A pan-African bi-monthly magazine, New African Woman magazine, will be holding the second edition of the New African Woman Awards and Forum in Dakar Senegal on the 12th and 13th of April 2017. Ahead of the awards, the organiser of the event has released the list of nominees for the 2017 New African Woman Awards. This award celebrates and honours exceptional African women who have made a positive impact and contributions in their communities, and the continent at large, in the past 12 months

From the list released, Nigeria and Kenya topped the list of nominees with 12 and 10 nominations respectively. Both countries were followed by South Africa, Somalia and Gambia, which had 8, 4 and 3 nominations respectively. The nominees were chosen in 12 categories and 68 pioneering women made the final list. A special panel will then scrutinise the list and the winners of each category will be announced on 12th of April 2017 at a gala dinner taking place in Dakar Senegal.

The nominees for this year’s award includes the new United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Amina J. Mohammed, Gambia’s doyen of democratic change, Fatoumata Jallow-Tambajang, Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Somalia’s first female presidential candidate Fadumo Dayib, Olympic gold medallist Caster Semenya and former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela. First Kenyan-owned beer factory, Tabitha Karanja, CEO of Keroche Breweries, founder of one of the country’s biggest PR firms Gina Din-Kariuki and Kenya Women Holding CEO Jennifer Riria. Surprisingly, 6-year-old Nigerian female Comedian, Emmanuella Samuel is the only Nigerian in the category of New African Woman on the Rise.

The New African Woman Awards and Forum first held in London in March last year, under the theme “Changing The Game.” The events were born from the ethos that launched New African Woman magazine nine years ago which is to boldly and positively highlight, share and represent African women’s issues, on the premise that women are an indispensable element in Africa’s growth story, and to celebrate the women contributing to that change.

Click here to see the full list of nominees

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