Empowering Nigerian Trailblazers: Veuve Clicquot’s Bold Woman Award opens for entries

A new era of bold leadership is here. The Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award returns for its fourth year in Nigeria, shining a light once again on the visionaries, trailblazers, and risk-takers who are redefining industries. For over five decades, the Bold Woman Award has championed exceptional women in business, celebrating leaders who don’t just build companies but change the conversation globally. Since its inception in 1972, over 450 remarkable women have been honoured worldwide, joining a global community of Bold female leaders who thrive on innovation, resilience, and fearless ambition.  As the 2025 Bold Woman Award call for entries begins, Veuve Clicquot invites you to draw inspiration from past recipients like Affiong Williams (BWA 2022), Ndidi Nwuneli & Tarebi Alebiosu (BWA & BFA 2023), and Rewa & Florentina Agu (BWA & BFA 2024). Representing diverse fields from manufacturing to fashion, these women embody the spirit of innovation and leadership that the award celebrates. With two categories – the Bold Woman Award for established leaders (5+ years in business) and the Bold Future Award for rising entrepreneurs (under 5 years) – Veuve Clicquot recognizes and empowers women who are reshaping industries. More than just an award, this is a launchpad for influence, visibility, and invaluable connections within a global network of ambitious women. Madame Clicquot was just 27 when she took the reins of Maison Veuve Clicquot, in a time when women had no seat at the business table, nor the right to open a bank account. Instead of merely accepting the status quo and conforming to these limitations, she shattered the mould—she revolutionised the industry by pioneering vintage champagne, the riddling table, and the first known blended rosé. Her visionary spirit and relentless determination broke barriers, setting a precedent for generations of women to come—to this day, her story serves as a bold blueprint for modern entrepreneurs who dare to lead on their own terms. As part of Veuve Clicquot’s mission to empower women in business, the Maison created the Veuve Clicquot Bold International Barometer—a pioneering study launched in 2019 to track the evolution of female entrepreneurship worldwide. The Barometer, which is a key pillar of the Bold by Veuve Clicquot programme, offers critical insights into the challenges, triumphs and mindset of women entrepreneurs, helping to shape the future of female leadership. In Nigeria, the spirit of entrepreneurship is thriving. Recent insights reveal a powerful shift: Nigerian women are increasingly taking the lead in business. According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, Nigerian women are among the most entrepreneurial in the world, with a high rate of early-stage business activity, especially among young women aged 25 to 34. In a global landscape where female entrepreneurship has seen mixed progress, Nigeria stands out as a hub of ambition, resilience, and growth. Now, the Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award seeks to fuel this momentum. Businesswomen who are ready to be recognized for their business achievements are called to enter the 2025 Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award. Entries open on 30th May and close on 7th July 2025. HOW TO ENTER: To enter the Bold Woman Award, candidates must be founders or CEOs of a company for more than five years, have demonstrated transformation and evolution in their field, and supported growth for at least two years while maintaining an ethical approach to business.  To qualify for the Bold Future Award, candidates must be the founders or CEOs of a company that has been in existence for less than five years. In that time, the candidate must have made a significant contribution to the success of their company by instilling a sense of entrepreneurship and have made a tangible contribution to transformation in an existing market, while bringing ethical change to the company.  Entries open on 19th May and close on 7th July 2025. Business leaders and role models who are ready to be recognised for their remarkable success are invited to enter the Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award by completing a simple form via boldopendatabase.com/en/bold-woman-award – the Bold Open Data Base connects and elevates female entrepreneurs globally, offering visibility, networking, and community support. Applicants must be an official resident of Nigeria and the business must be based in or operating in Nigeria. The finalists will be selected by an independent panel of judges.  #VEUVECLICQUOTXWOMEN   About the Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award In 1805, Madame Clicquot took the reins of the House after the death of her husband, at a time when women did not have the right to work or even hold a bank account. Over the years, she revolutionised the sector. To mark its 200th anniversary, Veuve Clicquot decided to pay tribute to this great, daring woman, and in 1972 created the Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Award (Bold Woman Award), followed by the Clémentine Award (Bold Future Award) in 2014. For more than 50 years, the House has honoured and featured women who have built, taken on or developed a business – to date, more than 452 women across 27 countries. In response to society’s evolution since 1972, starting in 2019 the award has been part of an international program: Bold by Veuve Clicquot, a series of initiatives to generate conversations around the world, designed for more impact and inclusiveness. #FeaturedPost