The Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) competition, a charitable initiative backed by the Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Philanthropy, has reached a pivotal moment in its annual cycle. This program is dedicated to recognizing and advancing the efforts of African entrepreneurs. For the 2021 edition, the competition has meticulously chosen its top 10 finalists who will vie for a portion of the substantial US$1.5 million prize pool. These finalists are set to showcase their business acumen at the grand finale, which is scheduled to take place in Kigali, Rwanda, come December.
Since its inception in 2019, the ABH competition has been steadfast in its commitment to supporting African entrepreneurs. It does so by awarding a collective grant of US$1.5 million to 10 outstanding business minds each year. In addition to the financial support, the program offers the entrepreneurs increased visibility, specialized training sessions, mentorship, and opportunities to network, all of which are crucial for business growth and success.
This year’s competition saw an overwhelming response, with approximately 20,000 applications pouring in from entrepreneurs across all 54 countries on the African continent. From this vast pool of applicants, 50 semi-finalists were chosen in August. These semi-finalists had the opportunity to present their business ideas and strategies at a pitching event held in Cairo last week. Their presentations were evaluated by a panel of judges, who then selected the 10 most promising entrepreneurs to proceed to the final round of the competition.
They are, in alphabetical order, by country:
- Tisya Mukuna, La Kinoise – Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC);
- Hadeel Fayek, Joviality – Egypt;
- Mina Shahid, Numida – Egypt;
- Dr. Rasha Rady, Chefaa – Egypt;
- Clement Owusu-Donkor, Aquantuo – Ghana;
- Alexander Odhiambo, Solutech – Kenya;
- Dr. Salma Bougarrani, GREEN WATECH – Morocco;
- Mobolaji Ajayi, Purelife Pharmacy – Nigeria;
- Henri Ousmane Gueye, EYONE – Senegal;
- Maxima Nsimenta, LIVARA – Uganda.
The finalists will now compete for a share of the US$1.5 million prize at the grand finale, which is set to take place from December 3-5, 2024, in Kigali, Rwanda.
