Karim Beguir is the co-founder and CEO of InstaDeep. He helps companies and African leaders come to grips with the latest AI breakthroughs and deploy them. As a graduate of France's Ecole Polytechnique and former program fellow at New York University's Courant Institute, Karim has a passion for teaching and using applied mathematics. He's also a Google Developer Expert and a mentor at the Google for Startups Accelerator, and is a steering committee member of Deep Learning Indaba, Africa’s largest machine learning teaching forum. Karim is on a mission to accelerate the transition to an AI-First world that benefits everyone, and sits on the World Economic Forum's council on the future of AI. InstaDeep was founded in 2014 by Karim Beguir and Zohra Slim. The startup delivers AI-powered decision-making systems for Enterprises. With expertise in both machine intelligence research and concrete business deployments, InstaDeep provides a competitive advantage to their customers in an AI-first world. InstaDeep is leveraging its expertise in GPU-accelerated computing, deep learning, reinforcement learning, machine learning and predictive analysis and has built AI systems to tackle the most complex challenges across a range of industries and sectors. The company offers a host of AI solutions, ranging from optimized pattern-recognition, GPU-accelerated insights, to self-learning decision making systems. Life and business are always about decisions, this is why InstaDeep harnesses the power of reinforcement learning to create systems that can make decisions on their own based on their own autonomous training and also to improve efficiency and ROI in several industries, including biology, manufacturing, logistics and mobility. When deploying advanced AI, compute power is key. InstaDeep has deep expertise in GPU-accelerated insights, for example with Nvidia’s powerful DGX-1, helping clients solve even the most compute-intensive AI problems. InstaDeep also helps with optimized deep learning which delivers high-performance AI for pattern recognition yet is notoriously time-consuming to fine-tune. InstaDeep helps boost this process to save their clients time and money on their computer vision, natural language processing or predictive analytics projects. In May 2019, InstaDeep raised $7 million in Series A funding led by the pan-African private equity firm AfricInvest, with participation from Endeavour Catalyst, a New York-based co-investment fund. Eighteen months later, InstaDeep and German biotechnology company BioNTech announced the formation of a joint innovation lab as part of a strategic collaboration to develop novel immunotherapies. In January 2022, the company announced both an early warning system to detect and monitor high-risk SARS-CoV-2 variants as part of the BioNTech collaboration; as well as the closure of a $100 million Series B round, which included the biotech giant as well as other InstaDeep clients, Google and Deutsche Bahn as investors. Earlier this year, BioNTech acquired InstaDeep for £562 million, a sale bigger than the Google/DeepMind deal in 2014, and likely one of the biggest involving a company built from a WeWork office. The partnership underlines the growing relationship between the life sciences sector and AI and is one of three sectors Beguir believes presents a $1 trillion market opportunity for AI.

Nezha Hayat i s the NPresident of AMMC – Morocco' s Capital Market Authority, following her appointment in February 2016 By His Majesty th e Ki n g , Mohammed VI.  An ESSEC Business School Paris graduate , Unti l her nomination, she worked at Société Générale Morocco group where she became in 2007, the first woman on a management board of a bank in the country. As the Chairperson and CEO of the A M M C, Ne zha Hayat i s a member of the Board of the Super v i sor y Authorit y of Insurance and Social Welfare (ACAPS) and a member of the Coordination and Systemic Risk Monitoring Committee (CCRS). She started her career in Spain at the international division of Banco Atlantico as responsible for international risks and restructured debt portfolio (1985-1988). From 1988 to 1990, she was in charge of the department of corporate finance in two brokerage houses in Madrid (Inverfinanzas and the Bravo y Garayalde) In 1990, she moved to the private banking activities, first as branch manager of Banco Inversion in Marbella and in 1993 as deputy director of Banque Nationale de Paris noffshore unit in Tangier. She then joined Société Générale Marocaine de Banques on October 1995, and launched their activities of brokerage and asset management, following there form of th e capital markets in Morocco and the privatization of the Casablanca Stock Exchange. In October 2017, Nezha was elected Vice-Chair of the Africa and Middle East Committee ( A M ERC) w it h i n t h e International Organization of Financial Market Regulators (IOSCO) for the 2016-2018 term. then joined Société Générale Marocaine de Banques on October 1995, and launched their activities of brokerage and asset management, following t h e r e fo r m of t h e capital markets in Morocco and the privatization of the Casablanca Stock Exchange. She was decorated by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Officer of Wissam Al Arch (Order of the Throne)

Naike Moshi- Fonder $ CEO of Women in Management Africa (WIMA) and Country Director of CV people Tanzania. WIMA. Naike is a strategic, innovative leader with a proven track record of building and creating successful business products and services. With a strong academic background, creative problem-solving skills, and an innovative mind, she has more than 10 years’ experience in the area of business management and human resources. Her   expertise includes building businesses from the ground up, women and youths’ empowerment, coming up with innovative ideas, executive search and employer branding. Women in Management is an initiative that closes the gender gap by honouring and recognizing women leaders for their career achievements. Women in Management Africa provides mentorship, encouragement and develops emerging talented female professionals to be inspired in their careers and to be role models to them. WIMA objectives include identifying education and training workshops that are designed by women for women and to help them address gender disparity issues in their work environments. We provide female executive searches by identifying female leaders for senior level roles and board member roles. After being in the Executive Recruitment for more than 5 years, she saw a huge gap in senior level women applying for senior level roles and even low placement rates for Senior Women. While both genders browse jobs similarly, they apply to them differently. Research shows that in order to apply for a job women feel they need to meet 100% of the criteria while men usually apply after meeting about 60%. To combat this, she founded the initiative known as Women in Management to promote and increase visibility for Senior-Level Women in Management. The idea came to feature 50 Senior Women in Management in their Social Media Pages "Career Women Wednesday.” This idea created a lot of buzz and traction by inspiring emerging leaders showing them it's possible for them to reach the career leader specially for female professionals .At the end of the year, 50 Women in Management were honoured and provided with awards and in March 2021.

Graça Machel, an international human-rights and development advocate, is the founder and patron of New Faces New Voices, a Pan-African network that focuses on expanding the role and influence of women in the financial sector. The program not only promotes women’s access to finance and financial services but also aims to bridge the funding gap for African businesses owned by women. Graça Machel: I advocate for a social compact which would see governments, the private sector, academia, and civil-society organizations agree on shared responsibilities to solve Africa’s biggest social and economic challenges and achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Those goals are an ambitious, universal call to end poverty, protect the environment, and ensure that all members of our global family enjoy peace and prosperity. They require that we leave no one behind. I see a central role for the private sector to partner in poverty-eradication efforts and collaborate with public-sector and civil-society actors to drive job creation on a massive scale. Business leaders should ask themselves, “If our country has a certain percentage of young people who are unemployed, what kind of creative, forward-thinking changes do we have to implement to accelerate job creation and increase employment opportunities for our youth? How can we move from producing 5,000 jobs a year to two million a year, for example?” Those kinds of audacious goals require a change in mind-set for all of us. Entire industries—and leaders themselves—have to meaningfully transform; it can no longer be business as usual. Development doesn’t happen without transformation, first of people themselves, then of institutions, then of systems. That means we all have to move out of our comfort zones and move to a different level of thinking, operating, and engaging one another. Ultimately, business leaders should see themselves as responsible partners in a national pact for development. Part of the change required is a set of very clear policies and strategies to bring more women into top leadership. Business leaders in particular should make women’s advancement part and parcel of their strategy of growth and sustainability for the next five, ten, 15, 20 years. Human-resources departments and CEOs need to make upward mobility for female staff part of HR strategy and succession planning and ask themselves, “How can we get more qualified women into the C-suite? How are we nurturing our female talent? How do we ensure more capable women are sitting at the highest levels of decision making?” You need to value diversity as an element of strength and make it part of a cultural and institutional transformation.

Christopher Irene Imumolen is the Addo of Abaji, an educationist, a university professor, a serial entrepreneur, a business mogul and a Nigerian Politician. He is the founder of Joint Professional Training and Support International Limited (JPTS) and UNIC Foundation, a non-profit, non-governmental organization. He is a presidential candidate on the platform of the Accord Party, ahead of the 2023 Nigerian presidential elections. Professor Imumolen was born on September 5th, 1983. He is an indigene of Esan West, Ekpoma, Edo State. EDUCATION He attended Twins Nursery and Primary School, Papa and Nigeria Model High School, Idioro, Mushin, both in Lagos state. He proceeded for his degree and professional qualifications at the University of Benin, the University of Lagos, the International Institute of Management and Technology and Global Wealth University amongst other professional institutions. Professor Christopher Imumolen possesses two Ph.D. Academic degrees which are in Engineering Research and Educational Management. He also possesses three Master’s degrees and Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering. CAREER He started his work career as a Plant Engineer at BOC Gases Nigeria Plc in February 2005. In 2009, he established the Joint Professional Training and Support International Limited (JPTS), an educational body that has trained 30,000+ certified Professionals. On the 14th of January, 2014, Imumolen establish the UNIC Foundation, empowerment, and employment scheme that envisions the goal of supporting four million Nigerian businesses every year with grants and granting reliefs and scholarships to widows and students respectively. In the Oil and Gas in Nigeria, Imumolen is the President of the Onshore Offshore Oil and Gas Professional. He also served the Senior Technical Adviser to the Akwa-Ibom state government on Oil and Gas matters. He was once a Technical Safety Consultant to NAPECO Kuwait. He is the Founder of Global Wealth System- a business network system aimed at empowering entrepreneurs globally with over 450,000 Membership. On February 8, 2022, it was reported that Imumolen launched a two-billion naira education scholarship trust fund for entertainers in the entertainment industry of Nigeria. Key beneficiaries of the scheme were Musicians Small Doctor and B-Red. In 2019, Imumolen, through his empowerment program supported over 6000 Nigerians with Financial Grant for Businesses between One thousand Dollars to Ten Thousand Dollars each. 2023 Presidential Ambition Professor Christopher Imumolen is a member of Accord Party and a presidential aspirant who eventually won the party ticket for the 2023 Presidential election in Nigeria. Christopher won the party primary by voice vote having emerged as the sole aspirant for the party’s ticket after his co-contenders had stepped down.  

