The Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) is pleased to announce the call for nominations for the 2025 edition of the prestigious AWIEF Awards.
As an award-winning pan-African women’s economic empowerment organisation, AWIEF is committed to closing the gender gap by promoting and supporting women’s entrepreneurship and leadership in business across Africa.
The AWIEF Awards recognise, honour, and celebrate outstanding women entrepreneurs and founders for their achievements and contributions to the continent’s inclusive economic growth and sustainable development.
Nominees should be established women entrepreneurs who have demonstrated exceptional vision, leadership, innovation, and business success within their industries and sectors.
The winners of the 2025 AWIEF Awards will be announced and celebrated at a high-profile awards ceremony and gala dinner on 31 October 2025, as the grand finale of the AWIEF2025 Conference, taking place from 30 to 31 October 2025 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), Cape Town, South Africa.
Entries are now open in the following eight (8) categories:
- Young Entrepreneur Award
- Tech Entrepreneur Award
- Agri Entrepreneur Award
- Creative Industry Award
- Empowerment Award
- Energy Entrepreneur Award
- Social Entrepreneur Award
- Lifetime Achievement Award
These awards spotlight women in Africa who are breaking barriers, building successful businesses, and transforming communities through innovative, sustainable, and impactful initiatives and solutions.
“The AWIEF Awards are not just about recognition – they are about empowering and amplifying the voices of women who are boldly shaping the future of Africa,” said Irene Ochem, Founder and CEO of AWIEF.
Eligibility
Nominees must be Africa-based women entrepreneurs, founders, or business leaders who have made significant contributions to economic growth and development.
Nomination Deadline
17 July 2025 at 11:59 CAT
How to Nominate
You can either self-nominate or nominate someone else you know.
- Visit the nomination page at: https://apo-opa.co/3Ht64zt
- Click on “Submit an entry”
- Register and create a profile
- Complete the nomination form (you may save and return to it at any time)
- Submit the final entry before the deadline
All entries will be reviewed and judged by an international panel of esteemed judges.
Africa Fact: In the mid-nineteenth century, William Clarke, an English visitor to Nigeria, remarked that: “As good an article of cloth can be woven by the Yoruba weavers as by any people . . . in durability, their cloths far excel the prints and home-spuns of Manchester.”
Flyswat Briggs
Fun South African Fact: South Africa is the only country in the world to build and then decide to dismantle the whole of its nuclear weapons program.
Miss Mustard
Aikona – not on your life [eye-koh-na] or [hi-koh-na] A Zulu term used to express shock or disbelief when talking to friends or family.Example: “Aikona, why did she do that?!” / “Haikona, when?! How?!”