Grace Ashiru
After a rigorous round of semi-final business pitches and evaluations conducted on September 1 and 2 at Norrsken House in Kigali, Rwanda, the Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Philanthropy-sponsored Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) Prize Competition, now celebrating its fifth year, has revealed the top 10 finalists for 2023.
The ABH Prize Competition, inaugurated in 2019, is Pan-African, inclusive, sector-neutral, and grassroots-oriented. Its mission is to identify, support, and inspire the next wave of African entrepreneurs who are making a difference in their communities by addressing critical challenges and fostering a more inclusive and sustainable economy.
These 10 entrepreneurs will vie for a portion of the total prize of US$1.5 million in grant money during the Grand Finale on November 23 and 24.
The top 10 finalists, listed alphabetically by country, are:
- Ms. Bola Bardet, CEO and Co-Founder, Susu (Benin)
- Mr. Ayman Bazaraa, CEO and Co-Founder, Sprints (Egypt)
- Mr. Andrew Takyi-appiah, Founder, Zeepay Ghana Limited (Ghana)
- Ms. Christina Gyisun, CEO and Co-Founder, Sommalife Limited (Ghana)
- Mr. Thomas Njeru, CEO and Co-Founder, Pula Advisors Limited (Kenya)
- Mr. Ismael Belkhayat, CEO and Founder, Chari (Morocco)
- Mr. Ikpeme Neto, CEO and Founder, Wellahealth Technologies (Nigeria)
- Mr. Albert Munyabugingo, CEO and Co-Founder, Vuba Vuba Africa LTD (Rwanda)
- Ms. Nthabiseng Mosia, CMO and Co-Founder, Easy Solar (South Africa)
- Mr. Theo Baloyi, CEO and Founder, Bathu (South Africa)
The 2023 ABH top 10 entrepreneurs were selected from a pool of 27,267 applicants from all 54 African nations after undergoing multiple rounds of interviews and evaluations. Eight African countries are represented in the top 10: Benin, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, and South Africa.
The Grand Finale, marking the competition’s fifth anniversary, will coincide with a summit. Here, the 10 finalists will showcase their businesses live on stage in front of a panel of esteemed judges. This summit, which will gather various stakeholders from the African entrepreneurial ecosystem, will take place in Kigali, Rwanda, on November 23 and 24. It will also be partially live-streamed for audiences across Africa.