Angela Korinjoh is the CEO of Assurance Micro Finance Bank, one of the fastest growing finance institution with several branches in Nigeria. She is a member of t h e Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria and a certified member of the Enterprise Development Center CEMA11, an arm of the PanAtlantic University. She attended the prestigious Sir Ahmadu Bello University Zaria where she bagged a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics. In her quest for knowledge, she proceeded to study a Masters in International Bus ine s s Economics from Middlesex University, London. She started out her banking career at the defunct Oceanic Bank. She joined Assurance as the Group Heads, Corporate Ser vice, where she employed strong leadership, commitment, and strategic thinking in delivering the Assurance vision, a strong commitment that earns her the post of the Chief Operations Officer. Her considerable achievements, significant sacrifice and commitment to building the institution's image further projected her to be a p p o i n t e d a s t h e Chief Executive Officer. With herexceptional technical and leadership skills, it is obvious that she is set to take Assurance vision to the world.

CHARLOT MAGAYI is the founder and CEO of Mukuru Clean Stoves. Orphaned at the age of 10, Charlot grew up in Mukuru, one of the biggest slums in Nairobi, and became a mother at age 16. When her t o - y e a r - o l d daughter suffered a severe burn injury caused by a traditional stove, Charlot was moved to provide safe r cook ing technologies for her community. She founded Mukuru Clean Stoves to help mothers keeptheir children safe, save on fuel consumption, and reduce household air pollution. She has been recognized and awarded for her fight against household air pollution and global poverty and her work to empower marginalized women in western Kenya. She won the Wai s l it z Global Citizen Award in 2019, The World Bank's inaugural SDGs and Her Award in 2018, and the AWIEF Empowerment Award in 2019. Charlot believes in a toxin- and the smoke-free world and has dedicated her time, skills, and experience to fighting household air pollution. Charlot is a 2020 Echoing Green Fellow. Mukuru Clean Stoves (MCS) designs, manufactures, and distributes improved efficient, and reliable stoves. MCS makes its stoves with locally sourced recycled metal and distributes them through networks of local women business owners. MCS's vision is to eradicate household air pollution and energy poverty in underserved markets in Africa. Mukuru Clean Stoves is specifically addressing theaffordability and accessibility problems confronting improved stoves . Through uti l i z ing recycled materials, establishing partnerships with local women b u s i n e s s o w n e r s , a n d ultimately, incorporating the knowledge and expertise of women throughout the entire value-chain, we have been able to reduce the production costs, w h i l s t m a x i m i z i n g a n d optimizing the distribution network, hence streamlining the pathway to scale. Si n c e 2 0 1 7 , o v e r 7 0 , 0 0 0 Mukuru stoves have been sold in 3 counties in Kenya (Siaya, Vihiga, and Kisumu County). The stoves have allowed more than 350,000 people to benefit from cleaner air in their homes. This positive impact is mainly felt by women, who are generally the main cooks in Kenyan households. Based on kitchen performance surveys, Mukuru's improved stoves reduce, on average, 40% of wood fuel consumption, which amounts to $8 per month per household (average monthly incomes vary from $30 to $100). By using Mukuru' s energy- effi c ient stoves, women spend 50% less time cooking, which allows them to free up time for incomegenerating activities, such as weaving and farming.

Dr. James Mwangi, Group Managing Director and CEO of Equity Group Holdings Plc and Executive Chairman Equity Group Foundation, built the company with one core purpose in mind: to solve the social problem of lack of access to financial services. Equity Bank was born out of Mwangi’s turnaround of a then-small Kenyan building society, which was converted into a commercial bank in 2004. Today, it has more than 12 million clients in six countries across East and Central Africa, as well as nearly $5 billion in assets and reported pre-tax profits of $270 million. James Mwangi: I grew up in a rural area of Kenya, and my own mother, Grace, didn’t have a bank account. The nearest bank branch was 50 kilometers away, and the minimum opening balance was equivalent to several years of her earnings. My mother would also have been intimidated by banks, with their granite floors, long queues, and formally dressed officials. To make matters worse, banks often had a seven-day rule between withdrawals. If your child got sick, you couldn’t go back and withdraw money from your account if you’d been there the day before. Banks simply didn’t understand the day-to-day financial situations of ordinary people. Kenyans’ response was to keep their money under the mattress.   One in ten Kenyan adults had a bank account at the turn of the 21st century. Today, thanks in part to Equity Bank’s innovations, two-thirds of them do. We knew we had to address the needs of people like my mother. We wanted to give banking a human face and create the concept of the bank as a marketplace where people would feel at home. We did away with high minimum balances, created affordable products, and, most importantly, delivered them where people lived. One innovation was to introduce what we called “mobile village banking,” or banking on wheels. Long before cellphone banking came along, we created minibank branches that could fit in the back of a Land Rover and drove them from village to village across rural Kenya. Equity Bank has accredited more than 30,000 small retail outlets across the country as bank agents, able to accept deposits, dispense cash, open accounts, apply for payment cards, pay bills like those for power or water, and much more. It took us six years to convince the Central Bank of Kenya that shopkeepers could accept cash as banking agents. But once we did, we were able to multiply our network 1,000-fold. That has really taken banking to the last mile in every village. As a result, banking now competes with sugar and salt as a product. The agency model has assisted in our continued pursuit of demystifying banking. Our agents don’t talk to customers in banking jargon—they use the language of the common man in their environment. We’ve assisted those 40,000 shopkeepers to professionalize: they’ve become owner–managers, managing a bank for a commission. That in turn has distributed wealth across the country.   Our business model is high volume and low margin. Cost-effectiveness and efficiency are key, and technology plays an important role. Today, Equity Bank has moved beyond Land Rovers and enabled true mobile banking via our Equitel mobile-banking application, which we launched in 2015. Equitel uses SIM overlay technology to enable easy access by customers of every mobile provider. Equitel has become very big, very fast. Today, our branches are doing 5,000 transactions a day, our agents are doing 300,000 transactions a day, and Equitel is doing 900,000 transactions a day. As customer preferences for channels of service continue to evolve to self-service devices, the old brick-and-mortar branches are moving to become service and advisory centers. The bank’s cost model is shifting from a fixed-cost to a variable-cost model. This has helped us to reduce our cost-to-income ratio to an average of 49 to 50 percent, down from a high of 60 to 70 percent some years previously.   We are already looking ahead at future innovations. We see social media as the next channel for banking, so our next big focus is channel innovation. We are also looking beyond financial services and building a new business in the healthcare space—a network of medical centers called Equity Afia. The inspiration came from our charitable foundation, which has awarded some 6,000 university scholarships through paid internships to academically gifted students from across Kenya’s 47 counties, under the Equity Leaders Program. We looked at our graduates and found that 600 of them had been to medical school. We already knew that 40 percent of the defaults on our bank loans were due to ill health in the family, so we empowered our medical graduates as entrepreneur doctors, helping them to start clinics and supporting them with systems to manage their clinics. At the same time, we are providing our banking customers with medical insurance. These products intertwine the commercial interests of the bank and a solution to address the health challenge of our society.   Social impact is embedded in our DNA, and it is what has enabled Equity Bank to scale: today it is the biggest bank, by market capitalization, in East and Central Africa. We see the bank not just as a company but as a movement for socioeconomic transformation. People see themselves as part of that movement. They say, “I joined, I became a member,” not “I opened an account.” That concept of belonging has been central to Equity Bank’s growth.

Dozy Mmobuosi is a technology entrepreneur, philanthropist and passionate campaigner for social and technological advancement in Africa. Dozy is the Founder and CEO of Tingo, Inc., Africa’s leading Agri-Fintech company and Tingo International Holdings, Inc. (TIH), an investment firm focused on identifying and making targeted acquisitions in the technology sector. Tingo is helping to deliver financial inclusion to millions of SME farmers and women-led businesses in Africa. In 2002 Dozy designed Nigeria's first text based money transfer platform. Dozy has also acted as an advisor to several large corporations and has extensive business experience in Bulgaria, China, SE Asia, UAE, USA, and the UK. Global challenges such as climate change, food security and social upliftment shape the direction of Dozy’s philanthropic ventures and in December 2021 he launched the Dozy Mmobuosi Foundation. The Foundation’s mission is to promote the progress of Africa, and Mmobuosi has pledged to donate 10% of his net worth to the cause. In January 2023 Dozy founded the Dozy Mmobuosi Leadership Centre (DMLC), in partnership with the University of Oxford. The Centre’s focus is on African leadership, academic excellence and the transformative power Africans can have on their continent. The first cohort will arrive in Oxford in February 2023, with 35 students from across Africa attending the programme. Dozy holds a BSc in Political Science, and an MSc in Economics from Ambrose Alli University in Nigeria. He also holds a doctorate in Rural Advancement from Universiti Putra Malaysia. In 2022 he completed the Advanced Management & Leadership Programme at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford.

