The organizers of the Africa Safety Award for Excellence (AfriSAFE 2026) and the Africa Safety Congress have officially announced the independent Board of Judges tasked with selecting the champions of Health, Safety, Security, Environment, and Sustainability (HSSES) across the continent and beyond.
This year’s panel steps into their role following a landmark milestone, with AfriSAFE 2026 receiving a total of 14,607 nominations from individuals and corporate organizations. The nominations comprised 8,721 individual entries and 5,886 corporate organization entries, spanning all five African sub-regions North, South, East, West and Central Africa as well as 45+ African nations and members of the global African diaspora across Europe, the Americas and the Middle East.
The nominations have been carefully reviewed and narrowed down to a shortlist of outstanding companies and individuals.
The judges will then subject each shortlisted entry to a rigorous vetting process to determine the final winners in each category. Entries will be assessed across key areas including leadership commitment to safety, workforce training and development, safety awareness and advocacy, employee health, welfare and well-being, community safety initiatives, corporate social responsibility, sustainability, innovation, and measurable efforts to protect lives and create safer workplaces and communities.
Meet the AfriSAFE 2026 Board of Judges
1. Mrs. Nofisat Arogundade
Qualifications: BSc, MBA, FISPN, FOSHA, FSGI, MNIM
Profile & Expertise: Retired Director of Occupational Safety and Health at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Nigeria (35 years of public service). Pioneer developer of Nigeria’s first National Profile on OSH. Served as an AfriSAFE judge since 2020.
Judicial Focus: National safety policies, inspection frameworks, and public sector governance.
2. David Foy
Qualifications: FIOSH, FIIRSM, MIFSM
Profile & Expertise: Head of Health and Safety at the University of Lancashire, Preston, UK. Fellow of IOSH and IIRSM, award ambassador for RoSPA, and board member for Safety Groups UK. A long-serving AfriSAFE judge since 2020 known for objective, evidence-based evaluations.
Judicial Focus: International safety standards, higher education HSE frameworks, and global diaspora entries.
3. Dr. Elizabeth Lungu-Nkumbula
Qualifications: PhD, Finance & Executive Management
Profile & Expertise: Chairperson of the Africa Vision Zero Network and former Commissioner & CEO of Zambia’s Workers’ Compensation Fund Control Board (WCFCB). Expert in executive leadership, workplace accident prevention, and workers’ social security.
Judicial Focus: Vision Zero initiatives, workplace compensation models, and corporate safety governance.
4. Prof. Gloria J. Browne-Marshall
Qualifications: Tenured Professor, Constitutional Law & Civil Rights Attorney
Profile & Expertise: Award-winning author, playwright, and Professor at John Jay College (CUNY). Global commentator for CNN, BBC, and Deutsche Welle. Expert in constitutional law, human rights, and social justice. Serves as Chief Observer on the panel.
Judicial Focus: Worker rights, legal compliance, corporate ethics, and social justice in the workplace.
5. Wale Bakare
Qualifications: Certified ISO 45001 Lead Auditor, Fellow (ECRMI)
Profile & Expertise: HSE Management Systems Specialist with 20+ years across the UK, UAE, Turkey, and Africa. Lead consultant on international agency projects (World Bank, France Development Bank). Prolific essayist, columnist, and former advisor to the Lagos State Safety Commission.
Judicial Focus: Management systems auditing, public-private infrastructure safety, and technical compliance.
6. Mary J. Stine, MS OSH, ASP
Qualifications: Master’s in OSH (UCLA / Penn State), ASP (BCSP USA)
Profile & Expertise: Over 19 years in health, safety, and environmental engineering across defense, aerospace, and pharmaceutical sectors. Former ASSP Leader and advocate for STEM mentoring, Generation Z workplace integration, and inclusion.
Judicial Focus: Technical safety engineering, environmental systems, and workforce diversity/mentorship initiatives.
7. Nthabiseng Mmusi
Qualifications: ISO 45001/14001/9001 Certified Practitioner
Profile & Expertise: Founder of SHE ON STANDBY, Vice Chairperson of the AfriSAFE Board, and author. Former radio host of The Safety Factor on Duma FM. Recognized for environmental stewardship (“Mma Matlakala” / Waste Queen) and mining risk management.
Judicial Focus: Mining and high-risk industry protocols, ESG strategy, waste management, and community safety.
8. Dr. Oladunni Owo
Qualifications: PhD, Energy Strategy & Operations Specialist
Profile & Expertise: Founding National President of Women in Energy, Oil and Gas (WEOG) Nigeria, and CEO of Blackgold Energy Authorities & Advisory Consult. 20+ years in energy, supply chain logistics, and industrial operational strategy.
Judicial Focus: Energy sector safety, industrial supply chain resilience, and operational sustainability.
9. Engr. Dr. (Mrs.) Miriam Eduful
Qualifications: PhD, FGhISEP, F OSHA UK, F PE IET GH, SIEEE, SEMP
Profile & Expertise: National President of the Ghana Institute of Safety and Environmental Professionals (GhISEP) and General Manager for Safety, Health and Environment at the Electricity Company of Ghana. Holds a PhD in Operations Management and brings extensive power distribution engineering experience alongside a passionate advocacy for disability inclusion and arc-flash safety.
Judicial Focus: Electrical and power infrastructure safety, sustainable energy practices, environmental stewardship, and inclusive workplace ergonomics.
A Bench Built on Integrity and Purpose
Beyond their impressive credentials, the judging panel is united by a shared commitment to human-centric safety values. Each member operates under strict recusal guidelines to ensure total impartiality across all award categories.
About AfriSAFE 2026
AfriSAFE 2026, the 8th edition of the Africa Safety Congress and Awards, will take place on 5 and 6 November 2026 at Labadi Beach Hotel, Accra, Ghana.
The event will bring together safety professionals, businesses, government representatives and other industry stakeholders for two days of Learning, Networking, Tourism and Celebration.
The theme for AfriSAFE 2026 is “Safeguarding Lives, Securing the Future.”
Our Key sponsors
The event is being is endorsed by: Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment (Nigeria), Nigeria House Committee on Safety Standard, Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), Ministry of Labour & Social Security (Zambia), Directorate of Occupational Safety & Health (Kenya), Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations (Ghana) and Africa Vision Zero Network.
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