The Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) Prize Competition has announced the winners of this year’s competition. Dr. Ikpeme Neto from Nigeria, Thomas Njeru from Kenya, and Ayman Bazaraa from Egypt were named the first, second, and third prize winners, respectively.
“The winners of this year’s ABH competition embody bold ambition and innovation, exemplifying the true essence of entrepreneurial spirit and a deep commitment to addressing societal challenges,” stated Jason Pau, Executive Director of International Programs at the Jack Ma Foundation at the awards ceremony.
Dr. Ikpeme Neto, CEO and Founder of Wellahealth Technologies, won the first prize of USD 300,000. Thomas Njeru, CEO and Co-Founder of Pula Advisors Limited, won the second prize of USD 250,000. Ayman Bazaraa, CEO and Co-Founder of Sprints, won the third prize of USD 150,000.
In addition, the top 10 contestants each received USD 100,000 in prize funding from ABH, with an additional USD10,000 allocated for post-competition training programs.
“I am deeply honored to be named this year’s Africa’s Business Heroes winner. This award energizes my commitment to driving positive change through innovation,” stated Dr. Ikpeme Neto, winner of the prize.
The winners were selected from a pool of 27,267 applications from all 54 African nations. With their entries recognized for their exceptional ingenuity and tenacity, which have significantly impacted their communities.
The Grand Finale featured live pitches from the top 10 finalists to a panel of judges, including Dr. Diane Karusisi, CEO of Bank of Kigali, Ibukun Awosika, Founder and CEO of The Chair Centre Group and Joe Tsai, Chairman of Alibaba Group.
The ABH competition, now in its fifth year, has seen previous winners move onto greater success. Since 2019, entrepreneurs awarded through the ABH Prize Competition have collectively raised over USD 153 million in investments, served over 37.5 million customers or users while also creating over 123,000 direct and indirect jobs throughout Africa.
