Business

FAO Names 22 African Women Agrifood Heroes, Nigeria Missing

The UN agency recognises women from 22 African countries for contributions to agriculture, food security and rural development under its global Women Heroes initiative.

Published

3 weeks ago

October 13, 2026

OCHEFA

Screenshot 2026 10 13 18 58 24 07 40deb401b9ffe8e1df2f1cc5ba480b12

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Image credit : FAO

By Ochefa

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has recognised 22 African women among its 100 Women Heroes in Agrifood Systems and Rural Development, with Nigeria conspicuously absent from the list.

The initiative, launched to mark the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026, celebrates women whose contributions are advancing agriculture, strengthening food security and transforming rural communities worldwide.

The honourees represent diverse segments of the agrifood value chain, with achievements spanning market access, job creation, skills development, environmental conservation and the preservation of indigenous knowledge.

According to the initiative, their work demonstrates the critical role women play in building inclusive, sustainable and resilient agrifood systems.

22 African Honourees

The 22 women recognised come from different parts of the continent.

They include Teresa de Castro Vieira Mariz of Angola; Senait Gezahegn of Ethiopia; Lembie Tlhalerwa of Botswana; Simone Kountangni of Benin; and Amal Mekni of Tunisia.

Others are Grace Tumeo Bwanali of Zambia; Victoria Matebogo of South Africa; Didja Djaili Garga of Cameroon; Sanou Adiarra of Burkina Faso; and Zipporah Nyaguthii Gitonga of Kenya.

The list also features Sylvie Yakanandji of the Central African Republic; Pelegrinah Musingwini of Zimbabwe; Basamat Suliman Mursal Khalil of Sudan; Brenda Tsiba Djouassa of Gabon; and Alimata Coulibaly of Côte d’Ivoire.

Completing the list are Crescentia Mushobozi of the United Republic of Tanzania; Hasna Meeke Ahmed of Djibouti; Rozina Mebrahtu of Eritrea; Awa Jagne of The Gambia; Malerato Mary Khoeli of Lesotho; Berdiss Mohamed of Mauritania; and Nadege Uwamahoro of Rwanda.

Nigeria’s Absence Raises Questions

Despite agriculture’s importance to Nigeria’s economy and the livelihoods of millions of Nigerians, no Nigerian woman appears among the 22 African honourees identified in the list provided.

The omission raises questions about the visibility and international recognition of Nigerian women working across the agricultural value chain, from farming and processing to agribusiness, research and rural development.

Related Topics:100 Women Heroes in Agrifood Systems FAO Featured

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Business

Naira Exchange Rates Thursday, 5 Nov 2026

Published

7 hours ago

November 5, 2026

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BLACK/ PARALLEL MARKET RATES

₦1400DOLLAR (USD)

₦1830POUND (GBP)

₦1515 EURO (EUR)

₦950 CANADIAN DOLLAR (CAD)

₦70 SOUTH AFRICAN RAND (ZAR)

₦350 UAE DIRHAM (AED

₦190 Chinese YUAN (CNY)

₦100 Ghanaian CEDI (GHS)

West African CFA ₦2240 (XOF)

Central African CFA ₦2180 (XAF)

₦820 Australian Dollar AUSSIE (AUD)

Business

NNPCL wants to sell 10% equity via IPO on NGX, LSE

NNPC is expected to spend at least the whole of 2027 preparing for the proposed offering, with the listing primarily intended to strengthen corporate transparency and governance in line with Nigerian law.

Published

1 day ago

November 4, 2026

OCHEFA

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The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) is considering selling between 5% and 10% of its equity through a potential initial public offering (IPO), with the proposed listing expected to focus primarily on Nigeria’s domestic capital market.

The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd., Bashir Bayo Ojulari, disclosed this in an interview with Reuters on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, adding that the company could also pursue a secondary listing in London or New York.

The disclosure comes shortly after the Dangote Petroleum Refinery’s IPO closed on October 27, following a two-week extension of its subscription period from the initial October 13 deadline.

Ojulari indicated that raising additional capital would be a secondary consideration rather than the main reason for going public.

The company is also considering listing some of its subsidiaries separately, following a model adopted by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), the United Arab Emirates’ state-owned oil company.

Beyond the potential IPO, Ojulari disclosed that Chinese companies have expressed interest in acquiring equity stakes in some of NNPC’s smaller refineries, particularly the Port Harcourt and Warri facilities, which require substantial rehabilitation.