AGRA honours women agripreneurs at 2025 WAYA Awards in Dakar
Winners from across Africa receive recognition and funding for innovations that strengthen food systems.
SENEGAL – AGRA announced the winners of the 2025 Women Agripreneurs of the Year Awards (WAYA) during the Africa Food Systems Forum in Dakar, Senegal, celebrating women leaders who are driving change in African agriculture.
This year’s competition attracted almost 2000 applicants from across the continent, with 10 winners emerging after a rigorous selection process. They represent countries including Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, Benin, and Ghana.
Each winner received part of a USD 300,000 grant shared across the categories of Grand Prize, Women Empowerment Champion, Resilient & Inspirational Leader, Outstanding Value-Adding Enterprise, Female Ag-Tech Innovator, and Rising Star.
Kenya’s Mathildah Amollo took the Grand Prize, while Uganda’s Juliet Kakwerre N Tumusiime was recognized as the Women Empowerment Champion for her work with Cheveux Organique.
Benin’s Julienne Olawolé Agossadou won the Resilient & Inspirational Leader award through her mushroom business, and Nigeria’s Roberta Edu-Oyedokun was named Outstanding Value-Adding Enterprise.
Kenya’s Joyce Waithira Rugano secured the Female Ag-Tech Innovator award with her company, Ecorich Solutions, while South Africa’s Onicca Sibanyona won the Rising Star recognition for her enterprise, Jwale Farms.
Speaking during the ceremony, AGRA President Alice Ruhweza said, “Across every category, these founders have turned constraints into thriving enterprises.
Collectively, they’ve increased annual incomes by an estimated 35 per cent, saved millions of tonnes of produce from spoilage, and delivered food to over 500,000 households across the region. Their businesses prove that innovation and resilience are alive across Africa’s food systems.
At AGRA, our role is to back them with stronger policy support, smarter finance, and access to bigger markets so they can multiply their reach and drive systemic change.”
Strengthening the pipeline
Nana Yaa Boakyewaa Amoah, Director for Gender, Youth & Inclusiveness at AGRA, emphasized the momentum among women-led businesses.
“The pipeline of women agripreneurs is deep and growing. We are seeing more technology-driven models, more regional trade links, and real evidence of job creation, especially for women and youth. VALUE4HER exists to open doors to capital, buyers, and the right networks so these women can lead from the front. Their success is vital to inclusive food systems transformation across the continent.”
Judge Martha Haile, Founder and CEO of Abze Africa, praised the quality of the applicants. “As a judge, I was consistently impressed by the ingenuity and grit on display. These women leaders faced significant barriers with an incredible ability to adapt.”
“Examples ranged from using sensors to protect bee colonies to innovating waste-to-income models. Their work goes beyond mere survival; it redefines resilience. It is a true honour to celebrate a generation of leaders who are not only building and scaling their businesses but also uplifting entire communities.”
The WAYA initiative, launched at the AGRF 2021 Summit, has become a cornerstone of AGRA’s efforts to strengthen women’s agribusiness across Africa.
As VALUE4HER’s flagship recognition platform, it continues to highlight practical solutions and expand support for women who are building viable enterprises while shaping food systems for the future.
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