In seven days, Lagos, Nigeria will witness the first conference of its kind on African soil, that will assemble some of the most successful female entrepreneurs and business leaders from diverse African countries and beyond, under one roof on a fundamental agenda.
The event is Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) holding at Lagos Oriental Hotel on 8th and 9th September 2015. AWIEF will also feature two Pre-Conference business capacity building workshops on 7th September.
AWIEF will assemble female enterprise and industry leaders from Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Tanzania, Togo, South Africa, Equatorial Guinea and many other African countries, with a great number coming from the African Diaspora.
The event which is easily the biggest gathering of Africa’s top female entrepreneurs and industrial giants, has the primary aim of generating innovative ideas and systemic changes in the African business environment, in order to reduce the disadvantages faced by women within the African business turf.
AWIEF 2015 is produced and hosted by ICO Conferences & Events Ltd, in partnership with International Women’s Society (IWS) Lagos, LEAP Africa and Business School Netherlands (BSN).
According to Irene Ochem, AWIEF Founder and Managing Director of ICO Conferences & Events Ltd, “it is now widely accepted that investing in women has an extensive impact on the building of strong and thriving societies. AWIEF will address women’s critical role in economic leadership and development and discuss opportunities to unleash their full potential to unlock Africa’s sustainable growth.”
Going further, Ochem explains that AWIEF will among other things highlight how educational tools, financial resources and micro and small enterprise opportunities can be expanded to support women’s inclusion and full economic participation and entrepreneurship.
Among the more than 30 astute female game changers who will be speaking at the event are:
OBIAGELI EZEKWESILI
Former VP Africa Region, World Bank & Senior Economic Advisor Open Society Foundation
ADJARATOU FATOU NDIAYE
UNWomen Deputy Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS
ONARI DUKE
Director, Empretec Nigeria Foundation (UNCTAD)
NDIDI NWUNELI
Founder/Director, LEAP Africa & Partner, Sahel Capital, Nigeria
LUCIA QUACHEY
President, Ghana Association of Women Entrepreneurs (GAWE) & Secretary General, African Federation of Women Entrepreneurs
DIVINE NDHLUKULA
Founder/Managing Director, SECURICO Security Services, Zimbabwe
AUDREY JOE-EZIGBO
Co-Founder/Executive Director, Falcon Corporation Ltd & FalconGaz Ltd
SABETHA MWANBENJA
Managing Director, Covenant Bank for Women Tanzania Ltd, Tanzania
ONYINYE IKENNA-EMEKA
General Manager, Enterprise Marketing, MTN Business Nigeria
WINIFRED AKPANI
Managing Director/CEO
NorthWest Petroleum & Gas Co. Ltd
SHIMITE BELLO
President, Quintessential Business Women Association
CANDIDE BAMEZON-LEGUEDE
President, ECOWAS Federation of Business Women and Entrepreneurs (ECOWAS-FEBWE)
DOLAPO KUKOYI
Partner, Detail Commercial Solicitors
NJIDEKA HARRY
Founder/President, Youth for Technology Foundation
FATOUMATA BA
Managing Director, Jumia Nigeria & Founder, Jumia Ivory Coast
NIKE OGUNLANA
Managing Partner, Dalmeida Ogunlana & Co.
ANITA ERSKINE
TV Presenter/Radio Host & Founder Brand Woman Africa, Ghana
ZAINAB SALEH
President, International Women’s Society (IWS) Lagos
OLUREMI ARIBISALA
Chairperson, African Women Leaders Think Tank (AWLTT)
NATHALIE CHINJE
Founder/MD, Upbeat Marketing (Pty) Ltd, South Africa
“The time has come for a paradigm shift; Africa must not continue suffering as a continent by disadvantaging women who constitute 50% of its core producers and entrepreneurs. The time has come for women to take the gauntlet and change the situation for better,” said Irene Ochem, founder & organizer of AWIEF.
Attendance as a VISITOR to the conference, which includes an exhibition, is free. Information on other modes of participation is available on the website: www.awieforum.com.
AWIEF is sponsored by MTN Business, GE, Diamond Bank, NorthWest Petroleum & Gas Co. Ltd, Falcon Corporation Ltd, Detail Commercial Solicitors, St Rita Tomato and Ladybrille.
Founded in 2007, Ladybrille® Magazine is a California based pioneer digital publication demystifying the image of Africans in the west through contemporary African fashion and celebrating the brilliant woman in business and leadership, with an emphasis on the African woman in the diaspora. Our coverage includes stories on capital, access to markets, expertise, hiring and retention, sales, marketing, and promotions.
