For centuries, Somalia's coast served as a gateway to global trade, exporting prized treasures such as frankincense and myrrh along ancient trade routes that connected Africa to the Middle East, Asia, and Europe. Today, one woman is breathing new life into that legacy, transforming traditional knowledge into a modern wellness enterprise that spans three continents.
Suad Muhammad Ali, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Suad Silkroad, has built a thriving natural skincare and wellness business operating across Somalia, Kenya, and Canada. Her journey, however, is far more than a business success story. It is a story of resilience, healing, heritage, and an unwavering belief in Africa's potential.
As a survivor of both cervical and oesophageal cancer, Suad understands the importance of health and wellbeing in a deeply personal way. Following a life-changing health challenges in 2001, she embarked on a long journey of recovery that sparked a passion for understanding the relationship between health, prevention, and the products people use every day.
“Healing is not only about medicine. It is also about what we put on our bodies, what we eat, and how we care for ourselves.” she says.
Driven by this conviction, Suad spent years researching toxins, skin absorption, inflammation, and natural remedies. What began as a personal quest for wellness gradually evolved into a business vision rooted in African heritage and science-informed care.
In 2017, she founded Suad Silkroad in Ottawa, Canada, with a mission to create natural, toxin-free skincare products inspired by the healing properties of African ingredients. The company takes its name from the historic Silk Road trade routes that once carried Somalia’s renowned frankincense and myrrh across the world.
By 2018, Suad expanded operations into Somalia, reconnecting with indigenous raw materials and traditional knowledge systems. Two years later, the business established a presence in Kenya, creating a unique model that links diaspora expertise, branding, and market access with African production and sourcing. Today, Suad Silkroad operates retail outlets and wellness services across three countries.
At the heart of its products are natural ingredients sourced from Somalia, including frankincense, myrrh, shea butter, and African oils. Women in Puntland and Garowe play a central role in harvesting and processing these materials, ensuring that value addition remains close to the source while preserving generations of indigenous knowledge.
Beyond commercial success, the enterprise has become a vehicle for social impact. It provides employment opportunities, supports local suppliers, offers wellness services for elderly clients, and mentors young women interested in entrepreneurship.
For Suad, women’s economic empowerment and wellbeing go hand in hand. “When women feel healthy and confident, they are better positioned to lead, innovate, and invest in their families and communities,” she explains.
Her business has emerged at a time when demand for natural and ethically sourced wellness products is growing rapidly across the globe. Consumers are increasingly seeking alternatives that combine sustainability, authenticity, and quality - an opportunity Suad believes Africa is uniquely positioned to seize.
The expansion of Suad Silkroad also reflects broader regional integration efforts. With Somalia joining the East African Community in 2024, opportunities for cross-border trade, investment, and movement of goods and services continue to expand.
Yet challenges remain. Regulatory differences, certification requirements, and limited support systems for emerging sectors continue to create barriers for many small businesses seeking to expand across borders. Despite these obstacles, she remains optimistic and believes that Africa possesses the resources, knowledge, and talent needed to compete globally if entrepreneurs are given the right support and enabling environment.
“Africa does not lack knowledge or resources. What we need is belief, coordination, and systems that allow us to trade with each other.” she says.
Her vision extends far beyond skincare products. She hopes to establish training hubs for women entrepreneurs, expand digital commerce platforms, and strengthen partnerships across East Africa and the global African diaspora. Ultimately, seeing the African wellness brands earning recognition on international shelves not as niche curiosities, but as world-class products grounded in heritage, innovation, and ethical sourcing.
As one of the champions featured in the East African Community Women in Trade Champions Initiative under LIFTED - a project jointly co-financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the European Union (EU), Suad represents a new generation of entrepreneurs redefining Africa’s place in global markets. Her enterprise demonstrates how traditional knowledge, modern innovation, and regional integration can work together to create sustainable opportunities for women and communities.
From surviving life-threatening illness to building a business that spans continents, Suad Muhammad Ali has transformed personal adversity into purpose. Through Suad Silkroad, she is proving that Africa’s future can be built on its own strengths - its people, its heritage, and its ability to turn ancient wisdom into modern opportunity.
Her story is not only about wellness products. It is about reclaiming African narratives, creating value at home, and showing that with vision and determination, local resources can become global brands.