WenA Honours Mariam Babangida Legacy, Names 12 Next Rated Founders

Women Enterprise Alliance (WenA) honoured the late former First Lady Mariam Babangida on Friday while recognising 12 emerging Nigerian entrepreneurs for business development, innovation and economic growth.

The recognition falls under the 2026 Next Rated Founder initiative of the Aisha Ibrahim Babangida Founders' Award. The programme spotlights emerging business owners with innovative ideas, commercial potential and the capacity to expand into larger markets, create jobs and drive growth.

WenA, the non-governmental organisation presenting the awards, focuses on women's enterprise development. The programme also pushes mentorship and greater visibility for women-led businesses.

Who made the list?

The 12 founders operate across fashion, technology, food, culture and the creative industries:

• Temilade Salami — founder of Tuntunure, a circular fashion brand that turns discarded denim into contemporary clothing
• Fatima Babangida-Mohammed — founder of Phoenix Polo Company and Fab13 Nigeria
• Maryjane Okeke — chief executive of The Brecta Company, an event planning and experience design firm
• Uzoma Chidumaga Orii — founder of Uzoma Studio, which builds digital platforms for cultural preservation
• Juliet Elaigwu — chief executive of Attendify Tech, an event management technology company
• Aisha Sambo — communications strategist and creative director
• Grace Olofu — FG Casual & More, a fashion brand
• Joyce Jack — founder of Kjay Visuals
• Hadiza Duba — chief executive of Kore Matcha, a beverage business
• Tsemaye Jemide — founder of RaRa Ramen NG, a self-service ramen concept
• Amina Dantata — chief executive of Marmari NG, a Northern Nigerian food brand
• Aisha Jaleela Sambo — chief executive of Curated Finds, a personal shopping and procurement service sourcing products from Europe for Nigerian consumers

The businesses span sustainable fashion, digital event management, cultural preservation, food innovation and international procurement.

What do the numbers show?

The founders' profiles carry concrete traction. Salami launched Tuntunure in March 2025 and has since repurposed more than 1,000 pairs of jeans, served over 400 customers and created work for local artisans.

Orii's Uzoma Studio has built digital archives for the National Museum Lagos and the Archives of Nigerian Nationalism, using technology to widen access to historical collections.

Dantata's Marmari NG is repositioning traditional Northern Nigerian snacks, including alkaki, for contemporary consumers. Attendify Tech supplies digital tools for event registration, accreditation and attendance tracking.

What did the awards committee say?

Hajiya Zainab Jaji, chairperson of the awards steering committee, said the initiative was designed to recognise excellence, promote mentorship and raise the visibility of women's achievements.

She described the 12 founders as young entrepreneurs whose determination to build businesses despite challenges demonstrated the potential of Nigerian enterprise.

Jaji urged the recipients to use the recognition as a platform for further growth, job creation and mentorship, particularly by opening opportunities for other aspiring entrepreneurs.

She detailed five major award categories in the programme: Lifetime Achievement, Emerging Women Entrepreneurs, Innovation, Policy Impact and Advocacy, and Regional Excellence.

Investing in women entrepreneurs, she added, would generate benefits beyond individual businesses, extending to families, communities and the wider economy.

The 2026 Next Rated Founder cycle now sets a benchmark for the follow-on categories, with winners expected to convert recognition into mentorship pipelines and job creation.