Luvindao started offering the sessions after working in northern Namibia and noticing the difficulties underprivileged citizens experienced in accessing healthcare, with many patients having to travel long distances of over 50km and waiting up to 10 hours to see a doctor.   She also started the One-Step-at-a-Time Initiative, which has helped more than 35 000 Namibians by purchasing crucial medication and medical equipment for village health practices, and has played a key role in supporting the country's vaccine campaign in response to the coronavirus pandemic.   Luvindao, who is also a health advocate, public-speaking coach and poet, says the award she received on Friday reduced her to tears.  In appreciation of her efforts, Britain's Queen Elizabeth honoured her with a Commonwealth Points of Light Award for delivering free online consultations to more than 44 000 patients from Namibia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Nigeria and Rwanda since 2019. According to Luvindao "We do not work to be acknowledged, but to be acknowledged for doing the work you love is a different kind of blessing. This is my first international humanitarian award,” Because of her passion for public health and improving the quality of healthcare for patients, Luvindao, who grew up in Windhoek, chose to do her community service in the northern part of the country at Onandjokwe State Hospital.   Luvindao, a University of Namibia graduate, attended primary school at Maarti Arthisaari in Windhoek up to Grade 3 before proceeding to St Paul's College until Grade 12.   “I am really passionate about public health, and assisting people from poor backgrounds and the north was a better fit for me,” she said, adding that while working in the north, she started the One-Step-at-a Time Initiative, as well as offering free online consultations that have served more than 44 000 people.   She said, being in the system and serving people, not just Namibians, but also Angolan nationals who visit the hospital, allowed her to see the need for medical doctors who see medicine beyond and above just treating patients.   “I started the One-Step-at-a-Time Initiative to assist in purchasing medications, medical equipment and drugs that are out of stock within the state system for patients that cannot afford them. We also have the free online consultations where patients can access me and other healthcare practitioners and make their requests or needs known,” Luvindao added. She said when patients contact them they can institute emergency medicine. For example, if a child has severe diarrhoea and vomiting, they can give immediate remedies while the patient is on the way to the hospital. Luvindao added that through that they were able to save thousands of lives. According to the Points of Life website, Charles Moore, the British High Commissioner to Namibia, said: “Dr. Esperance Luvindao is an outstanding individual whose passion for delivering healthcare to the poorest communities in Namibia, both physically and remotely, is truly inspirational. She epitomises the Commonwealth Points of Light in every way, with her selfless and energetic activities, literally saving thousands of lives. “The Covid-19 pandemic has underlined the importance of every individual having access to basic healthcare services, regardless of their socio-economic status, but many are still unable to access healthcare services and information, either because of a lack of technology or, more often, due to physical distance from their nearest clinic. “By closing this gap, Dr. Luvindao has contributed significantly to the availability of healthcare for the poorest and most remote communities in Namibia, with free online consultations providing a new and innovative method of delivering care and advice. This is proving most effective in the areas of sexual and reproductive health, infant and pediatric care, and reducing the spread of misinformation about Covid-19 and vaccinations....”

She brings deep passion and proven business acumen in creating and implementing innovative business models for delivering off-grid solar solutions to communities and micro-enterprises in Nigeria. Sandra also serves as Executive Director at Dozzy Group, where she is responsible for proactively leading the strategic and corporate direction of the conglomerate. Furthermore, before starting her business career, Ms. Chukwudozie worked with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization as a Sustainable Development Consultant. Her focus in this regard concerned clean energy and energy efficiency in industrial development for developing countries. She also worked in the Office of the Director for the General Assembly and ECOSOC Affairs Division at the United Nations Headquarters. She made significant contributions in mobilizing and coordinating political support to the office in the context of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It was during this time that Sandra got to be mentored by globally renowned astounding professionals. She is a certified NLP Master Practitioner from the NLP Centre of New York.   Sandra holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Manchester and a Master’s Degree from the University of Dundee Centre for Energy, Petroleum and Mineral Law and Policy (CEPMLP).

More than two thirds of malaria deaths, which is caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected mosquitoes, occurs in children under the age of five. According to the World Health Organisation, nearly half the world’s population is at risk of malaria. In Uganda, it is at the top of the list of fatal infectious diseases. After attending social enterprise training and drawing on her own experience, Joan Nalubega co-founded the Uganics product range. “As a child I used to face malaria a lot, so I grew up with a determination to come up with an intervention to prevent malaria,” she told Al Jazeera in an interview. Uganics aims to combat malaria by producing anti-malaria products, particularly a long-lasting mosquito-repellent soap for children and families. The mosquito-repellent soap lasts up to six hours after use and can be used for clothes and linen, as well as personal hygiene for the same repelling effect. Aside from the repellant component the soap has mainly organic essential oils, including olive oil, coconut oil, lavender and citronella, among other natural elements. Nalubega has created a two-tier pricing system for tourists and locals. She said in the interview that she found most repellant products were created for and marketed to  tourists at a high cost. She therefore adapted a system of selling her products to tourists at a premium and using a portion of the revenue to discount the product to underprivileged and vulnerable Ugandans. Uganics has in its existence carried out four malaria information campaigns and distributed 1 000 free anti-repellent soaps to 120 families in the rural districts of Uganda.  As Nalubega explained to Al Jazeera, her hope is to help reduce malaria deaths in Uganda by 20% in the next five years and maybe one day witness a malaria-free Uganda.

Melissa Bime is the founder of Infiuss—an online blood bank Bime started in December 2017. In the year since its launch, Infiuss’ motorbikes have delivered more than 2,300 bags of blood to patients at 23 hospitals in Yaoundé and Douala. Before Infiuss, access to blood was a dilemma for both physicians and patients in Cameroon. But now with her innovative model, Melissa been able to cut the average time it takes for a patient to receive a transfusion from about a week, to one hour. With a staff of 13 and revenue of over $26,000, she has been able to open up a clinic and create an online bilingual app for her clients. ​ Infiuss is a revolutionary online health service that connects health facilities to a vast data base of blood banks in other health institutions. This online blood bank and emergency supply platform and was created due to lack and unavailability of blood. In sub-Saharan Africa, 500,000 deaths occur due to lack of blood and in Cameroon, 89% of blood needs in hospitals are not met while 40% of pregnant women and children below 5 years do not also have blood needs met. As an innovation, individuals or hospitals request for blood through SMS or phone call, we source for match in blood group and type in our database which has information on blood availability in hospitals with blood banks, then we deliver on bikes, in the right conditions. As such lives are saved and mortality prevented. This business has potential as there is recurrent need of blood for pregnant women, haemophiliacs, sickle cell patients, major surgeries, etc. With its amazing and qualified team, Infiuss can have branches in many countries in Africa due to the need   At the tender age of 21, Melissa Bime is already making a mark on the world. Following her nursing degree in Cameroon, Melissa was expected to go back home to help her mother with the housework - but Melissa had other ideas. Whilst working in the hospital, she was taken aback by the tragedies witnessed as a result of avoidable conditions, often due to the simple lack of available compatible blood. A five-year-old girl called Rita pulled on Melissa’s heartstrings when she passed away from anaemia caused by malaria when no blood was available. Only a few days after her death, the hospital found out that the compatible blood was, in fact, available from a nearby medical facility. “Seeing a little girl dying because the hospital could not source blood from a nearby facility angered me. I could not keep working as a nurse - I did not want to be part of a system where I had to simply watch these cases,” says Melissa. Putting her medical knowledge to one side, Melissa took it upon herself to find a solution to the inaccessibility of local blood supplies experienced by hospitals and doctors in Yaoundé. In 2015, aged just 18, Melissa founded Infiuss, a digital supply-chain platform that gives hospitals access to ready-to-use blood.

Constant Ayihounoun is a 23-year-old entrepreneur from Abomey-Calavi, Benin. His love for agriculture and sustainable agriculture has boosted his entrepreneurial journey. He is the founder of AGRECO, a manufacturing company that produces organic fertilizers and biopesticides and develops agricultural systems resilient to climate change such as soilless agriculture. Constant holds a degree in entrepreneurship and SME management with a specialization in environment and green economy from the University of Abomey-Calavi in ​​Benin. Transition into Entrepreneurship Constant's entrepreneurial journey began when he was just entering university. At the age of 18, he founded an NGO Africa Bio House to raise awareness in his community about sustainable agricultural practices. Following the community support he received and the leadership skills he acquired leading the NGO, he decided to pursue entrepreneurship while pursuing his university studies. Balancing his studies and leading AGRECO has not been an easy task, but he believes his unwavering passion for the environment has been instrumental. Business Profile​ After conducting a study on the negative impact of chemical inputs used in agriculture on the environment, he decided to raise farmers' awareness of sustainable agricultural production techniques. By working with farmers, he learned about the challenges they face, including low soil productivity and pest control. This is how Constant created AGRECO, a company manufacturing organic agricultural inputs. The company produces organic fertilizers and pesticides and sells them to farmers, agricultural cooperatives and green spaces. The company develops agricultural systems that are resilient to climate change, such as soilless agriculture and greenhouses. Since its creation, AGRECO has already directly impacted more than 1,000 farmers. The company plans to industrialize its production to maximize the impact on the development of sustainable agricultural practices.

