African Women Celebrate Strength, Call for Change at ARISE’s Women of Impact Award

*Sanwo-Olu, Edun, Obaigbena, Ooni of Ife, Oramah, others applaud awardees

Chiemelie Ezeobi, Mary Nnah, Vanessa Obioha and Esther Oluku

From governance to business, healthcare, technology and the creative industries, the ARISE News Channel, yesterday, celebrated 100 influential African women at the ‘Africa Women of Impact Awards 2026’.
Held at the Eko Convention Centre in Lagos, the awards reflected a cross section of African excellence, with honourees drawn from across the continent including Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Mauritius, Sudan, Côte d’Ivoire and Niger.
In her opening remarks, Eka Obaigbena, said, the award was not merely to mark a date but to honour the undeniable force of African women, recognising their work, brilliance, sacrifice and the quiet yet determined ways they continue to reshape societies.
She noted that in Africa, womanhood has never simply been a passage but an architecture of building, rebuilding, creating, healing, negotiating, transforming and, above all, enduring.

According to her, long before their stories were formally recorded or celebrated, African women were already holding community meetings and steering progress across the continent.
Yet, she observed that recognition has often lagged behind their immense contributions, despite their visible impact in boardrooms, classrooms, courtrooms and farms.
She added that such contributions were rarely gathered into one shared moment of acknowledgement, stressing that the ARISE News Women of Impact Awards was intended to change that by paying tribute to 100 women in honour of International Women’s Day.

Among the honourees were South African anti apartheid activist, Sophie Williams De Bruyn; Chief Executive Officer of TD Africa Distributions Ltd, Chioma Stan Ekeh; Founder of Aruwa Capital Management, Adesuwa Rhodes Okunbor; and paediatrician and Co Founder of Premier Specialists’ Medical Centre, Dr. Ehimwema Eke Aluko, among others.
Beyond celebrating their achievements, many of the awardees used their acceptance speeches to call for change and reflect on the role of women in shaping society.
Former Executive Director of Enough is Enough Nigeria, Yemi Adamolekun, urged Nigerians to reflect on the kind of country they want to build.

“I do challenge us to think about the kind of country that we want to live in, the one we want to leave our children, and the one we want the world to celebrate in the coming days,” she said.
Williams De Bruyn, who received a standing ovation, called on women to continue to uplift one another and build a legacy for future generations.

“I accept this award as testament to the power of collective action and the impact that we can have when we work towards a common goal. As an activist with the privilege of working across sectors—trade unions, academia, media—and I see first hand the difference we can make when we collaborate.
“As an African woman, I am proud to be part of the continent that is shaping the world and the future. We are not just shaping Africa, we are shaping the world and we are doing it with vision, dedication, excellence and purpose. And to the younger generation I’d say you are the future. The future is bright.

“Don’t be afraid to dream big, to take the risks and to push boundaries. Your voice matters and your contribution is crucial. Be inspired by the women who came before you. Be the inspiration of the women who would come after. This award is not just a recognition of my journey. It is a call to action. Lets work together for a healthy future and let’s set a legacy to be remembered for generations to come.”
Dr. Eke Aluko also stressed the importance of investing in the next generation, saying: “If we look after our children, we secure our future.”

Rhodes Okunbor, who emphasised the importance of financial support for women entrepreneurs, said: “The best support to give women is to back them with capital. Because when women have access to capital and leadership, the entire society is transformed.”
One of the most rousing remarks of the evening came from Stan Ekeh, who acknowledged the critical role women play and advised men that empowering women “is not charity, it is strategic wisdom.”
Founder of Women at Risk International Foundation (WARIF), Dr. Kemi DaSilva Ibru, dedicated the award to women and girls facing abuse.

She added: “This award this evening is not for me. I stand in the gap for the countless women and girls at risk. Many of them enduring horrific violence daily and forced to remain silent. This award is for them. We see you, we hear you, and we are here for you.”
Chairman of Fidelity Bank, Onwughalu Amaka, who was also honoured, reaffirmed her commitment to strengthening the financial services sector and expanding impact beyond the banking industry.
Founder of Flying Doctors, Dr. Ola Brown, while reflecting on her long standing commitment to improving healthcare across Africa, said the award has really “made me more determined to put as much energy as I can into continuing to collaborate with a lot of the doctors, scientist, healthcare experts, healthcare economists, healthcare financing experts and to continue this journey of improving healthcare in Nigeria and in Africa.

