ARISE News Channel will mark International Women's Day 2026 with the celebration of Africa's 100 most accomplished and influential women at the 'Africa Women of Impact Awards', a high-level recognition platform that highlights leadership in governance, business, law, healthcare, technology and creative industries.
According to the official list of final award winners, the honorees represent a cross-section of African excellence, with strong representation of accomplished African women from Nigeria as well as leaders from South Africa, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Mauritius, Sudan, Côte d'Ivoire, Niger, as well as other parts of the world.
Furthermore, the awards scheduled for March 8, 2026 will bring together women whose work has shaped institutions, driven enterprise and influenced policy on the continent and globally.
Among many others in governance and public life, the list also includes former Nigerian First Lady Aisha Buhari; Executive Director of UNAIDS (Uganda), Winnie Byanyima; and South African politician and activist, Helen Zille. Their recognition signals the awards' emphasis on women who have worked at the highest levels of public policy and international engagement.
Similarly, the business and finance sector will include leaders like Ibukun Awosika, former Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria Plc; Halima Dangote, Executive Director of Dangote Group; and economist Arunma Ottehoff of the Saeed Business School, University of Oxford. Overall, their careers reflect the growing influence of African women in boardrooms and global financial institutions.
Additionally, healthcare and science will also be prominently represented. The honorees include Professor Bosade Afolabi of the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, and Dr. Iman Abujaide, physician and Chief Executive Officer of Incredible Health. Their inclusion underscores the important role women are playing in advancing medical innovation and strengthening health systems.
From the energy and regulatory sector, Oritsemeiwa Ison, Chief Executive of Commission at the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), has been listed among the award winners, highlighting progress in sectors historically dominated by men.
Creative and cultural industries will include filmmaker Kemi Adetiba and operatic soprano (The Metropolitan Opera, South Africa), Pretty Yende, who will represent Africa's expanding global cultural footprint. In technology and corporate leadership, executives such as Pamela Maynard of Microsoft MCAPS also feature on the list, reinforcing the continent's growing participation in the global knowledge economy.
Apart from corporate and political leadership, the awards will also highlight philanthropy and social enterprise. Zouaira Youssoufa, chief executive of the Aliko Dangote Foundation, is among those recognized, reflecting the programme’s focus on impact-driven leadership that extends beyond profit to community development and social transformation.
By intentionally curating a list that spans sectors and geographies, Arise's 2026 Africa Women of Impact Awards will present a structured narrative of African progress through female leadership. The honorees represent both established figures and contemporary executives shaping emerging industries, bringing a generational mix of experience and innovation.
As International Women's Day approaches, the event will serve not only as a celebration of individual achievement but also as a statement about Africa's development path. The awards seek to portray women not as peripheral contributors but as central actors in economic management, institutional reform, health care delivery, cultural production and global diplomacy.
By bringing together 100 leaders, Arise Africa is establishing the Women of Impact Awards as a benchmark recognition for excellence on the continent.
Arise's decision to unveil the list of 100 Women of Influence on International Women's Day will align the event with a global movement advocating gender equality and women's empowerment. The platform is expected to not only celebrate individual achievements but also enhance conversations around representation, access to opportunity and systemic reform.
As preparations progress, the Africa Women of Impact Awards is poised to become one of the most significant recognitions of female excellence on the continent. Convening leaders from across generations and disciplines, Arise will not only celebrate achievement, but also present a forward-looking vision of Africa, which is being shaped by women at the forefront of enterprise, governance, science, culture and philanthropy.
In doing so, the event will reaffirm a central message of International Women's Day: sustainable development and inclusive growth are inseparable from women's leadership, innovation and resilience.
Emmanuel Adeh
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