Glass House PR Ltd, a diversified PR agency helping businesses to position their brands in Africa Mary Njoki is an award-winning entrepreneur in Africa, a thought leader, a PR guru who founded Glass House PR Ltd in Kenya in 2012 at the age of 23. She is an influencer, a technology enthusiast, trainer and mentor through a platform she also founded called a billion start-ups, connector and a leader. She has a background in Mathematics, Business Information Technology, and Public Relations. Mary has worked with renowned brands for over 10 years, and she has been recognized globally for her immense contribution in the field of PR. She is equally feted for her volunteering contributions in the Marketing and PR industry as well. Mary has worked alongside 100+ organizations across Africa and globally. Today, Glass House PR employs 30 people.   Glass House PR LTD is an independent agency that brings together a mix of services and comes up with a customized approach for each client. We are an award-winning Pan-African independent PR Agency that positions brands to their target audience across Africa. While we are a diversified firm with a portfolio of work in various industries, we first and foremost are an agency with established and extensive branding, marketing, communication, digital and media relations experience, not only in the East Africa, but across Africa. We have conducted media outreach programs for various local and international companies including; Paxful, International Coach Federation (ICF), Viber, Facebook, Nissan, Walt Disney, Access Bank, Greenlight Planet, Banda Homes, Threadsol, Flower & Perishable Logistics Africa, Ethiopian Government and many others.

Mary Macheze is a Mozambican law graduate since 2016 and registered as a lawyer, however being passionate about the environment and the rescue of traditional moral values, she set up her company, Othuka Eventos in 2019. She considers herself a young woman determined and committed to making a sustainable contribution to the environment and transmitting values that can make today's children into better people of the future. What makes her business special is that it creates and improve a relationship bond between parents and children. It also teaches about Mozambican culture, traditional games and helps to create a sustainable environment, as well as also teaching about the importance of recycling. At the moment, my company contributes in a sustainable way to the environment. We sell recycled products based on cans and bottles, considered garbage by some people and yet raw material for us. We also sell our services in providing traditional games for children's events, schools and leisure spaces.   The initiative to create Othuka arose during a process of introspection where I needed to get to know myself and discover something that could motivate me. Because, when we leave the University, we have an idea about the professional world and we are not always prepared enough to deal with certain situations. In 2019 when I thought everything was lost, there was a light at the end of the “OTHUKA” tunnel where I realized that parents, guardians and children are increasingly disconnected. Well, children do not take their eyes off the screens and parents, guardians in turn with daily activities, reasons that provide little contact or interaction. However, when designing the project, I came across another difficulty (2019) that the resolution was not within my reach. When designing the project, I was recycling cans and bottles to reduce costs and make the space more attractive, because, even if they were traditional games, we are talking about children and there is a need to draw their attention.   When I realized that Covid didn't have a set time to start I was sad and without much hope. However, because I'm surrounded by wonderful people, they were encouraging and  advising me to start selling the recycled objects I was making. I confess that at first it wasn't easy because for me it was only Othuka for children. But as time went by, I started selling and with each sale I made, more challenges came up, and I realized that being among the cans, bottles, ropes and capulanas was authentic therapy and that they provided certain answers.

Nelly Cheboi, Kenyan Tech founder was named CNN Hero of the Year in 2022 for her work in building computer labs for Kenyan school children, through her non-profit organization TechLit Africa. Nelly Cheboi at the Heroes Award Nelly is a global hero who was recognized and awarded the honor of CNN hero 2022 after her creative thought and effort to make Kenya technologically advanced. Nelly grew up in a poor and poverty–stricken household in rural Kenya and had to go through several rough patches to attain the position she is in right now. Looking at the condition of people living in her country, she dreamed of doing something good for the community. As she completed her studies in computer engineering as a scholarship student, she started volunteering in several events along with working in the software industry. In 2019, Nelly quit her job to establish computer labs for Kenyan school children. Helping the student have good technical knowledge inspired her to develop computer labs for them. To complete her mission, she established TechLit Africa, which helped school children in Kenya by giving them old computers to make the children’s future even brighter. Acknowledging this great initiative of Nelly, she was picked as the winner of CNN Hero 2022 in the 16th Annual CNN Heroes show, telecasted on December 11 and hosted by Anderson Cooper and Kelly Ripa. She was voted through online voting and picked as the ultimate winner Nelly Cheboi net worth will show a tremendous rise of $500,000 after she receives the prize money as CNN Hero 2022. Nelly worked through put her childhood to be a  softward engineer. She went through a lot of trouble and sleepless nights to get the scholarship and study further. However, after becoming a software engineer, she started her good deeds by establishing community computer labs for Kenyan children with her earned fortune and salary. She started her project with her won funding and slowly started getting help from the NGOs and INGOs.  The social activist started her educational mission in 2019 and gradually gathered thousands of people to support her initiation. Successfully in 2022, she won the title of CNN Hero 2022 and was awarded an unrestricted grant of $300,000 and supportive services valued at $200,000. Along with it, all the Top 10 candidates also received $10,000. On top of all the amount, this year, Nelly was honored with an additional $100,000 for her life-changing work. Nelly Cheboi is a passionate woman with great vision, married to her husband, Tyler Cinnamon. Nelly started her life-changing work at a young age and was always supported by her friends and family. Nelly’s husband is her most incredible support system and backbone; he always motivates her to continue her selfless work and joins hands with her. Despite having cultural differences, the couple came out strong and got married. Tyler is also a software engineer and is the co-founder of the non-profit organization established by Nelly called TecLit Africa. The couple has not revealed much about their relationship but is seen frequently by one another in their Instagram feed and stories. They are yet to start their family. However, they are leading a happy married life together. Nelly Cheboi comes from a rural Kenya family where her parents raised her and her siblings. Nelly was born to her mother, Mama Mboga, and was among the three daughters of her family. She came from a poor family background and had seen her mother struggle to raise them. As Nelly grew up in poverty, she knew she had to achieve something to give her family a better life. Nelly Cheboi and her mother She worked hard and completed her studies with a scholarship. So, to get the young children out of poverty, she was inspired by her family to start the initiation of helping everyone.   meaning?

Desmond Mabuza civil engineer turned restaurateur is a dedicated family man and a successful businessman with restaurants in Johannesburg, Pretoria and Nigeria. Desmond believes that the time is now for African brands and businesses to shine and grow and find their space in the global arena. Born and raised in Soweto, Desmond spent the first fifteen years of his life between his paternal home in Dube and his Maternal home in Orlando West. His childhood memories are rich and happy, filled with the rich sounds of jazz enjoyed with family. In a country where the fine dining restaurant business is largely dominated by foreign nationals and white South Africans, Desmond Mabuza is one of the very few black South Africans to own a stake in the industry. The success of Signature has become somewhat of an Urban Legend, and it’s phenomenal growth and popularity have earned Desmond his place in both the culinary and business world. There are currently more than 100 staff employed by Signature whose brand has become internationally recognized. Signature has a number of accolades, winning best new restaurant in its first year of opening, Diners Club Diamond award consistently over 6 years are at the top of Desmond’s list. Serving great foods and being recognized internationally is what makes him most proud. For Desmond work ethics, attitude and a passion for excellence are everything.

Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu (born 1980) is an Ethiopian businesswoman, founder and Executive Director of SoleRebels, Africa's "fastest growing footwear company". Bethlehem has received honours and accolades for her business acumen, as well as her efforts to shift the discourse on Africa away from poverty to the continent's entrepreneurial spirit, social capital, and economic potential. Bethlehem launched "The Republic of Leather", designing sustainable luxury leather goods, and "Garden of Coffee" retail outlets to promote Ethiopian coffees. Bethlehem was born in the Zenebework area of Addis Ababa. Her parents worked at a local hospital. Alemu attended public primary and secondary schools, and then went on to study accounting at Unity University, graduating in 2004. Bethlehem was the first female African entrepreneur to address the Clinton Global Initiative and was named Outstanding African Business Woman by African Business Awards in 2011. In early 2005, Bethlehem founded SoleRebels to provide ecologically and economically sustainable jobs for her community. Seeing that many skilled artisans in her small community in Zenebework were living with chronic unemployment, she wanted to showcase their skill and offer work to those in her community. The soles of the shoes are made from recycled car tyres. Today, the company has stores all over the world, including Ethiopia. Singapore, Switzerland and Taiwan Bethlehem is deeply proud of having been able to create global brands like soleRebels and Garden of Coffee. The company began out of a workshop on a plot of land owned by Bethlehem's grandmother in Zenebework. SoleRebels has flourished, growing to 300 employees in Ethiopia, with distribution to thirty countries worldwide, selling to market kingmakers Whole Foods, Urban Outfitters and Amazon. Franchised and company-owned stores were planned to open in Austria, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the UK Bethlehem wanted to create well-paid jobs which could create prosperity using the artisan talents and natural resources of Ethiopia. The selection of footwear as the launch product for the company came later. Bethlehem was inspired by the seleate or barabasso, the traditional recycled tire sole shoe crafted in Ethiopia, and footwear became the locus around which she chose to build the company. In 2016 the company sold 125,000 pairs of shoes and it had created 1,200 jobs. In 2014, Bethlehem announced a new business venture, The Republic of Leather, via a blog post on the soleRebels website. Bethlehem identified the luxury leather goods industry as being "ripe for a total re-imagining," along similar lines to what she had accomplished with soleRebels and the footwear industry. Besides espousing the same ideals of ecological and economic sustainability as soleRebels, The Republic of Leather is centered on principles of customer choice—customer choice of design, producer and receiving charity of 5% of the price they pay. In 2017, "Garden of Coffee" was added to her companies. It begins with outlets in Addis Ababa. Bethlehem seeks to challenge the traditional narrative about Africa and in particular, Ethiopia, "countering t he shibboleth that Africa and Africans don't know how to create their way to prosperity." Bethlehem believes Ethiopians must wrest control of their own narrative from the "people and elites with a vested interest in positioning Ethiopia as 'needing help' and specifically needing the 'help' they happen to be offering," as Bethlehem explained in an interview with The Next Woman. The global success of companies like soleRebels helps to dispel these old narratives and allows for Ethiopians to shape their own international image.  

Dr. Godwin Maduka is a Nigerian-American medical doctor and Businessman who is imprinting his footprints in the sands of time, a reference point and inspiration to this generation of young Africans who aspire to be great in their lifetime.  Dr. Maduka is the founder of the Las Vegas Pain Institute, USA rated top #1 in Pain Management in the United States by the health Inspection Community. The Pain Institute boasts of no fewer than 20 specialist Medical doctors, Medical staff/physician, over 250 medical personnel and over 150 allied employees. Half of the pain medical doctors in Las Vegas passed through him. He’s among the top medical doctors in the world Generally, over 150 medical doctors have passed through him across Continents. Born in Nkerehi, Orumba South LGA Anambra State, Nigeria. Dr. Maduka started his education in Nawfia Comprehensive Secondary School and All Saints Grammar school, Umunze, before getting admission to study Medicine at the University of Port Harcourt, but couldn't join his peers due to lack of monetary support. He got an opportunity through his cousin Prof. Dr Richard Igwike (who taught at Russ College at the time) to study at Rust College on a scholarship that covered half of his tuition. He later got monetary support from his younger brother and uncle and moved to the United States in 1982. In 1984, he graduated summa cum laude in chemistry from Rust College and got another scholarship to study pharmacy at Mercer University, graduating in 1988. After graduation, he worked as a Pharmacy Technician, before getting a full scholarship to study medicine at University of Tennessee, where he completed an internship and graduated in 1993. He furthered to Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center for his post-graduate training and residency in anesthesiology, critical care, and pain management, graduating in 1995. The story of his life has the makings of a legend because he rose from poverty to being educated in Harvard as a medical doctor and just in his early 60s doing so much to serve God and humanity. The Philanthropist has transformed Umuchukwu Community in Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra state to a modern city.  He built over 100 houses for widows and poor in Umuchukwu town. He also built both primary and secondary schools, a medical Centre, a Police Station, churches, community and Civic Centre, village hall, Igwe’s palace, State High Court in his community among others. “I am living the American dream and I’m doing all I can through philanthropy to help the people where I came from live a better life. It is so small that most everybody there is either related by blood or marriage,” Dr. Godwin Maduka told Las Vegas review Journal at his Henderson branch office. According Clark County records, Maduka bought seven residential properties in Nevada for more than $7 million and spent nearly $4 million on the two buildings that house the Las Vegas Pain Institute. Dr. Godwin Maduka’s specialties include chronic and acute pain management, anesthesiology, and interventional pain management. The center works in tandem with diagnostic imaging and family medicine practitioners. Besides his work in Las Vegas, he is rated number one pain management doctor in the world. This is not only good news to Nigeria but Africa. An adjunct clinical professor at Touro University school of Osteopathic medicine who still finds time from his hectic practice to teach, Dr Maduka had always loved the academia and being an adjunct professor at Touro University School of Osteopathic Medicine gave him the opportunity of fulfilling that dream of being in the academia and giving back to the community. This also gave him the opportunity to inspire and impact positively on the up-and-coming student physicians. Thus, catching them young. He is also a Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery at University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) School of Medicine.

Engr. Dr. Eghosa Igbinosa, is a private researcher and entrepreneur and have carried out several works on automobile development and aeronautics. A member of the board of Directors, International college of aeronautics (ICA), Lagos State, Nigeria. He has won National awards for Edo State in Nigeria. A recipient of commendation letter for the immerse contribution to the development of science and technology in Edo State. Dr. Eghosa Igbinosa is from Edo State and attended the prestigious University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria. Contact: igb21@yahoo.com, Tel: +2348063793831, Web site: ww.eghosa.50megs.com. Introduction Utility vehicles are very important in the distribution chain of any economy. Current utility vehicles such as pickups, hatchbacks, etc. are almost out of reach for rural farmers, tradesmen and micro/small scale entrepreneurs in Nigeria and other parts of Africa. These persons resort to manual and motorcycle transportation, which are bedeviled with low carrying capacities. Manual transportation is associated with fatigue while motorcycles are inherently hazardous. Utility vehicles in the form of tricycles are unstable and are prone to accidents and seem too dangerous and expensive for their function. Therefore, it was vital that I locally develop a suitable transportation means in the form of a four-wheel vehicle for SMEs, tradesmen and farmers Product type: Lightweight Utility Vehicle Product information: The utility vehicle shown in the piNcture in this section was locally designed and manufactured using basic workshop tools and equipment. The vehicle was produced from 67% of locally manufactured automobile components and systems. For example, the entire body of the vehicle, chassis, the suspension and wheel assembly components, dashboard, seats, etc. were made using local materials. 13 % of modified existing automobile parts were also used in the vehicle manufacture. These include components such as the steering beam, etc. whereas 20% unmodified existing automobile parts were used e.g., engine, bearing etc. Significant of the product/ work The development of the indigenous utility vehicle addresses the inadequacy in the transportation of heavy and bulky manufactured goods in    Cities by SMEs and farmers in the rural areas in many parts of Nigeria and Africa in general. Due to the geometric dimensions of the vehicle, it is applicable for use on very narrow roads and has the advantage of being able to access farm lands that bigger and foreign truck may not access due to their size. The vehicle is fitted with IC engine similar in design to the types found in some motor bikes. What this means is that the vehicles can be easily repaired by the rural farmers, motor bike and auto mechanics, this type of engine significantly reduces the vehicle maintenance cost and fuel consumption of the vehicle. The development of the four-wheel utility truck eliminates lateral and longitudinal instability associated with tricycles utility vehicles popularly used in Nigeria and many parts of Africa in general. The work has established indigenous basic techniques in the production of made in Nigeria utility vehicles by the development of innovative manufacturing processes. In addition to helping to revive numerous struggling manufacturing industries related to vehicle components manufacture in Nigeria, for example, the iron and steel industry The creation of the utility vehicle production plant shall reduce the unemployment crisis in Nigeria and enhance continued employment for the Nigerian youths.  

Meet Edose Ohen, Founder of the First Black-Owned 24-hour Doughnut Café in Houston. Africa has proven overtime to be one of the continents of the world with fastest-growing economies. Every day, Africa continues to give birth to new and vibrant entrepreneurs that are set to transform Africa’s economy. Currently, there is a huge rising in the number of young Africans who are building fast-growing companies in various sectors and are doing a great job in wealth creation. However, of an indelible significance is Edose Ohen, the Nigerian founder of Alfa O & O Networks and Glazed the Doughnut Café, who earned his MBA from the C.T. Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston in 2013. Edose had an unconventional childhood, by elementary school, he was given a programming book by his father to study and this sparked his interest in IT and robotics. But entrepreneurship was deeply ingrained in his blood, he was selling sweets to his classmates to make extra money and by the time he got to college, he started a marketing company to promote events at the school, which progressed to organizing high-end events for his fraternity. Alfa Dando Networks is a fixed wireless internet provider focused on connecting homes in Benin City, Edo State Nigeria to the internet in order to reduce the digital divide. Eventually, Edose Ohen quit his job as an IT manager to open a doughnut shop. The idea of the gourmet doughnut café started after Edose saw a news segment featuring a well-known Seattle café that helped in starting the gourmet doughnut trend. He continued his research by visiting America’s top gourmet doughnut locations before returning to Houston. “I realized there’s a distinct trend for gourmet Doughnut shops. We do not have that in Houston and I wanted to be the first person to do it” he said. The investment eventually made it to a successful end and it became Houston’s first 24-hour gourmet doughnut café, making Edose the founder of the first black-owned 24-hour doughnut café in Houston and it is set to rake in more millions.

