Momentum is rapidly building ahead of the inaugural Africa Women in Banking and Finance Conference and Awards (AWBFA 2026), scheduled to take place on May 8, 2026, at the Lagos Marriott Hotel, as organisers unveiled what many industry observers now describe as one of the most ambitious continental recognition platforms dedicated to women shaping Africa’s financial ecosystem.
Organised under the theme “Redefining Women’s Leadership in African Finance”, the conference will convene more than 200 high value participants, including senior banking executives, policymakers, innovators, regulators, development finance professionals and institutional leaders from Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Egypt, Zambia, Uganda and several other countries.
Beyond its scale, however, organisers insist the significance of AWBFA lies in its deliberate attempt to recognise both visible leaders and the quieter professionals who sustain banking institutions behind the scenes.
Speaking during the press briefing, Schola Andem, Chief Executive Officer of Chloe Haven, described the initiative as a strategic continental platform designed not only to celebrate achievement but also to amplify the voices and journeys of women driving transformation across Africa’s financial services ecosystem.
She explained that the awards were created to inspire the next generation while also strengthening conversations around leadership, inclusion and economic empowerment across the continent.
Similarly, Prince Dotun Akinwunmi, Managing Partner, emphasised that the programme would bring together speakers, judges and nominees drawn from diverse parts of the global financial community, including representatives from the World Bank, the African Development Bank, and institutions across New York, London and Paris.
He noted that the calibre of participants reflects the seriousness of the initiative and the continental ambition behind its design.
According to Wassila Hamdi, Co Founder of AWBFA and Manager Head of Syndications and Forfaiting at Tunis International Bank, the platform was conceived to bridge gaps across African markets while also strengthening collaboration among women professionals working across different segments of the finance value chain.
Hamdi explained that the selection process followed strict international standards and benefited from the participation of a global judging panel chaired by John McKnight, former editor at the Financial Times banking desk.
She further stated that judges drawn from Europe, the United Kingdom, the United States, South Africa and Tunisia contributed to ensuring transparency and credibility throughout the selection process.
Importantly, she stressed that the preparation for the awards involved months of structured research and database development across more than 50 African countries, enabling organisers to identify nominees across multiple professional tiers within the banking and finance ecosystem.
Providing additional insight into the award structure, Hando Erega, Chief Operating Officer of Chloe Haven, explained that the 2026 edition will spotlight women across diverse categories including Women Banker of the Year, Women on Banking Boards, Women in Central Banks, Excellence in Finance Innovation, Rising Star in Banking and Finance, and Lifetime Achievement Award amongst several others.
He added that the categories were deliberately expanded to reflect leadership contributions across several specialised areas within the financial sector rather than concentrating only on executive level visibility.
Equally significant is the conference’s commitment to recognising professionals whose work often goes unnoticed.
Organisers explained that the awards intentionally include categories such as Branch Manager of the Year, ensuring recognition extends beyond headline executives to operational leaders responsible for sustaining institutional performance at grassroots levels.
Speaking as one of the nominees, Dr Tosin Onanuga of Unity Bank, who currently serves as Branch Manager with over two decades of banking experience, described the nomination process as both reflective and empowering.
She explained that managing a banking branch involves overseeing people, managing resources and driving profitability while aligning with institutional strategy, adding that the recognition process helped highlight the contributions of professionals who are rarely celebrated publicly.
She also noted that visibility remains essential for women professionals across the industry, stressing that platforms such as AWBFA help ensure impactful work does not remain unnoticed.
Meanwhile, organisers confirmed that the conference will also feature Felicia Tamuno of The Alternative Bank as one of the speakers.
Tamuno explained that her session will focus on challenges women face in accessing finance, scaling businesses and advancing into senior leadership roles within banking institutions.
She noted that although many women enter the financial sector workforce, significantly fewer reach executive leadership levels, making structured support platforms increasingly important.
Offering a continental leadership perspective ahead of the event, Nana Abban, former Group Executive responsible for Consumer Banking across Ecobank’s 33 African markets, said she expects the conference to strengthen professional capacity development and deepen collaboration across the continent’s financial institutions.
She added that gatherings of this scale create opportunities for shared learning while strengthening leadership pipelines across Africa.
Supporting this position, Agnes Malebane, one of the judges speaking from Johannesburg, explained that reviewing nominees provided valuable insight into the depth of talent shaping Africa’s banking sector today.
She described the judging experience as motivating and professionally enriching.
Also contributing to the credibility of the programme, Dina Ben Amor, Co Founder and Judge, explained that the initiative was inspired by a desire to create a stronger platform where women in finance can share their stories, achievements and challenges while encouraging collaboration across borders.
According to organisers, AWBFA 2026 represents not just an awards ceremony but a continental leadership platform designed to connect professionals, inspire emerging leaders and strengthen recognition structures within Africa’s financial services sector.
With the inaugural edition only days away, expectations continue to rise as industry stakeholders anticipate what organisers describe as a defining moment for women’s leadership recognition in African finance