2021 WOMEN IN TECH AFRICA AWARDS: SEE THE FULL LIST OF WINNERS

Women in Tech Africa held the maiden edition of the Women in Tech Africa Awards over the weekend, to acknowledge amazing women who have accomplished tremendous achievements in the technology space. 

Awards Selfie

At the hybrid virtual event livestreamed from Accra Ghana, Special Guest for the ceremony, Minister of State for ICT and TVET, Rwanda Claudette Irere commended all the nominees for their phenomenal resilience throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking on the theme “Celebrating African Women in Technology: Maximizing The Benefits of a Post Pandemic Tech Boom,” she admitted how women have been  more likely to bear the brunt of childcare issues and feel pressure to be more productive despite being in hard times. She also addressed how tech companies have played a pivotal role during the pandemic and how it is important for women to take full advantage of the benefits of the “post pandemic tech boom.” She ended by congratulating all the nominees and urged them to do more to mentor young girls into STEM fields.

The awards ceremony made up of 11 categories, spanned the various regions of the African continent. Winners for each category were determined by a panel of seasoned judges, namely, Rebecca Enonchong- Founder and CEO AppsTech / Board Chair Afrilabs, Estelle Akofio- Sowah- West Africa Regional Manager, CSquared, Onica N. Makwakwa- Head of Africa Region, Alliance for Affordable Internet. It also included Fatuma Muzungu- Advisor, Strategy and Innovation, FinDev Canada, Sameera Chattun Koyratty- Managing Director, Safe Sha Training Centre/ WiTA Mauritius Chapter Lead and Precious Mdlalose- Post Investments and Value Creation Manager, IDF.

About the Awards

The awards scheme seeks to celebrate Women in Technology in Africa, who are excelling in the field at all career levels, under theme “Celebrating African Women in Technology”

Women in Tech Africa is the largest group on the continent with membership of over 5,000 across 30 countries globally with 12 Physical chapters in Ghana, Nigeria, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Somalia, Germany, Ireland, Britain, Kenya, Tanzania, Mauritius, and Cape Verde. Women in Tech Africa is also the 2018 recipient of the United Nations Equals Award for Leadership in the Women and Technology Space.

SEE FULL LIST OF WINNERS BELOW:

CIO/CTO OF THE YEAR AWARD- Titilope Fakuade, CIO MTN Liberia

CORPORATE WOMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD- Kari Tukur, Vice President MasterCard Sub Saharan Africa

MOST IMPACTFUL WOMEN IN TECH EMPOWERMENT INITIATIVE AWARD- ShEquity

OUTSTANDING WOMAN IN TECH, WEST AFRICA- Kemi Okusanya, General manager, Visa West Africa

OUTSTANDING WOMAN IN TECH DIASPORA- Brenda Zikonda, Cyber Security Consultant | Project Manager, Deloitte España

OUTSTANDING WOMAN IN TECH, NORTH AFRICA- Amal Amin Ibrahim Shendi , Professor National Research Centre, Egypt

OUTSTANDING WOMAN IN TECH SOUTH AFRICA- Yolanda Cuba, Group Regional Vice President Southern And East Africa At MTN Group

TECH ADVOCATE OF THE YEAR- Eva Sow Ebion- Director #I4Policy

TECH ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR- Temie Giwa – Tubosun- Founder, Lifebank Nigeria

WOMAN IN TECH STARTUP OF THE YEAR- Ama Dadson, Founder Akoobooks

WOMAN IN TECH TO WATCH- Vera Baker, Venture Capital Investor, Jua Fund

PRESS RELEASE : WOMEN IN TECH AFRICA AWARDS NOMINEES ANNOUNCED

Nominations for the Women in Tech Africa Awards 2021 have been announced. There are 30 nominees across 11 categories with nominations spanning the African continent, as well as the diaspora. The full list of nominees follows this release.

We received more than 150 heartwarming and impressive nominations, leaving the task of shortlisting and the determination of winners to our judging panel of seasoned professionals in the field.

