Tigui Camara
Born
Conakry, Guinea
CitizenshipAmerican
Occupation(s)Mining entrepreneur, model
EmployerTigui Mining Group
Websitewww.tiguimininggroup.com

Tigui Camara, also Tiguidanké Camara, is a Guinean model and mining entrepreneur, who is chief executive officer of Tigui Mining Group and a member of the association International Women in Mining.[1][2] She is one of the youngest mining entrepreneurs in Africa, and the only woman in Guinea to own a mining company. In 2017 Jeune Afrique listed her as one of Africa's 50 Most Influential Businesswomen and in 2021 Avance Media listed her as one if its Top 100 Most Influential Women in Africa.

Early life, education and modelling career

Camara was born in Conakry, where her father was a politician and her mother was in business.[3] She started modeling when she was 12 years old..[4] Camara moved to Morocco in 1996, to study for a BA degree in Business Management.[5] After graduation, Camara moved to the United States of America, where she continued her modelling career, which lasted until the birth of her twin children in the 2000s.[3]

Mining career

In 2008 she bought a 28% share in a mining company, and formally began her career in the industry. She established the Camara Diamond Traiding Network in 2009, and a holding company Tigui Mining Group (TMG) in 2012.[3] Her companies focus on mining interests in West Africa, in particular in Guinea and Ivory Coast.[6] The company specialises in gold and diamond extraction, and has licenses to work on diamond extraction in Kérouané and Macenta.[6] In 2017 she established the TMG Foundation to manage and administer social enterprises and cooperative established as part of their investments.[7] As of 2018, future plans included investment in bauxite and iron extraction.[6]

In a 2018 interview, she discussed how: "... in the USA ..Many jewelry businesses hired me as a model and representative. Which prompted me to inquire about the jewelry's origins, techniques, and the influence that mining can have on local populations.. The answers I got pushed me to get involved in this sector."[6]

Through her companies, Camara also invests in sustainable housing and agricultural development.[8] She belongs to International Women in Mining, a global advocacy group for women working in the mining industry.[9] She also founded Women in Mining Guinea in 2013.[7] She has spoken on her career at the Africa Mining Summit and at the New York City Forum for Africa.[9]

Recognition

In 2017 Jeune Afrique listed her as one of Africa's 50 Most Influential Businesswomen.[10] In 2021, Avance Media listed her as one of its Top 100 Most Influential Women in Africa.[8] She was the only woman in Guinea who owned a mining company as of 2018, and she is one of Africa's youngest mining entrepreneurs.[7]

References

  1. ↑ "Model turns miner and strikes gold". Black Enterprise. November 3, 2014. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Vinci Hair Clinic Ghana wins Outstanding Hair Clinic of the Year". Vanguard News. December 2, 2021. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 "Aujourd'hui l'économie, le portrait – Tiguidanke Camara, un mannequin sur les sites miniers". RFI (in French). July 6, 2018. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  4. ↑ "Meet the Boss: Tiguidanke Camara, founder, Tigui Mining Group (Guinea)". How we made it in Africa. March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Tiguidanke Camara". International Women in Mining (IWiM). Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Interview avec Tiguidanke Camara, la seule femme propriétaire d'une compagnie minière en Afrique francophone". La Tribune (in French). Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  7. 1 2 3 Admin. "TIGUI CAMARA: Leading In The Male Dominated Mining Industry". African Leadership Magazine. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  8. 1 2 "Portraits d'Africaines du Top 100 des femmes les plus influentes d'Avance Media". VOA (in French). Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  9. 1 2 "Tiguidanke Camara, Chairman & CEO Tigui Mining Group (TMG) – Center for Economic & Leadership Development". Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  10. ↑ "Le classement Jeune Afrique des 50 femmes d'affaires les plus influentes du continent – Jeune Afrique". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). Retrieved January 25, 2022.
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