Africa’s Business Heroes Prize Competition for Entrepreneurial Excellence Announces Winners
By Abdi Ali
Published December 21, 2023
Entrepreneurs from Nigeria, Kenya and Egypt have taken the top three positions in the 2023 edition of Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) Prize Competition.
ABH Prize Competition, a philanthropic initiative sponsored by Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Philanthropy, has named Ikpeme Neto (CEO and Founder, Wellahealth Technologies) from Nigeria, Thomas Njeru (CEO and Co-Founder, Pula Advisors Limited) from Kenya and Ayman Bazaraa (CEO and Co-Founder, Sprints) from Egypt the first, second and third prize winners, in that order.
Apart from the three final winners, every one of the top 10 contestants shall receive US$100,000 in prize funding from ABH and an extra US$10,000 for post-competition training programmes.
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“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. I extend heartfelt gratitude to ABH for empowering entrepreneurs like me, and I am dedicated to shaping a brighter future for our continent through entrepreneurship. I am excited for the recognition of Wellahealth Technologies’ work, and grateful for my team, family and the ABH team for making this impact in healthcare across Africa possible,” says Dr Ikpeme Neto.
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“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. The judges recognized them for their remarkable ability to turn challenges into opportunities, unwavering commitment to community betterment, and innovative approaches to solving pressing issues. Their resilience, passion and impactful contributions make them not just business leaders, but true champions of change,” says Jason Pau, Executive Director of International Programs at Jack Ma Foundation.
Since 2019, grant recipients of the ABH Prize Competition are said to have collectively raised more than US$153 million in investments and served a base of more than 37.5 million customers or users.
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“Collectively, these entrepreneurs have received US$7 million in prize money, facilitating their operations in 52 African countries. Notably, their endeavors have led to the creation of over 123,000 direct and indirect jobs, contributing to the region’s economic development. With a combined reported revenue exceeding US$252 million, ABH grant recipients continue to exemplify the transformative power of entrepreneurship in fostering growth, innovation and socio-economic impact across the African continent,” the organisers of ABH Prize say. “ABH has received immense support from investors, entrepreneurs and business professionals from across the globe. A total of 903 volunteers have collectively devoted over 15,280 hours to judging, mentoring and supporting thousands of contestants, underscoring the powerful spirit of collaboration that fuels the success of the competition.”
