List of the first women holders of political offices in Africa

Antiquity • Monarch – Tin Hinan – 4th century Republic • Secretary of State of Social Affairs – Z'hour Ounissi – 1982 • Vice-Minister of Education – Leila Khira Taib – 1984 • Minister of Family and Women – Mounia Meslem – 2014 • Minister of Post, Information Technology and Communication Women – Zahra Dardouri – 2014 • Minister of Tourism – Nouria Yamina Zerhouni – 2014 • Minister of Artisana & Handicrafts – Aish Tabagho – 2014 == Angola ==

• Vice-Minister of Internal Trade – Maria Mambo Café – 1977 • Minister of Social Affairs – Maria Mambo Café – 1982 ==Benin==

• Minister of Public Health – Rafiatou Karimou – 1989 • Minister of Labour and Social Affairs – Veronique Ahayo Ahogo – 1990–1993 • Minister of Education and Scientific Research – Conceptia Ouinsou – 1998 ==Botswana==

• Minister of Trade and Industry – Gaositwe K.T. Chiepe – 1974 • Foreign minister – Gaositwe K.T. Chiepe – 1985 • Minister of Local Government, Lands and Housing – Margaret Nasha – 1997–1998 • Minister of Justice – Lesego Motsumi – 2010–2011 ==Burkina Faso==

• Minister of Social Welfare, Housing and Labour – Célestine Ouezzin Coulibaly – 1958 • Minister of Social Affairs and the Condition of Women – Madame Traoré Moïse Alassane – 1978–1989 • Minister of Finance – Bintou Sango – 1988–1999 ==Burundi==

• Minister for Women's Questions – Euphrasie Kandeke – 1982 • Prime Minister – Sylvie Kinigi – 1993 • President (acting) – Sylvie Kinigi – 1993 • Minister of Justice – Clotilde Niragira – 2005–2007 • Foreign minister – Antoinette Batumubwira – 2006 ==Cameroon==

• Member of Parliament (appointed) – Dorcas Idowu – 1955 • Member of Parliament (elected) – Julienne Keutcha – 1960 • Vice-Minister of Health and Public Welfare – Delphine Zanga Tsogo – 1970 • Minister of Social Affairs – Delphine Zanga Tsogo – 1975 ==Cape Verde==

• Minister for Fisheries, Agriculture and Rural Development – Maria Helena Nobre de Morais Querido Semedo – 1993 • Minister of Justice – Januaria Moreira – 1999–2001 • Foreign minister – Fátima Veiga – 2002 • Defence minister – Cristina Fontes Lima – 2006 ==Central African Republic==

• Member of Parliament – Marthe Matongo – 1964 • Government minister (Social Affairs) – Marie-Joséphe Franck – 1970 • Prime Minister – Elisabeth Domitien – 1975 • Foreign minister – Léonie Banga-Bothy – 2013 • Head of State – Catherine Samba-Panza – 2014 • Minister of Justice – Isabelle Gaudeuille – 2014–2016 ==Chad==

• Minister of Parliament – Bourkou Louise Kabo – 1962 • Minister of Social Affairs and Women – Fatimé Kimto – 1982–1984 • Minister for Finance and Computer-Industry – Alina Mangodjo – 1994–1995 • Minister of Planning and Communication – Mariam Mahamat Nour – 1994–1996 • Minister of Environment and Water – Mariam Mahamat Nour – 1997–1998 • Minister of Youth and Sport – Koya Maiboula Dabovlai – 1999–2000 • Minister of Touristic Development – Akia Abouna – 2002–2003 • Minister of General State Control and Moralisation – Mariam Ali Moussa – 2004–2005 ==Comoros==

• Secretary of State for Population and the Condition of Women – Sittou Raghadat Mohamed – 1991 (First female appointed to a senior government position) • Minister of Social Affairs, Labour and Employment – Sittou Raghadat Mohamed – 1993 ==Congo-Brazzaville==

• Members of Parliament – Micheline Golengo, Pierrette Kombo and Mambou Aimée Gnali – 1963 • Minister of Public Service – Charlotte Kisimba – 1970 • Minister of Social Affairs – Emilie Manima – 1975 • Minister of Primary Education – Bernadette Bayone – 1984 • Minister of Labour and Social Affairs – Jeanne Dambendzet – 1989 ==Democratic Republic of the Congo==

Zaire • Minister of Social Affairs – Sophie Kanza – 1967 • Foreign minister – Ekila Liyonda – 1987 Republic • Chief of Staff (Prime Minister) – Marie-Thérèse Nlandu Mpolo Nene • Speaker of the National Assembly – Jeanine Mabunda – 2019 == Djibouti ==

• Deputy Head of State – Khadija Abeba – 1992 • Cabinet member (Minister-Delegate for the Promotion of Women, Family and Social Affairs) – Hawa Ahmed Youssouf – 1999 • Cabinet Minister (Minister in charge of the Promotion of Women, Family Welfare and Social Affairs) – Aïcha Mohamed Robleh – 2005 • Minister of National Education and Higher Learning – Nimo Boulhan Houssein – 2009–2011 • Minister of Settlements, Urbanisation and Environment – Hasna Barkat Daoud – 2009–2013 ==Egypt==

Ancient • Pharaoh (monarch) – Sobekneferu – 1806 BC '(First known female Head of State in history)' Republic • Member of Parliament – Rawya Ateya and Amina Shukri – 1957 (First female Member of Parliament in the Arab world) • Minister (for Social Affairs) – Dr. Hikmat Abu Zayd – 1962–1965 • Ambassador of Egypt – Aisha Rateb – 1979 • Minister of State for Scientific Research – Venice Kamel Gouda – 1993–1998 • Governor – Nadia Ahmed Abdou –2013 ==Equatorial Guinea==

• Member of Parliament – Cristina Makoli and Lorenza Matute – 1968 • Minister of Women's Participation – Christina Ndjombe Ndjangani – 1978 • Minister of Labour and Employment – Evangelina Oyo Ebule – 2006–2008 • Minister of Justice – Evangelina Filomena Oyo Ebule – 2015–2018 ==Eritrea==

• Minister of Justice – Fozia Hashim – 1993 • Minister of Tourism – Worku Tesfamichael – 1994–1997 • Minister of Labour and Human Welfare – Askalu Menkerios – ==Ethiopia==

• Monarch – Empress Zewditu – 1916 • Member of Parliament – Senedu Gebru – 1957 • Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs – Youdith Imre – 1966 • Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs – Youdith Imre – 1971 • President – Sahle-Work Zewde – 2018 • Mayor of Addis Ababa – Adanech Abebe – 2021 ==Gabon==

• Member of Parliament – Virginie Ambougou and Antoinette Tsono – 1961 • Minister of Social Affairs and Women – Antoniette Oliveira – 1980 • Minister of Justice – Sophie Diouly – 1987–1989 • Foreign minister – Pascaline Mferri Bongo – 1991 • Minister of Public Health and Population – Lucie M'ba – 1991–1992 • Speaker of the Senate – Rose Francine Rogombé – 2009 • Minister of National Defense – Angélique Ngoma – 2009–2011 ==The Gambia==

• Member of Parliament – Lucretia St. Clair Joof – 1968 • Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture – Louise N'Jie – 1982 • Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Gambia – Hawa Sisay-Sabally 1996–1998 • Vice President – Isatou Njie-Saidy – 1997 • Foreign minister – Susan Waffa-Ogoo – 2012 • Minister of Petroleum and Natural Resources – Teneng Mba Jaiteh – 2013–2014 • Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources – Rohey John Manjang – 2022 ==Ghana==