Mauritanian expert in gender, social inclusion and economic development, Binta Baba Sy belongs to this generation of African women who link equality to economic performance. Trained as a lawyer, with degrees from the University Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and the University of Perpignan, she also holds a master’s degree in Gender, Migration and Human Rights from the Complutense University of Madrid.
For over fifteen years, Binta Baba Sy has been supporting public institutions, banks and international partners in integrating gender and social inclusion into economic policies and development programs. As the founder and CEO of Debbo Consulting, a social and solidarity-focused firm specialized in integrating gender into investment strategies and public policies in West Africa, she advocates a clear belief: equality is not only a social issue, but a powerful lever for economic and institutional transformation. When speaking to young girls tempted by entrepreneurial adventure, her message is direct and pragmatic. First, believe in your ability to create value: entrepreneurship, she reminds, does not necessarily start with great resources, but often with a simple idea, a skill, or a need identified in one’s community. Next, educate yourself and master the economic basics of a project – management, financing, market, networking – because entrepreneurship is a continuous learning process. She also emphasizes the importance of not moving forward alone: networks, alliances, and partnerships are often the true accelerators of success.
Lastly, Binta Baba Sy encourages young female entrepreneurs to accept the inherent obstacles in the entrepreneurial journey. Every difficulty, she says, can become an opportunity to learn and strengthen one’s vision. For Binta Baba Sy, a Fellow of the 2026 Cartier Women’s Initiative, Africa needs ambitious and innovative female entrepreneurs: their success goes beyond individual trajectories to become a driver of economic and social transformation for the entire continent. “Equality cannot wait for generations. It is built now, through action,” she declares to Financialafrik.
