The Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) has announced the finalists for its 2026 AWIEF Awards, according to BellaNaija. Launched in 2017, the annual awards recognize and celebrate women entrepreneurs and business owners across Africa for their achievements and contributions to inclusive economic growth on the continent. Honourees span various industry sectors, with the initiative aiming to honour female leadership and innovation in African business.

AXIAN Group and the African Development Bank have launched a digital finance programme aimed at supporting more than 34,000 women-led businesses across five African countries. According to TechTrends KE, the initiative is backed by the bank's Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) programme and seeks to address persistent financing and digital inclusion gaps affecting women entrepreneurs on the continent.

Wetech Women Foundation, in collaboration with the UK-Nigeria Tech Hub, has launched the PitchHer Investment Readiness Program aimed at equipping Nigerian women founders with the necessary skills to raise capital. This initiative seeks to support and empower women entrepreneurs in Nigeria's tech sector.

Huawei South Africa has launched the sixth iteration of its Women in Tech programme for the 2026 cohort, this year themed HERabytes. According to htxt.africa, the initiative focused on demystifying artificial intelligence for participants and empowering them to leverage AI capabilities in their careers. The programme, which aims to support and develop women in South Africa's technology sector, placed particular emphasis on providing local context for the AI era, helping the cohort understand and apply emerging technologies within a South African setting.

Alitheia Capital has launched its W.O.M.A.N. 2026 programme, an initiative aimed at addressing funding challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in Nigeria. According to Punch, the programme connects more than 300 women-led businesses with investors and professional expertise in an effort to close persistent capital gaps. The initiative reflects broader efforts to expand access to financing for female founders, who often face greater difficulty securing investment for their enterprises.

According to TechCentral, Johannesburg's enterprise IT departments are experiencing a significant tech skills exodus, overshadowing the start-up scene in Cape Town. This trend raises concerns about the future of the tech workforce in South Africa as skilled professionals leave the region.