Women as Catalysts of Enterprise Development in Africa: Exploring Afrobeats and Amapiano Through Bandura’s Role Model Theory and Mama’s Femocracy

This study interrogates the intersection of women’s empowerment and enterprise development within Africa’s creative economy, with specific reference to the Afrobeats and Amapiano music industries. These genres, historically dominated by male participation and leadership, are increasingly shaped by female artists who function simultaneously as cultural producers, entrepreneurs, and agents of socio-economic transformation. Employing Bandura’s Role Model Theory, the paper examines how female artists embody aspirational figures whose visibility and success foster emulative pathways for emerging creatives and entrepreneurs. In parallel, Amina Mama’s theorization of femocracy is mobilized to critique and contextualize women’s collective agency in negotiating patriarchal constraints and asserting authority in cultural and economic domains. By situating these dynamics within the broader discourse of enterprise development in Africa, the paper argues that women’s participation in Afrobeats and Amapiano constitutes a critical site for reimagining entrepreneurial narratives, advancing gender equity, and contributing to the diversification of Africa’s economic futures. Drawing from documentary analysis, media coverage, music content, artist statements, personal interactions with audiences attuned to the genres, our analysis foregrounds the creative industries not only as cultural expressions but also as strategic arenas of enterprise, innovation, and continental development.