Bigberry Ltd Founder and Creative Director Jemima Ketiku Wins Top Female Entrepreneur Award

Folalumi Alaran in Abuja

Founder and Creative Director of Bigberry Ltd, Jemima Ketiku, has added a significant milestone to her growing list of professional achievements, receiving the Top Female Entrepreneur Award at the prestigious African Women in Real Estate Summit and Awards 2026.

The landmark event was held earlier this month in commemoration of International Women’s Day.

Jemima, whose interior design firm, Bigberry Ltd, is marking its fifth year of operations was also invited as a panelist for the summit’s headline conversation: Women Leadership in Real Estate: Navigating Policy, Power and Property. The session convened leading voices from across the continent’s real estate, development, and investment landscape.

Speaking among a distinguished cohort of industry professionals, Jemima delivered what many described as one of the evening’s most compelling contributions, reframing interior design not as a standalone discipline but as an integral component of a broader real estate ecosystem.

She emphasized that interior design represents just one segment of the real estate value chain: “As a developer, you need an engineer, an architect, a designer, a financier, a marketer, a consultant, and a legal partner to successfully execute projects.”

She further underscored that the industry functions most effectively when all these elements are strategically aligned.

Her message extended beyond business strategy, evolving into a clear call for greater female representation in positions of influence. Jemima challenged women within the industry to look beyond entrepreneurship and actively claim seats in policy discussions, governance structures, and decision-making platforms that shape urban development.

“Women must not only participate in the industry; we must also take our seats in the rooms where policies, development standards, and urban decisions are made.”

The message resonated strongly both within the room and beyond. Founded in 2021, Bigberry Ltd has established itself as a credible force within Nigeria’s interior design space, recognized for its design precision, client-focused approach, and nuanced understanding of how interiors function within the broader built environment.

Under Jemima’s leadership, the company has evolved from a vision into a respected brand, serving clients who value both aesthetic excellence and functional intelligence.

As Bigberry Ltd enters its fifth year, Jemima’s recognition at the African Women in Real Estate Summit reflects not only a personal achievement but also a broader validation of the critical role interior design professionals play in shaping the future of Africa’s cities.

Her closing words at the summit continue to resonate:

“The cities of tomorrow will be shaped by the voices that show up in the room. Women, get in the room.
We do not just design spaces; we design experiences.”