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Summary
The PAWENpreneur 2025 summit successfully united women from 33 African countries for a transformative day of learning, exhibition, and awards celebrating continental excellence and fostering global relevance.
The Pan African Women Empowerment Network (PAWEN) has successfully concluded the PAWENpreneur Awards & Summit 2025, a powerful hybrid event that convened women from 33 African countries. The full-day gathering focused on learning, collaboration, innovation, and celebration under the theme: “African Excellence, Global Relevance – Celebrating the Women Shaping the Future.”
The event successfully merged a Digital Summit, a vibrant Online Business Exhibition, and a prestigious purple-carpet Awards Gala Dinner, which took place at The Zone, Gbagada, Lagos.
The Summit began with an empowering spotlight interview session with Emmy® and Murrow Award-winning journalist Bofta Yimam, who called on African women to embrace their purpose: “Call yourself something before it comes through. Own it! Own your expertise! Claim it first, then it will come!”
The day featured high-impact panels led by leading African executives, founders, and thought leaders. Key session takeaways included:
Future-Ready: African Women Leading in the Age of AI: Speakers explored the realities of artificial intelligence, focusing on how entrepreneurs can integrate AI into operations and how Africa can shape global AI ethics.
Innovation Without Inclusion: What’s Missing When Women Aren’t in the Room?: Discussions centered on the financial and social cost of excluding women from decision-making, the persistent gender funding gaps, and the urgent need for intentional leadership pipelines.
Rewriting the Hormone Story: Navigating Perimenopause and Beyond: A crucial discussion on hormonal health and its direct impact on confidence, productivity, leadership, and overall well-being in African workplaces.
A special fireside chat on African Excellence and Global Relevance concluded the Summit, stressing the need for better visibility, mindset transformation, and continental collaboration to elevate African women onto global platforms.
Running alongside the Summit, the Digital Exhibition successfully showcased women-led enterprises demonstrating innovation across key sectors, including agriculture, fashion, technology, healthcare, and consulting, engaging thousands of attendees through virtual booths and live product demonstrations.
Ajoke Akinlabi, CEO of Nugi Technologies, the event’s Headline Sponsor, spoke on the exhibition’s significance: “PAWENpreneur 2025 powerfully demonstrated what is possible when women are given access, visibility and opportunity. As the headline sponsor, we are proud to sustain our commitment to this vision and continue supporting the growth of African women across industries and borders.”
A major highlight of the day was the official launch of Taruwa Marketplace, a new digital platform specifically designed to connect women farmers across Africa directly to buyers, strengthening market access and revenue pathways.
The evening culminated with the prestigious Awards Gala, honoring outstanding African women who are driving transformation across the continent. The awards recognized excellence in entrepreneurship, technology, finance, sustainability, culture, and leadership.
This year’s distinguished winners included:
Pauline Achieng Otila (African Business Excellence), Zaitun Namuwonge (Sustainable Business Leader), Omoyemi Akerele (Cultural Enterprise), Opeyemi Aminat Adebisi (Emerging Founder), Esther Chinenye Eruchie (Tech-for-Good Entrepreneur), Dr. Deborah David (Boardroom Leadership), Fiona Nuwamanya (Finance Leader of the Year), Jean Mutabazi (HR Leader of the Year), Oluwatobi Q. Shofowora (Sustainability Leader of the Year), Angela Kyerematen-Jimoh (Technology Leader of the Year), Jennifer Awirigwe (Financial Inclusion Leader), Dr. Cassandra Akinde (Women’s Health Impact Leader), Oritseweyinmi Erikowa-Orighoye (Diaspora Changemaker), Samantha Sibanda (Policy and Advocacy), Micheline Ntiru (Mentorship Champion), Debola Deji-Kurunmi (Catalyst Award), and Nike Akerele-De Souza (Platform Builder).
Special recognition awards were presented to: Mr. Ugi Augustine Ugi (Male Ally Award), Mrs. Patience Baffoe-Bonnie (Lifetime Achievement Award), Dr. Jeni Al Bahrani (Global Ally Award), Councillor Oluwayemi Adenuga (Global Changemaker Award), and Sola Adesakin (Exemplary Leadership Award).
PAWEN Founder, Oluwaseyi Kehinde-Peters, shared her reflection on the event’s success: “Watching women from over 33 African countries gather to learn, showcase innovation, and celebrate excellence was one of the most humbling moments of my life. PAWENpreneur 2025 re-affirmed my belief that when women are seen, supported, and celebrated, transformation becomes inevitable.”
Award recipients shared inspiring messages of gratitude and commitment:
Zimbabwean advocate Samantha Sibanda expressed, “Thank you, PAWEN, for creating a platform that uplifts African women leaders and celebrates the power of collective advocacy.”
Fiona Nuwamanya, Finance Leader of the Year, reflected: “Our achievements are not complete until we have lifted others to dream, act and believe they too can rise.”
Dr. Cassandra Akinde noted, “Beyond the summit and award, the real joy was connecting with phenomenal women doing incredible things across Africa. The energy, inspiration and sisterhood were unmatched.”
During the Awards, Debola Deji-Kurunmi reminded the audience that, “The more women are empowered, the more they can control wealth.”
PAWENpreneur 2025 welcomed guests both onsite and online, including respected personalities, members of the PAWEN Board, and influential leaders from across sectors.
Looking ahead, PAWEN announced the upcoming SheSuite Africa Program, with applications opening on December 1, 2025, further advancing its commitment to leadership, visibility, and opportunity for African women.
For updates, visit www.pawen.org or follow @pawencommunity across social platforms.
About PAWEN
The Pan African Women Empowerment Network (PAWEN) is a leading platform advancing women’s economic inclusion across Africa by facilitating access to opportunities, visibility, and skills development. PAWEN connects thousands of women entrepreneurs and professionals to the networks and resources they need to thrive and lead change in their communities.
About Nugi Technologies
Nugi Technologies is a forward-thinking technology company driving digital transformation and inclusion across Africa. Through proprietary solutions like Q-Loop, Syncventory, and 360Gov, Nugi empowers organizations to streamline operations and scale through smart, inclusive technology.
