Staff Reporter
KIGALI, Rwanda, November 14— The Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) has unveiled the recipients of the prestigious 2023 AWIEF Awards at a glamorous ceremony held on Friday night in Kigali, Rwanda.
Numerous exceptional African women entrepreneurs distinguished themselves this year by creating opportunities and making positive impacts on lives and communities, fostering growth for Africa. Out of the 24 formidable women founders and entrepreneurs selected as top finalists in September by an international and independent panel of judges, 8 winners were announced at the awards ceremony hosted at the Kigali Convention Centre in Kigali. The 24 finalists represented women founders operating in diverse sectors across 14 African countries, including Cameroon, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
The AWIEF Awards ceremony and gala dinner marked the culmination of a highly successful two-day AWIEF2023 Conference that drew more than 500 delegates from over 50 countries, with 41 of them representing African nations.
Each year, the AWIEF Awards spotlight, honour, and celebrate outstanding women entrepreneurs and business owners in Africa across various industry sectors for their economic performance and contributions to Africa’s growth and social development.
This year’s event introduced the inaugural AWIEF Lifetime Leadership Award, which was presented to Fatma Samoura, FIFA Secretary General. The award recognized her exceptional leadership and contributions to the world of sports, paying tribute to her inspiring impact and historic achievements as the first non-European, first African, and first-ever female to lead FIFA in its 116-year history.
Expressing her gratitude, Ms. Samoura said, “What an honour to receive the inaugural AWIEF Lifetime Leadership Award. This award is not just for me but for all the people who have dedicated their lives to our game and helped us transform women’s football over the last few years.”
In her acceptance speech, Ms. Samoura urged women to invest in African football, emphasizing its untapped potential and the transformative power of the sport. She encouraged women to take an active role, stating, “The ball is in your court, make it happen because you have many talents.”
Irene Ochem, AWIEF Founder and CEO, commended Ms. Samoura’s exceptional leadership in the male-dominated sports sector, stating, “Fatma Samoura has shown exceptional leadership in such a male-dominated sector as sports, and in particular, football. She is an inspirational role model for us other women, and we are truly excited about honouring and celebrating her tonight.”
The AWIEF Awards 2023 winners in various categories are:
1. Young Entrepreneur Award
– Salamba Diene, CEO, Biosene Sarl, Senegal
2. Tech Entrepreneur Award
– Kidist Tesfaye, Founder & CEO, YeneHealth, Ethiopia
3. Agri Entrepreneur Award
– Nonopa Tenza, Founder & MD, Kevinot Farming, South Africa
4. Energy Entrepreneur Award
– Ifeoma Malo, Co-Founder & CEO, Clean Technology Hub, Nigeria
5. Creative Industry Award
– Yasmina Belahsen, Founder, MayaDigital, Morocco
6. Social Entrepreneur Award
– Mundih Noelar Njohjam, Medical Doctor, Epilepsy Awareness, Aid & Research Association, Cameroon
7. Empowerment Award
– Zulfat Makarubega, Founder, University of Tourism, Technology & Business Studies, Rwanda
8. Lifetime Achievement Award
– Dalia Ibrahim, CEO, Nahdet Misr Publishing House, Egypt
Ecobank sponsored the Empowerment Award category at the AWIEF Awards 2023.
