By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria’s Mobolaji Ajayi, Founder & chief executive officer (CEO) of Purelife Pharmacy, has been chosen as part of the 10 finalists of the 2024 Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) Prize Competition, a philanthropic initiative supported by the Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Philanthropy.
According to a statement, 10 entrepreneurs were chosen after an intense round of semi-final business pitches and judging held on September 27-28 at Kamelizer Spaces in Cairo, Egypt, which marks ABH’s first event in North Africa, highlighting Egypt’s growing role as a key hub of entrepreneurial innovation in Africa.
The entrepreneurs were identified through a rigorous process involving multiple rounds of interviews and assessments. Starting from around 20,000 applications from all 54 African countries, the pool was narrowed to the Top 50 finalists. Following another selection round involving video call interviews with expert judges, ABH identified the Top 20 finalists who attended the Semi-Final in Cairo.
The finalists will now compete for a share of the $1.5 million prize at the Grand Finale, which is set to take place from December 3-5, 2024, in Kigali, Rwanda.
With Ms Ajayi’s emergence, the Nigerian entrepreneur will jostle with representatives from eight other nations including three from Egypt as well as entrepreneurs from Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is represented for the first time this year.
These include Ms Tisya Mukuna, Founder & CEO, La Kinoise (La boite) – Democratic Republic of the Congo; Ms Hadeel Fayek, Founder & CEO, Joviality – Egypt; Mr Mina Shahid, Co-founder & CEO, Numida – Egypt; Dr Rasha Rady, Co-founder & COO, Chefaa – Egypt; Mr Clement Owusu-Donkor, Founder & CEO, Aquantuo – Ghana; and Mr Alexander Odhiambo, Founder & CEO, Solutech Limited – Kenya.
Others include Dr Salma Bougarrani, Co-Founder & CEO, Green Watech – Morocco; Mr Henri Ousmane Gueye, Co-founder & CEO, Eyone – Senegal; and Ms Maxima Nsimenta, Co-founder & CEO, Livara – Uganda.
Their ventures span a diverse range of industries, including Agriculture, Education and Training, Financial Services, Health care, ICT, Logistics, Manufacturing and Retail.
“All the Top 10 finalists have been vetted through a due diligence process led by PlusVC and were selected after pitching their ventures to a panel of judges in front of a live audience,” the statement added.
According to the organisers, hosting the semi-final event in Cairo highlighted the city’s longstanding legacy in commerce, trade, and entrepreneurship.
“We chose Cairo as the location for this important stage of the competition because of its vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem and its strategic position in the African market,” said Mrs Zahra Baitie-Boateng, Managing Director, Africa at Africa’s Business Heroes.
“The remarkable growth of Egypt’s entrepreneurial community is evident from our experience over the past six years at ABH. We have seen 34 Egyptian entrepreneurs progress through various stages of the competition, from the Top 50 to the Top 10, including two third prize winners, one-second prize winner and one grand prize winner. These achievements, among others, underscore Egypt’s influence within the continent’s broader entrepreneurial landscape, and we are proud to showcase its significance,” she added.
In a statement shared following the unveiling of the Top 10 at the Gala Dinner concluding the Semi-Final, Mrs Baitie-Boateng further noted, “We continue to see inspiring examples of innovation and resilience among the ABH finalists, and this year’s cohort is no different. These entrepreneurs have overcome significant challenges and are building businesses that contribute to their local economies and beyond.”