Meet Bathabile Moreki, Pioneer of South African Township Economy Bathabile Moreki is one pivotal asset to the improvement of the African economy. She was born and raised in the Free State QwaQwa. Moreki has a diploma in Tourism Management, a B-Tech in Business Administration and Project Management from University of Johannesburg, and a management from University of Johannesburg coupled with a Management Development Programme (MDP) from Unisa Business School. Growing up, Moreki had a life-long dream of being a business woman, she was inspired by the business women who receive awards at initiatives like Community Builder of the Year. However, the standard norm of the society forced her to start at the employment level. This opinion subsequently changed when she worked for the government and she was exposed to a lot of policies that support youth entrepreneurship. After she did intense research, she decided to focus on the franchise industry in a bid to run a business that was accommodative to her personal needs and to contribute more change to her country. She is currently pioneering Township Economic Transformation which is a consortium TETFE and was envisaged to be delivered in the form of incubation hub which will be developed at townships. The main purpose of the hub is to offer entrepreneurs the space to trade their business formally with appropriate infrastructure to support their trades so that they can have better access to more markets that they would not ordinarily reach from their homes and to create job opportunities for youths in South Africa. It also helps to overcome the issues of hygiene and security around trading from home which impacts the growth of the businesses. She also runs a mentorship program where she transfers skills of starting a business in a franchise industry to new business owners. In fact, through collaboration with South Africa Bureau Services, Nedbank Business, StartUp Grind and Google for Entrepreneurs, she has mentored over 800 youth owned businesses. She is recognized as a multi-award entrepreneur and philanthropist that has dedicated her life into helping youth and women to achieve their business dreams. Bathabile is NDP Youth Ambassador, Proudly SA member, and University of Johannesburg Research Associate. As a young social entrepreneur was honored as Community Heroine Award at the Vita Basadi Awards.

Egypt’s Swvl is Revolutionizing the Public Transportation System in Africa Swvl is a premium alternative to public transportation in Egypt. The startup founded by Mostafa Kandil in 2017 allows users to book fixed rate affordable rides on their existing routes through the Swvl app. It makes means of transportation easier for citizens as it provides affordable, quality, convenient and reliable everyday bus rides. Its mode of operation involves users indicating their destination, then proceeding to choose time and route and eventually booking the ride. The startup guarantees the avoidance of rush hours, traffic, terrible driving habits and unavailable parking spots. The idea was birthed from an observation of the amount of time people spend on the road and the waste of limited resources; time, space and money. The founder questioned the status quo of people depending so much on their cars which adds to the pain of high cost of on-demand services. Swvl is improving the transportation standard by revolutionizing the transportation scene by providing a technology-based alternative to public transportation, a smart solution that solves the transportation equation, leading to helping more commute at a lesser cost with ease and comfort. It is a revolutionary idea born from sheer passion to solve one of the challenges that is posed to the African economy, to encourage the contribution of youth in innovation and to also inspire change. The startup has recently partnered with the American automotive giant Ford to provide Ford Transit minibus as the preferred vehicle of choice on Swvl routes by offering competitive lending rates to operators.

Catherine Mahugu is a software engineer by profession, and a change-maker by passion. With a love of all things binary and a keen eye for design, Catherine has been involved in various ICT for Development projects. In these projects, she has applied design thinking for social innovation. She is a certified human-centered design expert, a skill acquired at Stanford University -Hasso Plattner – d.School (California, USA). She is a proven leader who inspires with enthusiasm. She is passionate about helping teams unlock their leadership potential and talents to not only achieve their goals but to exceed them. She focuses on motivating and igniting vision to the high performing team and leaders. Catherine is an award-winning serial social entrepreneur. Currently, she is the founder of Chiswara . An agri-tech & online platform, that offers an equitable coffee experience for our farmers & consumers. We connect local coffee producers directly with our global consumers. Our farmer-focused approach & direct trade framework stimulates inclusive economic growth. Chiswara was born after  Catherine witnessed Alibaba’s Rural Taobao initiative. The tech titan is helping to raise living standards in the Chinese countryside by providing e-commerce access for millions of residents. Partners committed to the company’s growth and impact include Alibaba, UNCTAD, International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Egyptian Ministry of Investment and International Cooperation (MIIC). She founded Wazidata . A Design-led Innovation company, solving intricate and complex challenges with a focus on people. Our work helps shape better experiences, products, brands, & organisations. We build empathy through in-depth, qualitative research. A firm advancing human experience by creating innovative offerings using Design Thinking methods. Wazidata conducts human-centred design Workshops and need-specific services in entrepreneurship and ICT for development for our clients.  Some of the clients include Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Convergence partners, FH1360, Quicksand and Safaricom. Catherine Mahugu is also the founder of  Soko . Soko is an innovation in fashion & technology; an ethical fashion brand that expands access to economic opportunity for artisans in emerging economies, disrupting the traditional export supply chain and revolutionizing the way money & goods are exchanged between developing world artisans & global consumers. Catherine has an extensive background and experience in strategic planning, operations leadership, and management. She is a certified Global trade specialist through the International Trade Centre. At Soko, she has effectively overseen the end to end operational execution and delivery of products to over 450 international retailers, several large brands such as Nordstrom, Fossil, QVC, TJMaxx, Edun, Esprit, Anthropologie and global e-commerce consumers. Notable press that has featured Soko products include Vogue and Glamour magazine. Iconic women and celebrities such as Michelle Obama, Lupita Nyongo, Nicole Kidman, Oprah Winfrey and Emma Watson have been styled with Soko ‘s jewellery. By driving and supporting the technology innovation at Soko, she has contributed to transforming the traditional global supply chain. Soko purchases have generated over $1 Million to date in revenue to the artisan network in Kenya. With an artisan community based in Kenya and Ethiopia ,Soko has sold 250,000+ products worldwide and in the process changing the fashion industry for good.

Eunice Ajim, the founding partner of Ajim Capital was born in Cameroon and moved to the US in 2011. She is a 2x tech founder and an executive with experience ranging from start-up funding and management to leading a $10M+ tech startup. She has the know-how to lead a company to profits in a competitive environment. Committed to her mission, Eunice has met with over 100 African tech companies and has angel invested in 10 of them in the past year. Some of her angel investments include Payhippo, TalentQL, Lemonade Finance, Bamboo, Payday, and Mecho Autotech. The passionate investor and entrepreneur wants to focus on developing the continent’s technology space, and she believes the best time to start is now. Ajim Capital is inviting potential investors to reach out to them and aid in building Africa’s future in the tech space. The passionate investor and entrepreneur want to focus on developing the continent’s technology space, and she believes the best time to start is now.

Kingsley Paul Ukaegbu  was born in Nigeria, he is a renowned movie director and producer who began his career in 1997. Since then, he has produced and directed over 70 movies, gaining a number of professional distinctions along the way. Kingsley believes in a bigger picture, and his passion for creating quality films is evident in his work. He is a highly respected figure in the industry, and his dedication to the craft is inspiring.” I have been fortunate enough to receive several awards, both in my career as a director and in my philanthropic efforts. I have been honored with awards from Nigeria Image Award, Africa Movie Academy Award (AMAA), and many more and am grateful for the opportunities I have been given,” he said. Kingsley moved to the United States in 2012. The story line of his movie Abosede is as follows; Abosede was a young Nigerian girl who had always been a champion in her village. She was strong, independent, and determined to make a difference in the world. But when she came to America, she found herself in a completely different environment. She was alone and confused, until she met an old white man who she quickly fell in love with. Despite the difficulties they faced due to their different backgrounds, Abosede and the old white man persevered and eventually found a deep and loving connection. Their love was difficult, but in the end it was smooth and loving. Abosede was glad that she had taken the risk and followed her heart, and the old white man was thankful that he had found such an inspiring and determined woman to share his life with.  

Fundi Bots uses robotics training inside and outside African schools to create and inspire a new generation of students and innovators who are better prepared for careers in the technology sector and who can become change-makers in their communities. We use the process of building robots to introduce students to practical, modern technology concepts and, in the long term, we improve the overall quality of STEM education in African schools. We do this through school-based robotics clubs, holiday training camps and regional centers. Fundi Bots is targeting 100,000 African students within the next five years. Solomon is the founder and lead trainer of Fundi Bots, a Ugandan non-profit that uses robotics training within and outside high schools to promote better and more practical STEM education and provides better career opportunities for youth in the technology sector. Prior to Fundi Bots, Solomon was founder and CEO of Node Six, a Ugandan web solutions firm that is currently in its eighth year of operations and supports more than 500 clients. He started his first business at 20 and currently has two businesses in his portfolio, both of which are key players in the Ugandan technology and design industry. Solomon’s interests lie at the intersection of design and technology with a bias towards human-machine interaction. This, coupled with a strong commitment to equal opportunity technology education has led to initiatives like Fundi Bots. Solomons work has been covered by Wired Magazine (UK), BBC and Voice of America.

