Currently in its sixth edition, the prestigious annual AWIEF Awards 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 independent panel of judges that included two past AWIEF Lifetime Achievement Award winners, selected the 24 finalists across 8 categories. These outstanding women entrepreneurs and business leaders represent companies from a diverse range of sectors and operating in 12 different African countries: Cameroun, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.

The AWIEF Awards winners will be announced and celebrated at a special ceremony and gala dinner, sponsored by Amazon Web Services (AWS) at the AWIEF2022 conference (https://bit.ly/3vtFn4V) taking place on 26 and 27 September 2022, on-site in Cairo, Egypt and virtually.

Irene Ochem, AWIEF Founder and Chief Executive Officer, says: “We were once again highly impressed by the entries and what women entrepreneurs and business leaders are accomplishing across the African continent. Our 24 finalists embody the leadership, resilience, and innovation required for sustainable success and we are excited and proud to celebrate and honour them through our AWIEF Awards.”

Past AWIEF Lifetime Achievement Award winner and 2022 Judge, Daisy Molefhi, Founder and Vice-Chancellor, ABM University College, Botswana said: "Judging the 2022 AWIEF Awards was an eye opener to the amazing and transformative initiatives of women across the African continent."

Past AWIEF Lifetime Achievement Award winner and 2022 Judge, Margaret Hirsch, Co-founder and Executive Director, Hirsch’s Homestores, South Africa said: "I found the 2022 AWIEF Awards to be of a very high calibre. The judging was very difficult because they were all so unique in their own special way. What I looked for were women who are not only running a successful business, but who are helping other women to grow as well."

2022 AWIEF Awards Judge Dr Nevine Abdelkhalek, Dean, School of Continuing Education at Nile University, Egypt said: “It has been a valuable and enriching experience judging the 2022 AWIEF Awards. I am really glad that I was part of it and look forward to meeting the finalists in Cairo. It was very difficult to choose the best from the best. They are all impressive, with dedicated clear vision and full of passion towards what they are achieving."

The finalists for the 2022 AWIEF Awards are (names in alphabetical order):

YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR AWARD

Gisèla Van Houcke - Founder and CEO, Zuri Luxury Hair and Beauty, Rwanda
Nadine Farrag - CEO and Founder, Farahy, Egypt
Stacey Menga Onyango - Director, Minkoti Agencies Limited, Kenya

TECH ENTREPRENEUR AWARD

Faith Mokgalaka – Founder and CEO, Puno Greenery, South Africa
Sahar Salama - Founder and CEO, TPAY Mobile, Egypt
Thato Mabudusha Schermer - Co-Founder and CEO, Zoie Health Technologies, South Africa

AGRI ENTREPRENEUR AWARD

Esther Kimani - Founder, Farmer Lifeline Technologies, Kenya
Grace Kariuki - CEO, Origen Group, Kenya
Korka Diaw - President, Réseau des Agricultrices du Nord, Senegal

ENERGY ENTREPRENEUR AWARD

Diana Mbogo - Managing Director, Millennium Engineers Enterprises Limited, Tanzania
Judith Marera - Founder and CEO, Lanforce Energy, Zimbabwe
Mona Al Adawy - Founder and CEO, GeoEnergy Petroleum Services, Egypt

CREATIVE INDUSTRY AWARD

Abai Schulze  – Founder and Creative Director, ZAAF Collection, Ethiopia
Barbara Kamba-Nyathi - CEO, Bold Dialogue, Zimbabwe
Vénicia Guinot - Chairwoman, Tropics Group of Companies, South Africa

SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR AWARD

Barbara Afia Class-Peter - Founder, Honour-Barbara Centre for Speech, Ghana
Johanna Cloete - Managing Director, GEN Namibia, Namibia
Lumbie Mlambo - Founder and CEO, JB Dondolo, Zimbabwe

EMPOWERMENT AWARD

Martha Alade - Founder, Women in Technology in Nigeria (WITIN), Nigeria
Teresa Njoroge - Founder and CEO, Clean Start Solution, Kenya
Velveeta Viban - Founder and Executive Director, I’m Human Org, Cameroon

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Dalia Ibrahim - CEO, Nahdet Misr Publishing House, Egypt
Manal Amin - CEO, Arabize, Egypt
Nomhle Maggie Mliswa - CEO, Summerhill Farms, Zimbabwe

Registration and tickets for the AWIEF2022 conference and AWIEF awards (in person in Cairo or virtually) are available online at: https://bit.ly/3bkkBxH