A Nigerian woman entrepreneur, Biobele Oyibo, has been honoured with the Technology Award at the 2026 Empretec Women in Business Awards, which took place during the 9th World Investment Forum in Doha, Qatar. Oyibo, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Earlybean, was recognised for her work in leveraging technology to promote financial literacy and inclusion among young people. The awards, themed 'Women-led businesses and the art of scale', celebrated women entrepreneurs driving innovation, sustainability and business growth across four categories: Leadership, Sustainability, Innovation and Technology. The event brought together entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers and business leaders to celebrate the winners and connect them with funding, markets, expertise and networks to expand their businesses. The awards highlighted the role of women-led enterprises in creating jobs, deploying new technologies and addressing economic, social and environmental challenges. Other winners included Sandra Letio of Uganda, who received the Leadership Award for building an agribusiness that works with more than 5,000 smallholder farmers; and Paula Gianserra of Argentina, winner of the Sustainability Award for advancing forest restoration through artificial intelligence, biotechnology and drone seeding. The Innovation Award went to Aisha Albinali of Qatar, Co-Founder of Wafir, for transforming traditional savings practices into a financial technology solution, and Adriana Fernandes of Brazil, Chief Executive Officer of Mátrika Special Foods, for improving access to safe, quality food for people with allergies and dietary restrictions.
The Empretec Women in Business Awards are organised by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and aim to recognise and promote the contributions of women entrepreneurs across the globe. The 2026 edition was held in Doha, Qatar, as part of the 9th World Investment Forum, an annual gathering of global investors, policymakers and business leaders focused on promoting sustainable investment and economic development.