By Adedapo Adesanya
The Anzisha Prize in partnership with African Leadership Academy and Mastercard Foundation is celebrating 10 African entrepreneurs whose transitions into entrepreneurship started before the age of 25.
Drawn from six African countries, the 10 inspirational business leaders have been inducted into the Anzisha Prize Hall of Fame for 2020.
The Hall of Fame features a diverse group of five female and five male entrepreneurs whose transitions from high school or university into entrepreneurship demonstrates the importance of starting early to shape entrepreneurial careers.
The Hall of Fame 2020 honourees are entrepreneurs from various industries from South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Zambia, Cameroon and Egypt.
Over the last decade, the Anzisha Prize has celebrated young entrepreneurs and believes that successful transitions from school to entrepreneurship are under-invested and with the Anzisha Prize’s longstanding belief that more young people should choose entrepreneurship to help lessen youth unemployment on the continent, it is encouraging and supporting them in their pursuit.
Commenting on this, Mrs Melissa Mbazo – Ekpenyong, Deputy Director at Anzisha Prize said, “As the youth unemployment rate increases and young people battle to find gainful employment, we want to ignite conversations about the support needed for young people to pursue entrepreneurship as a career choice.”
“Educators, parents, investors and policymakers have the power to influence the decisions of young people to view entrepreneurship as an option,” she added.
One of the Nigerian honourees, Mr Temitope Ogunsemo went from support to monetary investment. His entrepreneurial ideas were championed by family first, making his transition from university into entrepreneurship a familial effort.
While some of the honourees faced unemployment issues, many of them became entrepreneurs after witnessing a parent run a business on a small scale. At the age of 8, Kenyan entrepreneur Ms Njeri Rionge was ushered into the world of entrepreneurship by selling fruits and vegetables at a busy market in Nairobi.
South African entrepreneur Mr Ntuthuko Shezi started out helping his mum sell baked goods. Now at the age of 38, he is currently pursuing his fourteenth business.
These stories and those of the other Hall of Fame inductees highlight the realities of deviating from traditional career pathways into entrepreneurship.
“The Hall of Fame has been a two-pronged approach. Firstly, we wanted to showcase that the pursuit of entrepreneurship is not something that needs to be done when all else has failed. You can and should start now.
“Secondly, we want to create African points of reference for young people to feel encouraged that this path of entrepreneurship is a viable choice,” says Ms Didi Onwu, Communications and Stakeholder Relations Associate, who developed the list.
Other members of the 2020 Hall of Fame are: Ms Jessy Bityeki; Mr Mutoba Ngoma; Mr Wandile Zondo; Ms Rapelang Rabana; Mr Musa Kalenga; Ms Baratang Miya; and Ms Dina el Moft.
