Sinawo Jack|Published
South African property finance professional Tshepiso Kobile and Nigerian investment professional Refiner Anene have won the 2026 Women in Green Building Competition, recognising their work to advance sustainable housing across Africa.
For Kobile, the achievement is also personal.
“Personally, it means my daughter gets to watch me live the principles I teach her, not just hear them,” she said.
Kobile was announced as the winner last month, alongside Anene, by the Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA), in partnership with EDGE Green Buildings, an innovation of the International Finance Corporation, which is a member of the World Bank Group.
Competition promotes women's participation in green building
Now in its fifth year, the competition aims to strengthen women’s technical skills and increase their participation in the green building sector across sub-Saharan Africa.
The winners were selected from 10 finalists based on examination results after completing training in EDGE, a green building standard developed by IFC.
Kobile, who works in property finance, infrastructure and affordable housing, advocates for sustainability to be integrated into investment decisions and for environmental outcomes to be measured in affordable housing developments.
Winners focus on sustainable, affordable housing
Anene specialises in structuring finance for infrastructure, housing and energy projects.
According to the competition announcement, she led the structuring of a $12.5 million green housing transaction with estimated impacts of supporting more than 1,000 homes and up to 1,220 jobs.
Anene said her work aims to help direct more capital towards affordable, climate-resilient housing in underserved African markets, while demonstrating that sustainability can be commercially viable.
Sustainability skills increasingly important
GBCSA Academy Education Manager Gretchen Williams said sustainability skills were increasingly important across professions that shape the built environment.
“By upskilling in sustainability tools, professionals across architecture, property and engineering, as well as those working in property finance, management and investment can play a meaningful role in embedding sustainability across the built environment,” she said.