Meet the 5 African entrepreneurs changing the continent
Jason Njoku (Nigeria)
Born and raised in South-East London, Jason Chkwuma Njoku soon returned to the Nigeria after completing successful studies at the University of Manchester. Following 11 failed ventures, he placed Nigeria on the digital map by creating a Nollywood online distribution business, placing his company iROKOtv as a direct competitor to Netflix on the African continent and worldwide, reaching 178 countries.
The business skyrocketed and enabled Njoku to launch an investment vehicle for Lagos-based Internet start-ups called Spark. He has since become an inspiration to many and travels the world captivating and motivating audiences through TedX talks he names “Failing all the way to success”.
Adaora Mbelu-Dania (Nigeria)
At the tender age of 9, Adaora wrote her first book. When she was 16, she represented Nigeria at the Global Young Leaders Conference in Washington DC and New York, joining 350 outstanding scholars from various countries. At 19, she was working at CITI group in the United States, and by the time she was 29, she was already running a million dollar enterprise.
As a self-proclaimed “Bright Light, Dreamterpreter, Purpose Driver”, Adaora has a clear passion for innovation, pushing young Nigerians to harness their creativity to build sustainable brands and business structures through her company Trellis Group.
Aside from her academic and professional work, Adaora has a passion for community development, co-founding Socially Africa, a foundation that gives back to the public through several initiatives.
Adaora Mbelu-Dania is barely 30 but her résumé reads as if her career is a century old, and she’s only getting started.
Kudakwashe Tagwirei (Zimbabwe)
Zimbabwe has experienced one of the worst economic and political crises in history, and this is demonstrated by the country’s widespread poverty and unemployment rate which rose to a staggering 94% in 2008. The country is slowly recovering after years of turmoil and turning into the next big thing and many successful businessmen continue to invest in different sectors in the country, including telecommunications, mining and manufacturing.
One of these businessmen is Kuda Tagwirei, having created Sakunda Holdings providing energy solutions to individuals, industries and companies, ensuring thriving businesses and a positive impact of the economy of the country.
Kuda quickly realised that agriculture is the backbone of Zimbabwe’s economy leading him to invest in the sector ensuring poverty eradication, and alimentary supplies for the communities. Kuda financed 200'000 hectares of agricultural land in 2016, and employs over 500 people through his company, all the while battling forms of child, forced or compulsory labour.
Kuda set a goal for himself, to empower the Zimbabwean people, aiming to support and develop the country’s economy through the creation of employment and electricity.
Jean Bosco Nzeyimana (Rwanda)
From Nyamagabe, a small village in rural Rwanda, comes the story of a confident 25-year-old who is solving the problems of his immediate community one briquette at a time. Unlike many of his peers, Jean chose to look at the bigger picture instead of dwelling on his precarious upbringing. This mindset would eventually become the catalyst for what is proving to be one of the most innovating energy supply solutions in the world.
Jean was only 19 when he had the idea of turning waste into energy, taking care of two major problems: deforestation and waste. His plan revolved around turning organic waste into clean-burning briquettes, as well as fertilisers for farmers.
Jean founded his company Habona, who’s biofuels are currently being used by 1'500 households in Rwanda, employing 30 people on a permanent basis, and 50 more as occasional workers.
In 2014, Jean was named Top Young Entrepreneur of Rwanda, empowering his community, and improving their quality of life in rural Rwanda, hoping to extend his idea beyond borders in the future.
Sangu Delle (Ghana)
Born in Ghana, Sangu’s childhood home was a refuge for victims of torture and violence from neighboring Liberia and Sierra Leone, fueling his desire to help his community. Having graduated from Harvard with highest honors in African Studies and Economics, Sangu co-founded Cleanacwa working to bring clean water and sanitation to over 200,000 people across 120 villages in Ghana.
Convinced that the real needs of communities can best be met through entrepreneurship, in 2008 he founded Golden Palm Investments (GPI) to fund promising start-ups that have a social impact and generate jobs.
Sangu has since been internationally acclaimed, not only being named Africa’s “Young Person of the Year” in 2014, but also one of Forbes’ top 30 most promising entrepreneurs in Africa in 2015 and Euromoney’s “Africa’s Rising Stars” award for “outstanding individuals and power brokers who are changing the financial, investment and business landscape in Africa.”
