Tonight, FORBES WOMAN AFRICA and FORBES AFRICA came together to celebrate and honor the continent’s most remarkable achievers and inspiring leaders.
To conclude a day filled with powerful speeches, insightful panel discussions, and thought-provoking presentations at the FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Leading Women Summit at Time Square in Pretoria, the red carpet was rolled out, welcoming guests who arrived in high fashion and power dressing, perfectly embodying the event’s theme.
Executive Director, FORBES AFRICA, Sid Wahi said in his opening address at SunBet Arena, Pretoria, “A decade ago, the Leading Women Summit started as a bold statement: that African women were—and always have been—central to driving innovation, entrepreneurship, and social impact. Today, we stand on the shoulders of that visionary inception and the many trailblazers who came before us. We see proof of progress everywhere: from female CEOs and entrepreneurs scaling up globally, to women running governments and reshaping industries on their own terms. Yet, we are not complacent. The global gender gap remains, and as tectonic technological shifts rewrite the future of work, Africa’s women must not simply be included—they must lead.”
Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was presented with the coveted 2025 FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Lifetime Achievement Award. As Africa’s pride, Dr Okonjo-Iweala was the first woman and the first African to take on the role of Director-General at World Trade Organization in March 2021. She is a global finance expert, an economist and international development professional with over 40 years of experience working in Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and North America.
The 2025 FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Businesswoman Award was presented to Rita Zwane for her remarkable success in the township business landscape. Where food, culture, and tradition come alive, meet Rita Zwane, the visionary Founder of Imbizo Shisanyama Busy Corner, fondly known as maZwane. A true legend in South Africa, she has paved the way as a pioneering township entrepreneur, dedicated to empowering and uplifting everyday South Africans while driving the revitalization of the township economy
The Queen of Afrobeats, Tiwa Savage walked away with the 2025 FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Media Icon Award. She combines a unique fusion of Afrobeats, R&B, soul and pop. She was handpicked by Coldplay’s Chris Martin to perform alongside Beyoncé, Ed Sheeran and JAY Z live at the Global Citizen Festival. Her upcoming album titled ‘This One Is Personal’ will be the 5th studio album for the Grammy-nominated artist.
Known to the world for being one of the most talked about entertainers in the industry, Minnie Dlamni bagged the 2025 FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Excellence in Entertainer Award for. As an entrepreneur behind the lens in South Africa’s entertainment industry, Dlamini is also an actress, Executive Producer and TV Host. She has earned herself the title of South Africa’s Diamond with over 9.3 million followers both on Instagram and Twitter. Minnie has graced the cover pages of numerous high-profile publications including FORBES AFRICA.
The 2025 FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Entertainer of the Year Award is all the way from beautiful Kenya, Sarah Hassan is a multi-award-winning actress, Producer, and TV Host. Throughout her dazzling career, she has garnered numerous accolades, including Best Actress at the Kalasha Awards in 2019 for her role in “Plan B”. Through her production company, the film she has produced, “Just In Time”, is currently streaming globally on Netflix.
Flying the flag for the youth Nissi Ogulu scooped the 2025 FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Youth Icon Award As a young person who defines the word ‘polymath, Ogulu is a musician, visual artist and entrepreneur all in one! When she is not cutting albums, she is running her company, Kemet Automotive, shaping conversations about sustainability, empowerment, and the transformative power of African ingenuity.
Proving that success runs in the family Ogulu is the youngest sister of Grammy award winning Nigerian artist, Burna Boy. Another young woman, Eniola Shokunbi took the 2025 FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Young Achiever Award. Shokunbi is proof of what you can achieve as a young leader! She is only 12 but already a children’s health advocate and innovator! Born in the US, and of Nigerian descent, she has been honoured by the Martin Luther King Jr. Foundation and is already known for her fight for cleaner air and the installation of air filters in classrooms around the world.
A FORBES AFRICA 30 Under 30 list-maker, Jessica Mshama took home the 2025 FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Technology & Innovation Award. Mshama an entrepreneur from Tanzania with a deep passion for empowering women and youth through digital skills, job opportunities, and financial education. As founder of the Assumpter Digital Schools, she has come up with digital education solutions for the next generation of leaders in Tanzania.
