News Release
8th March 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ANNOUNCING THE 2026 TOP 20 INSPIRATIONAL AFRICAN DIASPORA & INDIGENOUS PROFESSIONAL WOMEN (ADIPWO)
The 2026 Top 20 Inspirational African Diaspora & Indigenous Professional Women (ADIPWO) list is here! This annual recognition honours extraordinary African women excelling across industries, driving innovation, and breaking barriers on the continent and globally.
For over a decade, ADIPWO has evolved to reflect a growing movement — African women returning home, thriving, and making a significant impact. ADIPWO now stands for African Diaspora & Indigenous Professional Women, recognising the vital contributions of both African women in the diaspora and those shaping industries at home.
This year’s cohort spans technology, health-tech, agri-food, media, science, venture capital, manufacturing, and social entrepreneurship, representing 15 countries across Africa and the global diaspora.
The 2026 ADIPWO Top 20 Honourees sorted alphabetically:
- Amina Ouro-Agoro — Agro-Processing Entrepreneur | Togo
- Angela Enam Keteku — Afro-Spiritual Singer | Ghana
- Brenda Katwesigye Baganzi — Manufacturing Entrepreneur | Uganda
- Clarisse Iribagiza — Tech Entrepreneur & CEO | Rwanda
- Eleni Gabre-Madhin — Economist & Entrepreneur | Ethiopia – USA
- Meriem Elyajouri — Astrophysicist | Morocco – USA
- Fadima Diawara — Tech Entrepreneur & Founder | Guinea – Spain
- Geogette Ochieng Ndabukiye — Manufacturing Entrepreneur | Uganda
- Lynn Ngugi — Journalist & Media Entrepreneur | Kenya
- Maïmouna Diagne — Women’s Empowerment Leader & Founder | Senegal
- Maimouna Kanté — Agri-Food Entrepreneur | Guinea – France
- Margaret Kyerematen-Debrah — Agri-Tech Entrepreneur | Ghana – United Kingdom
- Mpho Hlongwane — Automotive Engineering Entrepreneur | South Africa
- Myriam Sidibé — Social Entrepreneur & Author | Mali – Kenya
- Nichole Yembra — Venture Capital Investor | Nigeria – United Kingdom
- Ndeye Birame Sock — Tech Entrepreneur & Founder | Senegal – USA
- Norah Kimathi — Biomedical Engineer & Founder | Kenya
- Stéphanie Assi Durand — Tech Entrepreneur & Digital Innovator | Ivory Coast – USA
- Stéphanie Mbida — Entrepreneur & Business Coach | Cameroon – USA
- Ynes Hafi — Health-Tech Entrepreneur | Tunisia
Celebrating Women Who Drive Change
This year’s honourees represent diverse fields, including business, STEM, philanthropy, entertainment, environmental advocacy, and leadership.
Selected through public nominations and editorial research, these women embody excellence, resilience, and the determination to redefine what is possible. Their achievements align powerfully with the themes for International Women’s Day (IWD) 2026:
- #GiveToGain – A Call to Champion Intentional Giving for Gender Equality The IWD 2026 campaign theme, Give To Gain, frames giving not as a sacrifice but as an act of intentional multiplication. When we give respect, visibility, knowledge, funding, and opportunity to women — we all rise. The ADIPWO 2026 honourees embody this principle: each of them has invested in their communities, their industries, and the next generation of leaders.
- #Rights #Justice #Action – For All Women and Girls The United Nations’ theme for IWD 2026, “Rights, Justice, Action: For All Women and Girls,” stands in solidarity with migrant, displaced, diaspora, politically detained and women worldwide. The ADIPWO list has always celebrated women who cross borders — geographic, professional, and cultural — to build a better future for all.
Honouring Impactful Leadership
ADIPWO founder Francine Beleyi expressed her admiration for this year’s honourees:
“Each year, ADIPWO shines a spotlight on African women who do more than succeed — they redefine what is possible. Whether innovating on the continent or from across the diaspora, these women are building bridges, creating opportunities, and paving the way for a new generation of African leaders. Their journeys remind us that when we invest in women, we invest in the future of Africa and the world.”
Join the Celebration & Support Women’s Advancement
We invite you to explore the full list of ADIPWO 2026 honourees and their inspiring stories at www.francinebeleyi.com/adipwo.
In the spirit of IWD 2026, we also encourage you to support women-focused initiatives through fundraising, mentorship, and advocacy. Whether by amplifying these women’s voices, engaging in discussions about their impact, or taking action to support gender equality, everyone can play a role in giving to gain.
Let’s celebrate these trailblazing African women and keep building a future where gender equality is not a distant dream, but a reality.
#IWD2026 #ADIPWO2026 #InternationalWomenDay2026
ENDS
For more information, please contact Francine Beleyi at francine@nucleusofchange.com or on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/francinebeleyi/
About ADIPWO:
The African Diaspora Professional Women (ADIPWO) is an online forum that aims to:
- Celebrate the success of African Women across the world, including in Africa.
- Give visibility to women who have achieved success in their own way but may still be unknown by the wider public.
- Inspire the new generation of African Women and share ideas to make a difference (no matter how big or small it is).
- Contribute to Africa’s rebranding and development by identifying opportunities to transfer the vast knowledge gained outside the continent.
This forum is open to women of the African Diaspora and to anyone who has a passion for Africa development.
Join ADIPWO LinkedIn group with 500+ members to participate in the conversation.
More about the list and previous editions
About the Editor:
Francine Beleyi is the Editor and Founder of African Diaspora & Indigenous Professional Women (ADIPWO), a list started in 2011 to feature the achievements of African women in their host countries and on the continent.
Francine is an award-winning digital & change strategist, business advisor, and expert in personal branding for impact. She is leading Human Transformation in the Age of AI, helping leaders and organisations to navigate change successfully.
She is the founder of nucleus of change and author of the book ‘Personal branding in the digital age: How to become a known expert, thrive and make a difference in the connected world’. She is one of the co-authors of the book ‘Africa–Europe Cooperation and Digital Transformation’ chapter 16 ‘Fostering Prosperity for African Female Entrepreneurs: Opportunities for AU–EU Cooperation in Digital Entrepreneurship Networks.’
Follow Francine: LinkedIn com/in/francinebeleyi
For interviews and speaking requests, contact Francine@nucleusofchange.com
Francinebeleyi.com | www.nucleusofchange.com
ENDS