The African Development Bank Group’s “AFAWA: Banking on Women” campaign has been honored as Africa’s best Global Campaign at the 2026 Africa SABRE Awards, held in Johannesburg, South Africa. The recognition was announced during the PRCA South Africa Conference on 17 March, celebrating the Bank’s impactful communications highlighting its Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) initiative.
The SABRE Awards, which focus on excellence in communications, public relations, and content creation across Africa, recognized the campaign for its wide global reach and compelling storytelling. The multi-city, multimedia campaign featured a series of “AFAWA Stories” videos showcased through events held in major cities including Johannesburg, New York, Paris, Rabat, and Abidjan. These videos spotlighted women entrepreneurs and financial institutions involved in AFAWA programs across countries such as Kenya, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Côte d’Ivoire.
Melissa Basque-Roux, Coordinator of the AFAWA program, emphasized that the campaign highlights how the Bank is expanding access to capital by unlocking billions of dollars in financing for women entrepreneurs across Africa. She noted that the recognition serves as motivation to continue sharing real-life success stories and demonstrating the tangible impact of AFAWA in business, banking, and social development.
AFAWA aims to address the estimated $49 billion financing gap faced by women entrepreneurs in Africa by increasing access to finance, promoting gender-responsive policies, fostering private sector partnerships, and providing skills training and mentorship to women-led businesses.
This year’s Africa SABRE Awards received over 500 entries from multinational agencies and leading African public relations firms. Jury chair Paul Holmes noted that the entries reflected the continued strength of public relations in driving social change across the continent through powerful storytelling that influences both people and policy.
In total, 25 agencies were awarded across more than 40 categories during the ceremony. Edelman’s campaign for Women For Change earned the “Best in Show” title, while South African firm Clockwork emerged as the biggest winner with four awards. Jo Brophy, Head of International Membership at PRCA, praised the event for showcasing creativity, strategic thinking, and impactful communication across Africa.
Following its Africa SABRE win, the “AFAWA: Banking on Women” campaign will now compete in the Global SABRE Awards, where it will be among the world’s top 50 public relations programs. Winners will be announced at a gala event in Miami, Florida, in October.
This marks the third communications award for the AFAWA campaign and the African Development Bank Group’s twelfth international recognition for initiatives focused on agriculture, human development, and social progress.
