Grand Prize Winner Crowned at the Sixth ABH Summit and Grand Finale, Celebrating a Landmark Year for African Entrepreneurship

Kigali, Rwanda, 15 March 2025 – The Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) Prize Competition, a philanthropic initiative backed by the Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Philanthropy, has announced the grand prize winner of its sixth annual competition at the ABH Summit and Grand Finale. The event, held in Kigali, Rwanda, was a celebration of African entrepreneurship, marking a pivotal moment in the continent’s innovation and business landscape.

Mar 15, 2025 - 21:46

A Competitive Field and A Landmark Event

The ABH Summit and Grand Finale recognized the Top 10 finalists, selected from a pool of nearly 20,000 applicants, who competed for a share of the $1.5 million prize. Under the theme “AI – African Innovation, Insight, and Impact,” the finalists pitched their businesses to a live audience and a distinguished panel of judges, including Dr. Diane Karusisi, CEO of Bank of Kigali; Ibukun Awosika, Founder of the Chair Centre; and Fred Swaniker, Founder and CEO of Sand Technologies.

The competition culminated in an awards ceremony, where the top three winners were revealed. This year’s winners are:

1st Place – Henri Ousmane Gueye, Co-founder & CEO of EYONE (Senegal), who won $300,000
2nd Place – Dr. Salma Bougarrani, Co-Founder & CEO of GREEN WATECH (Morocco), who won $250,000
3rd Place – Alexander Odhiambo, Founder & CEO of Solutech Limited (Kenya), who won $150,000

Henri Ousmane Gueye expressed his excitement upon winning, saying, “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.”

ABH's AI Co-Host and the Role of Innovation

The event also marked the debut of ABi, ABH’s AI co-host, which provided valuable insights and facilitated engaging discussions during the event. Zahra Baitie-Boateng, ABH’s Managing Director for Africa, highlighted the role of AI in enhancing the Summit’s impact, while also praising the ingenuity and determination of the Top 10 finalists. “Congratulations to Henri and all our finalists! Their success highlights the power of entrepreneurship to address Africa’s most pressing challenges,” Baitie-Boateng said. She also expressed excitement about the upcoming 2025 edition of the competition, inviting new applicants to join the ABH ecosystem.

Looking to the future, ABH announced that Rwanda will continue to host the Summit and Grand Finale for the next four years, solidifying the country’s status as a key hub for entrepreneurial growth. The Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and the Rwanda Convention Bureau (RCB) were acknowledged as key partners, with the Bank of Kigali also playing a critical supporting role.

A Summit of Entrepreneurial Insights and Thought Leadership

This year’s two-day ABH Summit and Grand Finale brought together over 1,600 participants, showcasing entrepreneurial talent and thought leadership. Key discussions focused on how entrepreneurship can address Africa’s key challenges in sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, and education. The event featured dynamic sessions, including live podcast recordings, a debate, TED-style ABHx talks, and a financing masterclass. There were also unique networking experiences, such as the ABH Heroes’ Circle business ‘roast’ and the blindfolded “Networking in the Dark” session.

With over 50 distinguished speakers from 15 countries, the event featured thought leaders such as Jean-Guy Afrika, CEO of the Rwanda Development Board; Nick Hu, Executive Director of Health Innovation at Sand Technologies; Dr. Brenda Kateera, Country Director at the Clinton Health Access Initiative; Nathalie Munyampenda, CEO of Kepler; and Hasan Haider, Founder & Managing Partner at PlusVC.

In her opening keynote address, ABH Grand Finale judge Ibukun Awosika stressed the importance of ‘African Intelligence’ in shaping the future of the continent’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. “Africa’s future will be shaped by those who see challenges as opportunities and take action,” she stated, highlighting the significance of purpose-driven leadership and local ingenuity in crafting impactful solutions for Africa’s challenges.

The 2025 ABH Call for Applications

As the event concluded, ABH officially launched the call for applications for the 2025 competition. African entrepreneurs are now invited to apply for the next edition of the competition, which offers a chance to win a share of the $1.5 million USD prize. Full details on how to apply are available on the ABH website at https://africabusinessheroes.org/en/register.

The ABH Prize continues to be a significant catalyst in empowering Africa’s entrepreneurs, propelling them to build innovative solutions that create lasting impact for their communities and the continent at large.