Top 10 finalists announced for Africa’s Business Heroes 2025 competition
Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) announced the Top 10 finalists of its 2025 prize competition following semi-finals held September 10–11 in Dakar, Senegal. The Alibaba Philanthropy-backed initiative selected the entrepreneurs from nearly 32,000 applications across the continent.
The semi-finals marked a milestone as the first ABH event in a francophone country and the first hosted in Senegal, underscoring Dakar’s role as an emerging hub for innovation. Senegal’s rapid 8.6% GDP growth and its upcoming 2026 Youth Olympic Games provided a symbolic backdrop for the competition.
Finalists to compete in Kigali Grand Finale
The 2025 finalists will advance to the 7th ABH Grand Finale in Kigali, Rwanda, on December 12–13. They will compete for $1.5 million in grant funding, with the grand prize winner taking home $300,000 and each finalist guaranteed at least $100,000.
“This year’s Top 10 embody the best of African entrepreneurship—visionary leaders creating meaningful social and environmental impact across sectors from healthtech and agritech to fintech and education,” said Zahra Baitie-Boateng, Africa managing director of ABH.
The Top 10 include:
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Wyclife Onyango, BuuPass (Kenya) – transport/digital ticketing
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Siny Samba, Le Lionceau (Senegal) – foodtech/infant nutrition
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Mukasahaha Diane, DIKAM Ltd (Rwanda) – textiles/women and youth empowerment
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Baraka Chijenga, Kilimo Fresh Foods Africa (Tanzania) – agritech/food security
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Janet Kuteli, Fortune Credit (Kenya) – fintech/microfinance
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Diana Orembe, NovFeed (Tanzania) – agritech/biotech
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Abraham Mbuthia, Uzapoint Technologies (Kenya) – SME tech/digital tools
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Gohar Said, Suplyd (Egypt) – foodtech/supply chain
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Adriaan Kruger, nuvoteQ (South Africa) – healthtech/digital solutions
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Jean Lobe Lobe, Waspito (Cameroon) – healthtech/telemedicine
Judges Hasan Haidar of PlusVC, Moulaye Taboure of ANKA, and Jason Pau of Alibaba Group assessed finalists on innovation, impact, scalability, and leadership.
“As a former ABH Top 10 Hero, I know the transformative power of this platform. Returning as a judge is a true honor, and I am thrilled to congratulate this year’s finalists,” said Taboure.
The event was supported by Alibaba Philanthropy and Senegalese sponsors including Wave, Sonatel, and InTouch Group, alongside partners such as Impact Hub Dakar and African Leadership University.
