Nominations – PAWENpreneur Awards

Nominate the African Women Shaping Our World

Celebrate the founders, intrapreneurs, and leaders redefining business and career across Africa and the diaspora.

Free to nominate. Self-nominations welcome. Nominations close 15 August 2026.

Why nominate?

The women leading Africa forward are everywhere. In boardrooms and at decision-making tables across the continent. Building startups and scaling enterprises. Leading public institutions and reshaping entire industries. The question is not whether they exist. The question is whether their work is known, celebrated, and whether the world has a way of finding them.

Who can be nominated?

The PAWENpreneur Awards are open to African women worldwide whose work is shaping business, leadership, and impact.

An African Woman

Open to women of African descent, on the continent or across the diaspora.

A Founder, Intrapreneur, or Leader

Entrepreneurs, corporate executives, public-sector leaders, and ecosystem builders.

Demonstrated Impact

With evidence of achievement, leadership, or influence in her sector.

18 Years or Older

As of 1 July 2026. Nominations may be submitted by individuals, organisations, or the nominee herself.

“The women leading Africa forward are everywhere. The question is not whether they exist — the question is whether their work is known, celebrated, and whether the world has a way of finding them.”

For the women building, scaling, and shaping Africa’s businesses.

This category celebrates African women founders across sectors, from technology and agribusiness to creative industries and social enterprise. Whether you are scaling an established business or building from the ground up, this is your stage.

Tech Entrepreneur of the Year

For founders building businesses in software, SaaS, fintech, AI, deep-tech, and digital infrastructure.

CEOs and founders of tech startups and scale-ups across Africa

Creator & Digital Economy Entrepreneur

For founders building businesses powered by digital platforms, e-commerce, online education, and the creator economy.

Founders of digital-first brands, e-commerce, online education, and influencer-led ventures

Real Estate Entrepreneur of the Year

For founders driving impact across property development, real estate brokerage, PropTech, and real estate investment.

Property developers, real estate firm founders, PropTech founders

Agribusiness Entrepreneur of the Year

For founders across agriculture, food systems, and agri-tech, building Africa’s food and agricultural future.

Farm owners, agribusiness founders, food brand founders, agri-tech innovators

Creative Industries Entrepreneur

For founders in fashion, beauty, media, film, music, design, and the wider creative economy.

Founders of fashion houses, beauty brands, production companies, design studios

Social Entrepreneur of the Year

For founders whose businesses deliver measurable social or environmental impact alongside profit.

Founders of impact-led businesses, sustainability ventures, tech-for-good enterprises

Emerging Founder of the Year

For promising early-stage founders (businesses 1–3 years old) showing strong growth, innovation, and potential.

Early-stage founders building bold businesses with real traction

For the women leading, transforming, and elevating Africa’s organisations.

This category celebrates African women in senior corporate roles, from boardrooms to executive teams, whose leadership is driving the growth, governance, and innovation of Africa’s leading institutions.

CEO of the Year

For outstanding women CEOs leading African organisations to growth, innovation, and impact.

CEOs and Managing Directors of mid-sized to large organisations across the continent

Boardroom Leader of the Year

For women making outstanding contributions at the board level, driving governance and strategic direction.

Non-executive directors, board chairs, and governance leaders

Finance Leader of the Year

For senior finance executives advancing innovation, ethical leadership, and long-term value creation.

CFOs, finance directors, treasurers, and senior finance leaders

Tech & Digital Leader of the Year

For senior technology executives driving digital transformation and capability inside their organisations.

CIOs, CTOs, CDOs, and senior digital and technology executives

HR Leader of the Year

For senior HR and People executives shaping culture, talent, and inclusion across African organisations.

Chief People Officers, HR Directors, Heads of Talent, Heads of Diversity & Inclusion

Product Leader of the Year

For senior product executives leading the strategy, design, and delivery of products that shape Africa’s businesses.

Chief Product Officers, VPs and Heads of Product, senior product leaders

Marketing & Brand Leader of the Year

For senior marketing executives building the brands and customer relationships behind Africa’s leading organisations.

CMOs, VPs Marketing, Brand Directors, and senior communications leaders

For the women advancing change, opening doors, and lifting others as they rise.

This category celebrates African women whose leadership creates measurable impact across communities, sectors, and institutions, as well as the women building the networks and pathways that make others’ success possible.

Public Service Leader of the Year

For women in government, civil society, or institutional leadership advancing change at scale.

Senior public sector leaders, ministers, civil society leaders, and institutional reformers

Health & Wellbeing Leader of the Year

For trailblazers advancing healthcare access, women’s health, and medical innovation across Africa.

Healthcare founders, medical innovators, public health leaders, women’s health advocates

Education Leader of the Year

For women advancing education access, quality, and innovation, including STEM education for women and girls.

Education founders, school and university leaders, edtech innovators, education reformers

Diaspora Changemaker of the Year

For women of African descent living abroad who are driving impact on the continent through investment and advocacy.

African women in the diaspora investing in or championing the continent from afar

Mentor & Ecosystem Builder of the Year

For women building mentorship pathways, accelerators, networks, and platforms that lift other African women.

Mentors, ecosystem leaders, accelerator founders, investors, and community builders

These are PAWEN’s highest honours — not nominated, but selected by PAWEN to recognise extraordinary leadership across generations.

Lifetime Achievement Award

A revered African woman leader whose career has shaped business, institutions, or policy over decades.

Trailblazer Award

An African woman whose work in this generation is opening doors, shifting industries, and pioneering new ground.

PAWEN Woman of the Year

The standout winner of the night, selected by judges from across all category winners.

PAWEN Faculty of the Year

Recognising outstanding contribution from within the PAWEN faculty and academic community.

PAWEN Alumnae of the Year

Celebrating the continued excellence of a distinguished PAWEN alumnae.

The PAWEN Male Ally Honours List

Recognising the men championing African women.

The PAWEN Male Ally Honours List celebrates senior male leaders across Africa whose leadership, advocacy, sponsorship, and action are creating meaningful opportunities for African women in business, leadership, and career growth.

Key dates

Nominations open: 12th May 202
Nominations close: 11th August 2026
Judging/Evaluation Phase: August– October 2026
Summit & Exhibition: 13th November 2026
Awards Gala: 14th November 2026

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