 18 months through such a platform that will offer inventory, training, and financing tools.

The technology of Marie-Reine is therefore an example of women in AI who develop solutions for the informal economy rather than adapt technologies for the developed market.

Also Read: 5 Innovative New Age AI-driven Startups founded by Women in USA

3. Dr Stéphanie Dominique Amida Nama – Burkina Faso

Co-Founder & Managing Director, KAIROS

Dr Stéphanie Dominique Amida Nama is working on the development of AI technology at the confluence of healthcare, misinformation, and digital safety. Being from Burkina Faso, she is the co-founder and managing director of KAIROS, an innovation health company that provides the service of WobSongo which involves using AI technology to analyze harmful health misinformation.

• Uses AI to monitor health misinformation

• Supports Mooré and Dioula language content

• Focuses on young people's digital safety

WobSongo specifically revolves around the area of sexual and reproductive health, where mis-information might result in dire effects. The Venture Fund of UNICEF invested US$35,300 in the project KAIROS, helping develop and test the multi-lingual AI system. The piloting stage is supposed to include about 210–300 youth between 15 and 24 years of age.

Dr Stéphanie falls into the category of African female entrepreneurs using AI to achieve positive public health impacts.