Celebrating African Women Leading Change
The Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) has announced the finalists for its 2026 awards, recognizing outstanding women entrepreneurs across various sectors. These annual awards highlight contributions to inclusive economic growth and social development on the continent.
The 2026 cohort showcases a remarkable breadth of talent from diverse African markets, including Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, Tunisia, Egypt, Mauritius, Senegal, South Africa, and Eswatini. New categories reflect evolving innovation landscapes, honoring emerging leaders, tech pioneers, agricultural innovators, creative visionaries, and those driving measurable impact.
Meet the Finalists
The finalists demonstrate ingenuity across multiple domains:
Woman to Watch: Omotoke Ajidagba (10mg Health, Nigeria), Faith Nafula (Solar Spark Energy, Kenya), Rowena Turinawe (Ruka Pay, Uganda) Agri Award: Violet Awo Amoabeng (Skin Gourmet, Ghana), Stella Doreen Namulondo (Essymart Africa Business Link, Uganda), Joyce Rugano (Ecorich Solutions, Kenya) Impact for Good: Ola Brown (HealthCap Africa, Nigeria), Nada Ghammem (Bionic Soul, Tunisia), Echo Nomsa VanderWal (The Luke Commission, Eswatini) Creative Visionary: Rasha Aita (SMACRS LLC, Egypt), Renuka Methil (Forbes Africa, South Africa), Hadeer Shalaby (Freeziana, Egypt) Tech Pioneer: Varuna Devi Bangaleea (nVisionIT, Mauritius), Ndeye Fatou Mboup (The Smart Granary, Senegal), Quinter Ochieng (Chargebyte Africa, Kenya)
The inaugural Male Ally Award recognizes a champion for women’s economic empowerment—the recipient will be announced at the awards ceremony.
A distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award will also honor a visionary female leader whose career has significantly advanced Africa’s development and inspired future generations—this winner will be revealed at the gala dinner.
Join Us in Cape Town, South Africa
The 2026 AWIEF Awards ceremony and gala dinner will take place on November 11th as part of the larger AWIEF Conference (November 10-11) at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. This event brings together entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, and stakeholders from across Africa and beyond to celebrate innovation and drive inclusive economic growth.