Tholsi Pillay, renowned talent manager, received 2025 Champion of Entertainment Promotion. Pillay’s expertise has propelled her clients to remarkable heights in the music industry. This year, she celebrated a major milestone as her client, Wouter Kellerman, won his third Grammy Award, solidifying his position as a global music icon. Pillay’s commitment to excellence and her ability to strategically position her clients in the spotlight make her a standout figure in the world of talent management and entertainment.
As a nature’s warrior, she has been on Time magazine’s list of 100 most influential women four times, and Wanjira Mathai takes home the 2025 FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Social Impact Award A noted Kenyan environmentalist, Mathai is the Managing Director for Africa and Global Partnerships at the World Resources Institute. Having worked with her mother and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Wangari Maathai, she is a formidable force in climate and development advocacy, and spearheads transformative initiatives that promote sustainable economic development.
The first receipt of the FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Champion of Change Award was Caster Semenya. For 2025, FORBESWOMAN AFRICA has awarded Dr. Glenda Gray who was the first female President and CEO of the South African Medical Research Council, leading the Council for 10 years in this role. Currently, a Professor and Director of the Infectious Disease and Oncology Research Institute at the University of the Witwatersrand, as a scientist, she has led the clinical development of HIV vaccines on the continent, and also focused on transformation and increasing diversity in science.
Leading intellectual Dr Adriana Marais was presented with the 2025 FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Academic Excellence Award,here’s a winner with ambitions beyond earth! Dr Marais is Director of the Foundation for Space Development Africa and Head of Science for the Foundation’s Africa2Moon Project which is in the running to become Africa’s first mission to the Moon. With a background in theoretical physics and currently a researcher at the University of Stellenbosch, in 2019, she also founded Proudly Human, and has visited some of the harshest and remotest locations on Earth.
The face of women’s football in Africa is also now the face of the 2025 FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Sports Award. Sue Destombes leads the charge as the Executive Director of the Council of Southern African Football Associations or COSAFA. In this role, she empowers girls and boys, men and women through football, using the COSAFA tournaments holistically to provide career pathways. Her game-changing 30-year career in football has taken her across the continent and to AFCON and CHAN competitions since 2006.
In line with the 10th edition of the Summit, the 2025 FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Change Maker of the Decade Award recognized the impactful career of Arunma Oteh. With an illustrious career on the continent and globally, Oteh is currently the Chairperson of the 124-year-old Royal African Society and holds the position of Executive In Residence & Member, Global Leadership Council at the Said Business School, University of Oxford. She was previously Vice President and Treasurer of the World Bank, and Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in Nigeria.
FORBES WOMAN AFRICA is also proud to announce a new category, The 2025 FORBES WOMAN AFRICA – Visionary Ally Award which has been awarded to Luol Deng. Deng is a former NBA star known for his leadership and community work. He actively uses his platform to promote and support women’s empowerment. Deng’s focus is on initiatives that uplift women, particularly in the areas of education and leadership. He works closely with organizations that aim to create opportunities for women and girls, ensuring they have access to resources that foster personal and professional growth. His efforts highlight his dedication to making a positive impact beyond the basketball court, advocating for gender equality and helping empower the next generation of female leaders..
Roberta Naicker, Managing Director, ABN Group, said in her closing address, “Today, we’ve shared a range of emotions—from tears to laughter—but tonight, we honor and celebrate the women who are shaping the future. We acknowledge those who have made significant contributions to historical progress and those who are breaking barriers in every industry and sector. These celebrations flowed effortlessly alongside the diverse emotions that characterized the 10th edition of our signature event.”
Managing Editor for FORBES WOMAN AFRICA and FORBES AFRICA, Renuka Methil added earlier at the summit that “as we build businesses and dreams, we know that bringing about change is always better when we do it together, and thus we have a multigenerational approach for our summits; our youngest on-stage participant through the course of today is 10 years old.”
Hosted by South African television presenter, actor, fashion designer, speaker, and model Maps Maponyane, alongside CNBC Africa senior anchor Fifi Peters, the awards were a dazzling affair. The evening featured top-tier entertainment and fine dining as powerbrokers from various industries raised their glasses to celebrate this year’s honorees.
The FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Leading Women Summit is presented by McDonald’s South Africa and powered by Visa, with ABSA as the official banking partner.
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