AWIEF Launches Advisory Board To Advance Women’s Entrepreneurship And Long-Term Impact In Africa

The collective experience, insight, and leadership of our Advisory Board members will be invaluable as we consolidate our institutional foundations

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, January 26, 2026/APO Group/ --

The Africa Women Innovation & Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) (www.AWIEForum.org) has announced the establishment of its Advisory Board, a key step in guiding the organisation’s next phase of strategic growth and long-term impact across the African continent.

The new Advisory Board brings together a distinguished group of global leaders with extensive experience in business, policy, development, media, and innovation. The Board will provide high-level strategic guidance on AWIEF’s medium- to long-term priorities, including sustainable revenue growth, institutional strengthening, governance, and the expansion of programmes that support women’s entrepreneurship and innovation in Africa.

“The establishment of the Advisory Board marks an important milestone in AWIEF’s evolution,” said Irene Ochem, Founder & CEO of AWIEF. “The collective experience, insight, and leadership of our Advisory Board members will be invaluable as we consolidate our institutional foundations and scale our impact across Africa’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.”

AWIEF Advisory Board Members

• Fatma Samoura — Former Secretary-General, FIFA; global leader in sport, gender equity, and youth empowerment
• Dalia Ibrahim — CEO, Nahdet Misr Publishing House; Founder & CEO, EdVentures; champion for education, innovation, and Africa’s creative economy
• Awa Ndiaye-Seck — Former Special Representative UN Women to the African Union Commission & President, ADES-USA; expert in gender policy, economic inclusion, and sustainable development
• Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard — Founder & Chairman, APO Group; pan-African media and communications strategist with extensive global networks; named one of the most 100 Most Influential Africans by New African magazine in 2023 and 2024

Role of the Advisory Board

The Advisory Board has been created to support AWIEF’s growth beyond its flagship annual convenings, with a strong focus on strategic programming, partnerships, research, policy influence, and ecosystem development.

Members have been selected for their exceptional leadership, cross-sector expertise, and proven commitment to advancing gender equality and women’s economic empowerment across Africa.