Romeo Oriogun is the winner of The Nigeria Prize for Literature 2022 with his book of poems Nomad.  Romeo is also the author of  Sacrament of Bodies. Romeo’s poems have appeared in the New Yorker, Poetry Magazine, Harvard Review, and others. He has received fellowships and support from Ebedi International Writers Residency, Harvard University, Hutchins Center for African and African American Research, Oregon Institute for Creative Research, and the IIE- Artist Protection Fund. Finalist for The Future African Prize for Literature, he is the Winner of the Poetry Society of America’s Alice Fay Di Castagnola Award, The Chukwu Prize for Poetry, and the 2017 Brunel International African Poetry Prize. An alumnus of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop where he won the Logan Prize for Poetry, he currently lives in Ames where he is a Postdoctoral Research Associate. Romeo Oriogun was a finalist for the Lambda Award for Poetry. The award ceremony was held on October 14 at the Eko Convention Centre at Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos, Nigeria. The night, which was themed “Touching the Stars,” kicked off with a keynote address from former Head of State and President of Nigeria Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. The NLNG Prize for Literature (also known as the Nigeria Prize for Literature) annually honors a published book by a Nigerian writer in a specific genre under review. With a cash prize of $100,000, it is regarded as one of the world’s richest prizes.  Oriogun has thus carved a niche for himself as one of the finest of African writers who should inspire others in the domain of literary creativity.   Where and when was he born?

Mr. Vusi Thembekwayo has been an Independent Non-Executive Director of at RBA Holdings Ltd. since May 14, 2013. Mr. Thembekwayo has already collected numerous accolades and awards as businessperson, entrepreneur and international public speaker. Mr. Thembekwayo completed a PDBA and a course on advanced valuation techniques with the Gordon Institute of Business Science and completed a Management Acceleration Programme (Cum Laude) with the Wits Business School. His speaking achievements include the international hit talk “The Black Sheep” which he delivered to the Top 40 CEOs in Southern Africa, addressing the Australian Houses of Parliament and speaking at the British House of Commons.

Farmer, Author, Social Entrepreneur, Political Strategist, and International Speaker. Farmer, Author, Social Entrepreneur, Political Strategist, International Speaker Thione Niang, was born in a modest family of 28 children in Senegal. Thione Niang immigrated to the USA in 2000 with only 20 dollars and worked his way through the hardships while getting involved in his new community. His efforts led him to participate as a community organizer for President Obama in the historic 2008 Presidential elections and becoming national Co-chair of gen44 for the 2012 re-election campaign. Thione Niang now leads three structurally different, but substantially, similar, international organizations; give1project, JeufZone Farms, and Akon lighting Africa-Solektra International. JeufZone Farms Thione founded the JeufZone Farms to address, the agricultural need of Africa- It is an agro-business platform for the production, commercialization, distribution, and conservation of farm products, with a priority given to local produce. Thione is working to lure young people to farming to help create jobs and to assure food security and food self-sufficiency in Africa led by young Africans. Created in 2009 by Thione Niang this global organization promotes global leadership and entrepreneurship for young people through its incubation centers, women empowerment, and global leadership programs. Give1Project is now present in 34 countries around the world including; the united states, France, Japan, Ghana, Guinea, Benin, Senegal, etc... As an entrepreneur in the energy field, he co-founded Akon Lighting Africa and Solektra International along with the renowned artist Akon and Malien Businessman Samba Bathily in 2014. The mission, to provide electricity to 600 million African households and communities through sustainable solar energy. Today, 18 countries benefited from the initiative, more than 5000 jobs have been created across the continent, enabling a solar academy to open in Malian in Senegal for the training of young Africans in the field. By 2015 Thione Niang was appointed by President Obama, as Ambassador to the US Ministry of Energy. Thione advocates for the inclusion of minorities in all aspects of the energy sector, with a special focus on energy economic development, STEM education, and climate change. He is the author of 6 books, including Memoirs of an Eternal Optimist, Faces of Change, Social Entrepreneurship: 15 keys to Success, Letters to My Sisters, Demain tu Gouvernes le Monde, and children's book - Gorgui.

Nabou Fall is the founder of Nabou Fall Akademy, a training and coaching academy in leadership and transformational communication; she is CEO of Vizeo since 2007. Vizeo is an advertising agency with offices in the DRC, Ivory Coast and Mali, helping large companies to implement strategic advertising campaigns and public relations in Africa. She started her career as a board member for 15 years, Sales and Marketing Director, Deputy Managing Director and Managing Director – in several telecom companies such as MTN in Ivory Coast and Congo. Nabou Fall is a sought-after public speaker as well as a renowned personal development coach, TEDx speaker and author, mentor in various women’s empowerment NGOs, she collaborates with many magazines because of her commitment to the empowerment of her African sisters. President of Wimnet,WICCote-d’Ivoire(Women Investment Club) and co-founder of Impact Hub Cote-d’Ivoire, she has a degree in Computer Science, a master’s degree in Finance and Management from ISG Paris and also an engineering degree specialising in information systems and networks from the École Supérieure de Génie Informatique de Paris. She has also obtained a leadership certificate from Harvard Business School, a Boardroom Africadelivery certificate from IOD London, as well as a women investors certificate from idep and ECA. She is a Certified Personal Branding Strategist (CPBS) & Certified Digital Branding Strategist (CDBS), an ICF Executive Coach and a Certified Emotional Intelligence Practitioner. Member of several boards including Africa Design School in Benin and ADU Niamey, as well as 2 women’s organisations including Empow’Her global and Zahara’s Dream; Nabou Fall is passionate and committed to the emergence of women’s leadership in Africa.

" We are travelling throughout of Africa to succeed in the challenge of emergence and preserve our youth from the disaster of the canoes." Dr. Papa Ndary NIANG, veterinarian has an atypical career. After a Veterinary Doctorate in 1992 and a Master of Science in Animal Biology in 1995, he obtained an MBA in Business Administration in 1999 at CESAG in Dakar (BCEAO training regional institution). Dr NIANG has 31 years of professional experience: 2 years in teaching and university research, 7 years as Quality Manager in a fishing industry and 22 years in the consulting professions. He’s today a sure african value who symbolizes a dynamic Africa relying on innovative, bold and disruptive approaches to drive emergence of our continent. He is an expert of several institutions: WAEMU, UNIDO, CORAF, ECOWAS, IFAD, USAID, ILRI, ECCAS, AFRICAN UNION. His firm AFRIQUE EMERGENCE CONSEIL (AEC) is a senegalese Strategic and Operational Management Consulting firm. AEC was created in 2007 and is currently positioned as one of the most verve firms in its field in Africa with more than 350 references in 31 African countries spread over the ECOWAS, UEMOA, CEMAC, CENSAD, UMA, EAC and COMESA areas. The firm offers consulting services divided into 2 target groups: STATES, PUBLIC SECTOR, REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS  

• Strategic plan and support for the efficient implementation of emergence strategies in countries and institutions
• Competitiveness studies, improvement of the business environment
• Governance of institutions and public sector
• Operational performance and quality of service in public sector

  PRIVATE SECTOR (SMES, LARGE COMPANIES, MULTINATIONALS  

• Strategic plan, sector/value chain studies and business plans
• Change management and performance management in companies
• Improving competitiveness, value added and export development
• Quality approach with Certifications of Food Products and Management Systems of companies and laboratories (Certification HACCP, IFS, ISO 9001, 14001, 22000, 45001, Accreditation 17025)
• Value market positioning strategy

  SOME SUCCESS STORIES   Dr. NIANG and his Office AEC have achieved beautiful things for Africa as evidenced by these few illustrations.   In human health

• Development of IRESSEF in Senegal and SMIT of the CHU of the Fann Hospital in Dakar, two medical structures that have enabled Senegal to face the COVID 19 pandemic brilliantly (support Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, GILEAD)
• Upgrading of the technical platform of 15 medical structures

  In animal health and livestock promotion (AU-IBAR support)

• Animal Health Strategy for Africa
• Animal Welfare Strategy in Africa
• Strategic Plans for Veterinary Services in ECOWAS and ECCAS countries
• Livestock development policies and advocacy in ECOWAS, CEMAC, MAU and COMESA countries
• Positioning livestock as a pillar of Senegal's growth clusters towards emergence
• Strategy and advocacy for the development of poultry sector in Senegal and several African countries including Rwanda

In terms of training, employment and integration of young african people

• Youth employment Strategy for Burkina Faso
• Strategic plan of the Dakar Veterinary School (EISMV) for training African veterinarians in line with future changes on the continent

About agricultural research and food sovereignty

• Participation in the advent of ECOWAS Regional Centers of Specialization and Regional Centres of Excellence for Agricultural Research in Africa on behalf of CORAF, institution in charge of agricultural research and development in West and Central Africa.
• Food processing strategy for Senegalese agricultural products, with the concept of "Consume Local"
• Organization of producers through the establishment of inter-branch associations in the agro-sylvo-pastoral sectors in Senegal

On Food Safety Quality in the Agri-Food Sector

• Coaching of companies with ISO 22000 certification as for AIR LIQUIDE's carbon dioxide used in African breweries
• Coaching fishing companies with IFS certification in West Africa
• Support for the labelling of food products such as Senegalese Crude Peanut Oil

In the fight against bioterrorism and biosecurity

• Development of biosafety and biosecurity in veterinary laboratories in Africa and support for their accreditations/certifications

On the management of companies and the improvement of their competitiveness

• Elaboration of the Regional Programme for the Upgrading and Restructuring of Enterprises in WAEMU Countries (PRMN) for introduction of investment incentives to strengthen their competitiveness and uphold sustainable private sector
• Coaching companies in management with ISO certification throughout Africa
• Coaching of airlines, banks, telecommunications companies with certifications in Quality of service

On the governance of States, public structures and natural resources

• Implementation of governance and performance management system for public sector with ISO 9001 Certification (Agencies, Local Authorities, etc.)
• Emerging Equatorial Guinea Plan 2020 (in charge of the Fisheries and Aquaculture sector)
• Strategy and governance of the water and sanitation, hydrocarbons, extractive industries sectors in Burkina Faso, Niger, Congo and Senegal

  In the digital and IT sector

• Development of the export strategy for 5 Senegalese companies categorized Gold companies in the IT and digital sector
• Management of the partnership process between an IT senegalese company and a bank for the implementation of a Mobile Money solution (AGRICASH for BANQUE AGRICOLE SENEGAL)

In terms of environmental management and sustainable development of cities

• Management of the biogas production project from the rumen content of cattle in slaughterhouses of Dakar (Senegal) with a 75% reduction in energy bills
• Development of the concept of clean cities and companies in line with the requirements of ISO 14001 in the new city of Diamniadio on the outskirts of Dakar (Senegal).

