The Africa Awards for Entrepreneurship which is powered by the African Leadership Network, released its list of finalists chosen from over 45 countries across diverse industries.
The African Awards for Entrepreneurship was established in 2007 by the Legatum Group to recognize and award business leaders who serve as role models to Africa’s aspiring entrepreneurs and who demonstrate business excellence, innovation and profitability. Prizes of over $1.4 million have been awarded to 25 leading companies.
For the third consecutive year, the Awards are sponsored by Omidyar Network, a philanthropic investment firm dedicated to harnessing the power of markets to create opportunity for people to improve their lives. The 2012 Awards ceremony will was held alongside the ALN’s Annual Gathering in October 10-13, 2012 in Accra, Ghana.
The members of the judging panel, were Ahmed Heikal, founder and chairman, Citadel Capital – Egypt, Chris Kirubi, serial entrepreneur and investor – Kenya, Divine Ndhlukula, founder & CEO, Securico & Grand prize winner, AAE 2011 – Zimbabwe.
Others were Adedotun Sulaiman, founder & chairman, Arian Capital Management – Nigeria, Yvonne Ike, CEO, West Africa, Renaissance Group – Nigeria.
The 2012 programme had four categories:
- Lifetime Achievement Award (New!):Â Awarded to a senior African business leader who has served as an entrepreneurial icon for several decades and has left an enduring legacy of success in Africa.
- Transformational Business Award:Â Awarded to a notable business leader who has had a major socio-economic impact in Africa by building a business with revenues greater than USD 50M
- Outstanding Mature Business Award (New!): Awarded to a remarkable African entrepreneur with a business that has made revenues between USD 5 million — USD 50 million.
First Prize:Â USD 100,000 prize to a business leader who has built a company with revenues between USD5MÂ to USD5OMÂ Runner-up Prize:Â Additional USD 50,000 to the first runner up
- Outstanding Small and Growing Business — USD 50 000 Prize (New!): Awarded to a young, remarkable African business with revenues between USD500 000 – USD 5M
The finalists who were unveiled on the 1st of October are:
Outstanding Small and Growing Business Award
- La Laiterie du Berger: A Senegalese dairy company that sources and processes milk from semi-nomadic Fulani pastoralists living along the Senegal River
- Bloodhound Technology: A South African company that provides real-time personnel tracking and productivity services to leading security companies in the region – www.bloodhoundsa.com
- Bridge International Academies: The company behind the biggest chain of low-cost private schools in Africa that runs 80 academies in Kenya with over 25,000 students – www.bridgeinternationalacademies.com
Mature Business Award
- Food Concepts PLC: An integrated food company that pioneered the food court concept in Nigeria, and one of the largest fast food companies [Chicken Republic] in the country – www.foodconceptsplc.com
- Secure ID Ltd: A Nigerian Smart Card manufacturing company that runs the leading Europay, MasterCard and Visa certified card plant in West Africa, one of six such companies in Africa, and 80 worldwide – www.secureidltd.com
- RLG Communications Ghana Ltd: A Ghanaian computer and hand-set manufacturing company, and one of the first indigenous African companies that assembles laptops and mobile phones – www.rlgghana.com
Transformational Business Award
- Fidelity Bank Ltd: The fastest growing bank in Ghana that has expanded from one branch in 2006, to being the sixth largest bank in Ghana with 45 branches, a customer base of over 300,000 and deposits of more than USD 500 million in just six years of existence as a fully-fledged bank – www.fidelitybank.com.gh
- Export Trading Group: The leading agricultural commodity supply chain operator in East and Southern Africa, with 75 entities, 60 commodity lines, and presence in 26 countries in Africa, and 40 globally – www.etgworld.com
- Quality Chemicals Industries Ltd: Leading Ugandan life sciences and distribution company that manufactures triple-combination antiretroviral (ARV) drugs in Sub-Sahara Africa – www.qcil.co.ug
- Societe D’Articles Hyginieques: Tunisia’s leading producer of absorbent hygiene products, including baby care, feminine care, incontinence care and related paper products with 45% of the market share in the country
- Orbit Chemicals Industries Limited: Leading Kenyan manufacturer and distributor of commercial cleaning chemicals and hygiene solutions –www.orbitchem.com
Quality Chemicals Industries Ltd won this category.
The Lifetime Achievement Award which was a new category was awarded to Dr. Richard John Pelwana Maponya, a 91 year old business magnate from South Africa.
Africa will yet take its place among world powers; what part are you playing? Are the awardees worthy of these great honour? Do share your thoughts.
Achievements will never gonna feel great when they were not done with our bare hands. Entrepreneurs sure have lot of ideas on how they could put up a business. By getting acknowledged with your works, fulfillment is indeed amazing and such a huge achievement.
It takes a lot of hard work to become a successful enterprise. It is really important that you work hard for your achievement and success for them to be more meaningful and inspiring.