Paula Tabirih-Khoali makes history as first woman to claim top honor at Forty Under 40 Africa Awards 2026, plus Marketing win. See why her agribusiness impact inspires African entrepreneurship, trade growth, and benefits for farmers, businesses, and households.
Forty Under 40 Africa Awards reached a milestone in 2026 when Paula Tabirih-Khoali became the first woman to secure the ceremony’s highest honor, the “First Among Equals” Award, while also claiming the Marketing category. The 37-year-old Ghanaian-South African CEO of Bakari International accepted her accolades at the February 14 event in Accra, receiving a 22-karat gold-plated medal that symbolizes a breakthrough for female leadership in continental recognition platforms.
Forty Under 40 Africa Awards Celebrates Paula’s Marketing Excellence
The Marketing win at Forty Under 40 Africa Awards highlighted Tabirih-Khoali’s strategic efforts to reposition African agricultural products on global stages. Through Bakari International, a sourcing, marketing, and export agency, she connects smallholder farmers to premium international buyers, emphasizing value addition, branding, and integrity-driven promotion. Her work transforms raw produce into competitive exports, elevating visibility and pricing power for African goods in competitive markets.
Securing the “First Among Equals” at Forty Under 40 Africa Awards as the inaugural female recipient underscores a shift in acknowledging women’s contributions to Africa’s economic narrative. The award, drawn from across categories and nations, crowns standout impact among young leaders under 40. Tabirih-Khoali’s dual triumph reflects not only personal achievement but broader progress in gender equity within entrepreneurship, where women-led ventures in agribusiness often face funding, market, and recognition barriers.
Why Forty Under 40 Africa Awards Victory Matters for the Continent
Forty Under 40 Africa Awards serve as a beacon for emerging talent driving innovation across sectors. This edition, attended by dignitaries from 22 countries, amplified voices shaping Africa’s future. Tabirih-Khoali’s success spotlights agribusiness as a high-potential engine for growth, Africa holds vast arable land yet exports mostly unprocessed commodities, capturing low value. By focusing on strategic marketing and global linkages, her model addresses key challenges: low farmer incomes, post-harvest losses, and limited market access. The recognition inspires confidence in homegrown solutions and encourages investment in youth-led, purpose-driven enterprises that prioritize sustainability and inclusivity.
Forty Under 40 Africa Awards Boosts Agribusiness and Trade Businesses
Businesses in agriculture, export, and value chains stand to gain momentum from the spotlight on Forty Under 40 Africa Awards winner. Tabirih-Khoali’s approach demonstrates viable paths to premium pricing through branding and quality standards, helping processors, exporters, and cooperatives attract better deals and partnerships. Increased visibility draws investor interest, potentially unlocking capital for scaling operations, adopting technology, or expanding into new markets. For SMEs in rural supply chains, such models reduce dependency on middlemen, stabilize revenues, and foster job creation in logistics, packaging, and certification, vital for economic diversification beyond raw exports.
Forty Under 40 Africa Awards Inspires Households and Farmers
Households connected to agriculture feel the ripple effects of achievements like Tabirih-Khoali’s at Forty Under 40 Africa Awards. Smallholder farmers, often the backbone of rural economies, benefit when their produce gains international respect and fairer returns, improving family incomes, nutrition, and education access. In Ghana, South Africa, and across sourcing networks, higher earnings from exports can ease household pressures from volatile local prices or climate risks. The win also motivates young entrepreneurs, particularly women, to pursue agribusiness ventures, creating role models that encourage skill-building, innovation, and community-led development. Long-term, stronger agricultural trade supports food security, reduces import reliance, and stabilizes consumer prices for staples.
Tabirih-Khoali dedicated her Forty Under 40 Africa Awards wins to farmers, partners, faith, and Africa’s trade future, signaling continued momentum. Her vision, that African products can lead globally when backed by strategy and integrity, resonates amid continent-wide pushes for AfCFTA implementation and value-added industrialization. Challenges remain: scaling export infrastructure, navigating trade barriers, and ensuring inclusive benefits. Yet this historic moment at Forty Under 40 Africa Awards proves bold, ethical entrepreneurship can reshape narratives and deliver tangible progress.
For Africa, the recognition reinforces that youth, especially women, are central to unlocking agricultural potential. Tabirih-Khoali’s story encourages stakeholders, governments, investors, NGOs, to support similar initiatives, paving the way for resilient economies where businesses thrive on global competitiveness and households enjoy greater prosperity from the continent’s abundant resources.
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