Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) announces finalists for 2023 AWIEF Awards - AWIEF

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 24 finalists across eight categories. These outstanding women founders and business leaders operate in a diverse range of sectors and represent companies from 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 and CEO, Safi Organics, Kenya

Jovia Kisakye, CEO, Sparkle Agro Brand, Uganda

Tech Entrepreneur Award

Norah Magero, founder and CEO, Drop Access Limited, Kenya

Kathryn Malherbe, CEO, Med Sol AI Solutions, South Africa

Kidist Tesfaye, founder and CEO, YeneHealth, Ethiopia

Agri Entrepreneur Award

Chinwendu Nweke, CEO, Bridge Merchant Enterprise, Nigeria

Forget Shareka, founder, Chashi Foods, Zimbabwe

Nonopa Tenza, founder and MD, Kevinot Farming, South Africa

Energy Entrepreneur Award

Linda Mabhena-Olagunju, founder and CEO, DLO Energy Resources Group, South Africa

Ifeoma Malo, CEO, Clean Technology Hub, Nigeria

Margaret Yainkain Mansaray, founder and CEO, Women in Energy Sierra Leone Limited, Sierra Leone

Creative Industry Award

Yasmina Belahsen, founder, MayaDigital, Morocco

Gladys Chibanda, founder and CEO, Krafted Ink, Zimbabwe

Ararat Tamirat, founder and GM, Tuba By Ararat, Ethiopia

Social Entrepreneur Award

Damilola Aminat Adeyemi, co-founder and CEO, D-Olivette Global Enterprise, Nigeria

Kayumba Chiwele, founder and principal psychologist, MindAid Zambia, Zambia

Mundih Noelar Njohjam, medical doctor, Epilepsy Awareness, Aid and Research Association, Cameroon

Empowerment Award

Aya Chebbi, founder and president, Nalafem Collective, Tunisia

Zulfat Mukarubega, founder, University of Tourism, Technology and Business Studies, Rwanda

Catherine Wijnberg, founder and 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 and chair, PHARMBIOTRAC, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Uganda

Tickets for the AWIEF2023 Conference and Awards are available online at:
https://www.awieforum.org/awief-conference-2023/

For more information and media enquiries, email: gro.murofeiwa@ofni