This year’s judging panel includes:

Rebecca Enonchong – Founder and CEO AppsTech / Board Chair Afrilabs

Estelle Akofio- Sowah– West Africa Regional Manager, CSquared

Onica N. Makwakwa– Head of Africa Region, Alliance for Affordable Internet

Fatuma Muzungu– Advisor, Strategy and Innovation, FinDev Canada

Sameera Chattun Koyratty– Managing Director, Safe Sha Training Centre/ WiTA Mauritius Chapter Lead

Precious Mdlalose– Post Investments and Value Creation Manager, IDF

We wish to congratulate all the nominees! We are especially proud to recognize and honour these amazing women doing exceptionally well in their respective fields. Winners will be announced in a virtual ceremony on 31 July 21, 2021 in Accra, Ghana.

About the Awards

In partnership with FindevCanada, the awards scheme seeks to celebrate Women in Technology in Africa, who are excelling in the field at all career levels, under theme “Celebrating African Women in Technology”

Women in Tech Africa is the largest group on the continent with membership of over 5,000 across 30 countries globally with 12 Physical chapters in Ghana, Nigeria, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Somalia, Germany, Ireland, Britain, Kenya, Tanzania, Mauritius, and Cape Verde. Women in Tech Africa is also the 2018 recipient of the United Nations Equals Award for Leadership in the Women and Technology Space.

NOMINEES

CIO/CTO OF THE YEAR AWARD

  • Titilope Fakuade,  CIO MTN Liberia  
  • May Govender, CIO for Card and Payments at Standard Bank South Africa
  • Itumeleng Makgati, Group Executive, Information Security   Standard Bank Group

CORPORATE WOMAN IN TECH AWARD

  • Kari Tukur- Vice President, Mastercard, Sub Saharan Africa
  • Yolanda Cuba – Group Regional Vice President Southern and East Africa at MTN Group

OUTSTANDING WOMAN IN TECH, WEST AFRICA

  • Kemi Okusanya- General Manager, Visa West Africa
  • Gillian Darko- General Manager at Jumo World
  • Leona Lillian Abban – Country Manager at Microensure

OUTSTANDING WOMAN IN TECH DIASPORA 

  • Brenda Zikonda, Cyber Security Consultant | Project Manager, Deloitte España
  • Vera Baker, Venture Capital Investor- Jua Fund

OUTSTANDING WOMAN IN TECH, NORTH AFRICA

  • Amal Amin Ibrahim Shendi , Professor National Research Centre, Egypt
  • Lamia Chaari Fourati, Digital Research Center of SFAX

OUTSTANDING WOMAN IN TECH SOUTH AFRICA

  • Dr. Adriana Marais- Founder, #ProudlyHuman        
  • Aisha R. Pandor- Co-Founder at SweepSouth.com
  • Yolanda Cuba – Group Regional Vice President Southern and East Africa at MTN Group

TECH ADVOCATE OF THE YEAR

  • Edna Karijo, Emobilis Mobile Technology Institute                           
  • Eva Sow Ebion- Director #i4policy

TECH ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR

  • Charity Chitalu Mwanza, CEO Digital PayGo
  • Temie Giwa – Tubosun- Founder, Lifebank Nigeria

WOMAN IN TECH STARTUP OF THE YEAR

  • Adelaide Akinyi Odhiambo, Bluewave Insurance Agency    
  • Ama Dadson, Akoobooks      
  • Winifred Kotin, Superfluid Labs         

WOMAN IN TECH TO WATCH AWARD

  • Lebo Martins, Senior Project Manager iot.nxt & CEO of MiPELO
  • Mapule Malau, Founder Ladycode
  • Penina Kimani- CDO Longhorn Publishers
  • Vera Baker, Venture Capital Investor- Jua Fund

MOST IMPACTFUL WOMEN EMPOWERMENT INITIATIVE AWARD

  • ShEquity
  • The Standard Chartered Women in Tech Incubator