CAPE TOWN, South Africa, September 21, 2023/ — The Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) is delighted to announce the finalists for its 2023 AWIEF Awards.
Launched in 2017, the prestigious annual AWIEF Awards is an initiative to recognise, honour, and celebrate women entrepreneurs and business owners in Africa across various industry sectors for their achievements and contribution to the continent’s inclusive economic growth and social development.
An international and independent Panel of Judges selected the twenty-four (24) finalists across eight (8) categories. These outstanding women founders and business leaders operate in a diverse range of sectors and represent companies from fourteen (14) different African countries: Cameroon, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
The 2023 AWIEF Awards winners will be announced and celebrated at a special ceremony and gala dinner at the AWIEF2023 Conference and Awards, taking place on 9 and 10 November at the Kigali Convention Centre, Kigali, Rwanda.
AWIEF Founder and CEO, Irene Ochem, said: “Given the huge number and calibre of the nominations received this year, it is clear that female entrepreneurship and business leadership is thriving across Africa. It is our honour to recognise and celebrate the achievements and contributions of these women to the inclusive growth of their respective sectors, their countries and the continent’s economy.”
A member of the 2023 AWIEF Awards Panel of Judges, John-Paul Iwuoha, Founder of Smallstarter Africa, said: “As a Judge, I was thoroughly impressed by the quality of applications in all the categories. It is great to see how AWIEF continues to attract innovative women across Africa who are creating enormous value for society.”
The finalists for the 2023 AWIEF Awards are (listed in alphabetical order):
Young Entrepreneur Award
Salamba Diene, CEO, BIOSENE SARL, Senegal
Joyce Kamande, Co-founder & CEO, Safi Organics, Kenya
Jovia Kisakye, CEO, Sparkle Agro Brand, Uganda
Tech Entrepreneur Award
Norah Magero, Founder & CEO, Drop Access Limited, Kenya
Kathryn Malherbe, CEO, Med Sol AI Solutions, South Africa
Kidist Tesfaye, Founder & CEO, YeneHealth, Ethiopia
Agri Entrepreneur Award
Chinwendu Nweke, CEO, Bridge Merchant Enterprise, Nigeria
Forget Shareka, Founder, Chashi Foods, Zimbabwe
Nonopa Tenza, Founder & MD, Kevinot Farming, South Africa
Energy Entrepreneur Award
Linda Mabhena-Olagunju, Founder & CEO, DLO Energy Resources Group, South Africa
Ifeoma Malo, CEO, Clean Technology Hub, Nigeria
Margaret Yainkain Mansaray, Founder & CEO, Women in Energy Sierra Leone Limited, Sierra Leone
Creative Industry Award
Yasmina Belahsen, Founder, MayaDigital, Morocco
Gladys Chibanda, Founder & CEO, Krafted Ink, Zimbabwe
Ararat Tamirat, Founder & GM, Tuba By Ararat, Ethiopia
Social Entrepreneur Award
Damilola Aminat Adeyemi, Co-founder & CEO, D-Olivette Global Enterprise, Nigeria
Kayumba Chiwele, Founder & Principal Psychologist, MindAid Zambia, Zambia
Mundih Noelar Njohjam, Medical Doctor, Epilepsy Awareness, Aid and Research Association, Cameroon
Empowerment Award
Aya Chebbi, Founder & President, Nalafem Collective, Tunisia
Zulfat Mukarubega, Founder, University of Tourism, Technology and Business Studies, Rwanda
Catherine Wijnberg, Founder & CEO, Fetola, South Africa
Lifetime Achievement Award
Rina Gunter, Founding Partner, Gunter Attorneys, South Africa
Dalia Ibrahim, CEO, Nahdet Misr Publishing House, Egypt
Anke Weisheit, Co-founder & Chair, PHARMBIOTRAC, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Uganda