Contact: Dr. Papa Ndary NIANG/ AFRIQUE EMERGENCE CONSEIL (AEC) -  Mobile phone: 00 221 77 819 73 21 – Mail: drniang@afriqueemergenceconseil.com

Rebecca Enonchong is founder and Chief Executive Officer of AppsTech, a leading global provider of enterprise application solutions. She is also cofounder and CEO of I/O Spaces, an inclusive co-working space in the Washington DC metro area. She is Board Chair of Afrilabs, a Pan-African network of over 50 innovation centers. She is also Board Chair
of ActivSpaces, an incubator in Cameroon, and she also sits on the board of Venture Capital for Africa (VC4Africa), of Salesforce.org and the African Media Initiative. She is cofounder and President of Cameroon Angels Network and cofounder and Vice-President of African Business Angels Network. Ms. Enonchong currently serves as a mentor/advisor to several technology startups. A recipient of numerous awards, Ms. Enonchong was named a Global Leader for Tomorrow (GLT) by the World Economic Forum of Davos, Switzerland. Forbes magazine listed Ms. Enonchong as a top female tech founder in Africa.

Abubacarr M. Tambadou, the current Registrar of the UN’s International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, is a Gambian lawyer and former Attorney General and Minister of Justice. Appointed as minister in 2017 after the end of Gambia’s 22 years of dictatorship under former ruler Yahya Jammeh, Tambadou spearheaded his country’s much needed transitional justice initiatives. Key among them was the setting up of Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC), to investigate gross right violations that occurred during the Jammeh regime. Thanks to that initiative, Gambians had the opportunity to hear from perpetrators as they confessed to taking parts in extrajudicial killings, torture, kidnappings and other serious crimes. The process also helped victims’ families to know the gruesome crimes meted out to their loved ones.   Tambadou was also credited for taking some of the toughest, and sometimes unpopular decisions – for the truth and in the interest of justice for Gambian victims – during his time as Attorney General. Internationally, Tambadou made global media headlines when he took Myanmar to the UN International Court of Justice The Hague for the Rohingya genocide. The case resulted to the unprecedented provisional measures order against the Government of Myanmar for the protection of the Rohingya. He was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people of 2020, in recognition of his leadership in the case against Myanmar. Tambadou resigned from his role as Attorney General and Minister of Justice in June 2020. He was appointed by the UN Secretary General as Registrar of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals in July 2020. In December 2021, the president of the Mechanism, Judge Carmel Agius singled out Tambadou for his role in securing a major breakthrough in the longstanding situation of the acquitted or released persons who have been living in a safe house in Arusha, Tanzania. Presenting the Mechanism’s 19th progress report to the United Nations Security Council, Judge Agius praised him for his exceptional efforts in securing an agreement between the Republic of Niger and the United Nations to relocate all the nine of the released or acquitted persons to the territory of Niger.   Tambadou initially served as the Special Assistant to the Prosecutor of the Mechanism - between 2012 and 2017. He served as Trial Attorney at the Office of the Prosecutor of the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) where he was involved in the prosecution of four senior military officers implicated in the 1994 Rwandan genocide including the former Chiefs of Staff of the Rwandan Army and Gendarmerie. As Appeals Counsel (OTP) between 2008 and 2012, Tambadou handled several appeal cases that involved complex ground-breaking international law principles, including the appeal case of Colonel Theoneste Bagosora, the man many believed to be the mastermind of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide. In 2019, Tambadou was elected by his peers in the African Union to chair the AU Specialized Technical Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs. He was also elected, in 2018, by the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) as Chair of the OIC Ad Hoc Ministerial Committee on Accountability for Human Rights Violations Against the Rohingya.   In 2021, Mr. Tambadou was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in taking  Myanmar to court and his commitment to stopping the Rohingya genocide.

Meet Oluyemisi Iranloye, popularly called Nigerian Queen of Cassava. While many Nigerians continue to see agriculture as a venture meant for the poor, Oluyemisi Iranloye, the woman with the eagle’s eye and thought-provoking entrepreneurial spirit, sees it as a lucrative venture. While many people see problems and difficulties in farming, Oluyemisi sees opportunities. This explains why she has successfully carved a niche for herself and has cemented her place as the Queen of Cassava. Oluyemisi Iranloye is the Founder/CEO of Psaltry International Company Limited, a major cassava processing company based in South-West Nigeria. Although the company was founded in 2005, it initially focused on marketing cassava produce before transitioning into a cassava processing company in 2013, and has since become one of the top cassava processing companies in the World. Psaltry achieved a remarkable feat in 2022 by becoming the first company in Africa and the second in the world to start the production of cassava-based sorbitol. Her success is built on an inclusive business model that prioritizes smallholder farmers and places them at the centre of operations. She saw the need to revolutionize the agricultural value chain to improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. She believed that an inclusive business model that provides maximum support to farmers and addresses their challenges in real-time was necessary to achieve this goal. Her philosophy is to take the business to the farmers instead of expecting them to come to the business, which promotes food security, mitigates the effects of climate change, and promotes environmental sustainability. With this vision in mind, Oluyemisi embarked on a journey to Alayide village, Ado-Awaye, Iseyin LGA, Oyo State, despite the lack of access to electricity and potable water, to launch an out-grower scheme as part of her business model. Ever since Psaltry established its first out-grower group in 2012, comprising of only 17 farmers, the scheme has grown to provide maximum support to about 10,000 smallholder farmers, 40 percent of whom are women. This support includes capacity building, input supply and the promotion of good agronomy practices, ultimately impacting the lives of 100,000 farm families. Through this scheme, Psaltry has made a positive, lasting impact on the communities it serves. The average daily income of the smallholder farmers has increased from below $1 to $10 per person per day. Furthermore, the scheme has transformed the remote rural area into an urban area, providing access to more resources and opportunities. Also, as part of Psaltry’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), the rural area enjoys steady electricity supply through the extension of Psaltry's electricity. The community also have access to safe drinking water through borehole projects sponsored by Psaltry, effectively preventing water-borne diseases. This successful initiative has served as a blueprint for similar projects aimed at improving the lives of smallholder farmers across Nigeria. Psaltry built its first starch factory in 2013 with 20 tons installed capacity, and today it produces up to 35,000 tons of its cassava-based products each year. Also, Psaltry owns about 8,000 hectares of land to support its local supply chain. Records have it that demand for these high-quality cassava products among Nigeria’s manufacturing industries continues to grow due to fluctuations in foreign exchange rates and scarcity of imported grains such as wheat and barley, which make locally-sourced and readily-grown raw materials like cassava more cost-effective. Oluyemisi's commitment to the inclusive business model has not only improved the lives of smallholder farmers, but has also made a significant contribution to the Nigerian economy. Her visionary leadership has set a new standard for sustainable agricultural practices, and her success serves as an inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs and business leaders.

Nzeyimana from   a small village in rural Rwanda – comes the story of a confident 25-year-old that is solving some of the problems of his immediate community one briquette at a time. Jean Bosco Nzeyimana grew up in a poor, rural community that could boast of very little by way of infrastructure or even the necessities. Housing was shabby, clean water was hard to find, and electricity was a luxury most of the locals would rather not think about—mostly because it was more non-existent than it was inconsistent. Even though he was only a child of school age, Jean Bosco did feel the pangs of the dire situation from those early times. Every morning, before he left for the only school in the community, he would have to meander through the woods in search of firewood—a precarious and exhausting ordeal for a child his age. As was the case for most of the locals, life was anything but a rosy affair for Jean Bosco. But unlike many of his peers, the young Rwandan chose to look at the big picture instead of feeling distraught. And that mindset would eventually become the catalyst for what is proving a tonic for community growth and economic emancipation. Growing up in his village, Jean Bosco was no stranger to the hardships and privations that characterised rural life. Most of the community was living in squalor, and the young boy was greatly disturbed by those living standards, or perhaps, the apparent lack of it. Thus began his quest to give the locals a chance at a better life.