“I’d like to thank Arise Group for recognising my work. This recognition has made me even more determined to do more. I’d also like to say thank you to my husband. It’s our 10th year of marriage. Last year I took 150 flights raising capital for healthcare in Africa. He stood with me every step of the way. He is the biggest support I have in my life.”
Senior Envoy to the African Union Commissioner, Dr. Diop Bienta, reflected on three decades of advocacy for women and peace across the continent.

“I came here carrying 30 years of experience of women, who knocked on doors that were never designed to open for them. Women who built movements and, with conviction and commitment, helped make peace possible across Africa. This award belongs to them — all of them.
“Tonight is also a milestone I cannot let pass without recognition. This year marks 30 years since I founded Femmes Africa Solidarité (FAS) in Geneva, Switzerland, with the vision that Africa cannot build a peaceful continent while women’s bodies are used as weapons of war.

“What began as a vision has grown into a movement and a powerful institution that has helped reshape the legal, political and diplomatic landscape for women across the continent.
“Through FAS, we fought for a framework that tells African women clearly: your dignity is not negotiable, your body is not a battlefield, and your voice belongs in every room where decisions are made. We fought for women’s seats at the peace table — not as a courtesy or a token, but because no peace can endure without women’s leadership.

“Over the years, the world has come to see that African women are not merely victims of conflict, but architects of peace and development. I have witnessed them rebuild villages after war, negotiate ceasefires where few expected them, raise children in displacement camps, and still show up to shape the future.
“My work, including 15 years with the African Union and the past decade as Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security, is inseparable from the journey of FAS. Yet the struggle continues, because the legal instruments that guarantee women’s rights must not only be signed, but fully implemented — in every village, every courtroom and every household.”

Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission, Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, who was represented, expressed appreciation for the recognition and pledged continued commitment to excellence in the oil and gas regulatory sector.
Deputy Managing Director of Access Bank Plc, Chizoma Okoli, also commended all women within the bank who continued to break barriers and make their voices count.
Entrepreneur Tolu Coker credited her success to the support of her family and emphasised that empowering women requires tangible support.

She said the recognition was not about her alone but about the female entrepreneurs her firm supports, stressing that the most impactful way to empower women is by providing them with capital and real support, which she believes can transform society.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri Erewa, called on women to support one another and remain confident in their abilities.
“We are strong, we are determined, and we turn up for being women. Let’s claim our space, believe in our values and principles, and never let anything hold us down.”

Also, speaking, HRH Abiola Dosunmu, the Queen Mother of Lagos, advised women to remain focused and resilient.
“It’s not easy, but it’s worth it. Being in the public domain, this place, for this length of time, I’m almost 80, it’s not easy at all. And it’s not going to be easy when you’ve got to remain focused, strong, determined to own your own space.”
Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nikeiruka Onyejeocha, highlighted the often overlooked contributions of women, adding that, “Behind every successful man, there’s a woman. Most of them are not known, not seen. But I know that behind every successful man, there must be a woman.”

Former lawmaker Nnenna Ukeje encouraged more women to take up leadership positions.
“It’s never crowded at the top. The world has enough space for many more women. As we go into elections, I encourage more women to step up to the space. There’s not enough of us, but the space is open for all of us,” she said.
Humanitarian advocate Fatima Shinkafi dedicated her award to victims of a tragic poisoning incident in Zamfara State.
“I accept this award with a sense of responsibility and humility. I’d like to dedicate this award to the 400 women and children that died of poisoning in Zamfara state. It was an influence to my work, I said to myself, never again on our watch should that happen and that has inspired me to a large extent,” she said.

The evening ended on a high note as singer Asa serenaded guests with some of her hit songs.
Dignitaries present at the event included the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi; Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo Olu; Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; Professor Benedict Oramah, immediate past President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the African Export Import Bank.
Also round were the Managing Director of Providus Bank, Walter Akpani; Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination and Head of the Central Delivery Coordination Unit, Hadiza Bala Usman; and lawyer Adesua Dozie, among others.