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By Valens Muvunankiko
The Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) Prize Competition, a philanthropic initiative sponsored by the Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Philanthropy, has announced the grand prize winner of its sixth annual competition, along with the first and second runners-up, at the latest ABH Summit and Grand Finale. It was at the evening of Saturday, the 15 March 2025.
The ABH Summit and Grand Finale in Kigali, Rwanda, celebrated the Top 10 finalists, selected from nearly 20,000 applicants to compete for a share of the $1.5 million prize. Under the theme “AI – African Innovation, Insight and Impact,” they pitched their businesses to a live audience and a distinguished judging panel, including Dr. Diane Karusisi, CEO of Bank of Kigali and Ibukun Awosika, Founder of the Chair Centre, who were joined by Fred Swaniker, Founder and CEO of Sand Technologies. The event culminated in the awards ceremony, where the winners were unveiled.
Some of the winners of these awards say that it was a stroke of luck, but it was also the result of perseverance and overcoming many challenges. They feel relieved to have reached victory, seeing it as just the beginning of greater achievements that will take Africa to new heights.
Alexander Odhiambo, a Kenyan entrepreneur who secured third place in the Best Job-Creating Entrepreneur category, shared that this was his second time competing in the contest. He expressed his joy at making it to the top three this time and encouraged other entrepreneurs not to give up.
He said: “This is my second time participating in this competition. I had tried before but I did notsucceed. However, I kept trying and remained patient, believing that one day I would win. Opportunities come looking for you, but you also have to go after them. Luck does not care where you come from it can make your dreams come true. I encourage my fellow entrepreneurs to keep trying.”
Senegalese entrepreneur Henri Ousmane Gueye, who won the top award, said there is much to be grateful for, but above all, this achievement will further strengthen their efforts and empower initiatives that benefit Africans.
Commenting on the win, Henri Ousmane Gueye said, “I am very proud to be announced as the winner of the 2024 ABH Prize Competition. This achievement is the result of a lot of hard work, and I am incredibly proud of my team. It’s a significant milestone for us, and it serves as an encouragement for us to keep working towards solving the problem our innovation addresses. It motivates us to continue tackling the big challenges our country faces.”
Dr. Diane Karusisi, the CEO of Bank of Kigali and one of the three judges tasked with selecting the best projects, said it was a difficult decision to choose the top three out of ten and to rank them, as all the projects were strong and had great potential for Africa’s future. However, the selected ones stood out based on the entrepreneurs’ ability to manage them effectively.
She said: “The participants in this competition are individuals who have created essential businesses that address specific challenges in Africa. It was not easy to choose just three projects. We evaluated the problems they aimed to solve, whether these were common issues faced by many Africans, and whether the solutions could generate revenue. We also assessed whether the entrepreneurs had the capacity to scale their businesses across Africa. The selected winners are those who have built businesses with a promising future for the continent.”
Festus Niyonkuru, an entrepreneur in the insurance sector and one of the participants in this forum, said he learned a lot from the winning entrepreneurs and that young entrepreneurs should follow their example to achieve success.
He said: “There is so much to take away from this event the way it was organized and how the competition focused on financial sustainability. It’s something everyone can learn from, especially the importance of developing a business not just with a focus on material gains but also on the impact it will have on people.”
ABH Managing Director – Africa, Zahra Baitie-Boateng highlighted the debut of ABi, ABH’s AI co-host, at this year’s Summit and Grand Finale, noting its role in providing insights, sparking discussions and enhancing connections. She emphasized the ingenuity of the Top 10 finalists, whose impact showcases entrepreneurship’s power to address Africa’s challenges. “Congratulations to Henri and all our finalists! As we celebrate their success, we’re excited to launch the 2025 call for applications and continue empowering Africa’s next business leaders.”
The CEO of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB)Dr. Jean-Guy AFRICA congratulated the winners, highlighting that they were among the 10 selected from 20,000 applicants. He also reminded them that although they have won, their journey is just beginning, while encouraging those who did not succeed this time to keep trying.
He said: “In a way, they represent resilience, innovation, and visionary leadership for Africa’s development. However, I want to remind the winners that while today marks a significant milestone, the journey is far from over and will require even more effort. You will face challenges as you grow and expand into new markets, but we trust that you will overcome them just as you have done so far. To those who did not make it this time do not give up! True champions never turn their backs on their goals. If you don’t succeed the first time, try again, then again, and again until you make it.”
This year, the top three winners of the Africa’s Business Heroes 2024 competition are Henri Ousmane Gueye from Senegal, who won first placeand received $300,000. Dr. Salma Bougarrani from Morocco, who secured second place and was awarded $250,000 and Alexander Odhiambo from Kenya, who came in third place and received $150,000.
Since its launch in 2019, the Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) program has awarded 60 African entrepreneurs, selecting 10 finalists each year to receive prizes.
Every year, ABH distributes a total of $1.5 million in prizes to the winners, with the first-place winner receiving $300,000, the second-place winner $250,000, and the third-place winner $150,000. The remaining seven finalists each receive $100,000. As a result, since its inception, ABH has awarded a total of $9 million in prizes.
The entrepreneurs who have won these awards continue to play a crucial role in Africa’s economic development, with their businesses creating over 200,000 jobs, both directly and indirectly.
