The Top Winners of the 6th Edition of the ABH Prize Express Immense Pride and Joy in Kigali

The top winners of the sixth edition of Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) Prize Competition expressed immense pride and joy as they were recognized for their outstanding entrepreneurial achievements at the grand finale held in Kigali, Rwanda. The competition, a flagship initiative by the Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Philanthropy, saw fierce competition among nearly 20,000 applicants from across the continent, with the top 10 finalists vying for a share of the $1.5 million prize.

Following the successful conclusion of the ABH Summit and Grand Finale in Kigali this weekend, the winners shared heartfelt reflections on their journeys, emphasizing perseverance, innovation, and the importance of solving local challenges.

Henri Ousmane Gueye, Co-founder and CEO of EYONE from Senegal, who emerged as the grand prize winner, securing $300,000, celebrated his victory as a testament to perseverance and innovation. “I am very proud to be announced as the winner of the 2024 ABH Prize Competition. This achievement is the result of a lot of hard work,” he said, emphasizing the dedication of his team.

Gueye, whose company focuses on healthcare solutions, highlighted the significance of the $300,000 grant. “The money will serve our day-to-day operations, but beyond that, it’s a message. If a country invests in a local innovator, he can be a champion and change Africa.”

The road to success was not easy. “It was a long journey. It’s our third attempt, but this year we made it,” he noted, acknowledging the rigorous competition and inspiration drawn from fellow entrepreneurs.

He urged young innovators to remain steadfast. “Just believe in what you are doing. The first thing is to try to solve a problem. If you are focused on the problem, you can be sure you are working on something useful.”

Beyond financial support, Gueye stressed the need for structural backing. “Our governments must invest in us, local innovators, to have a local solution adapted to our context.” Addressing aspiring entrepreneurs, he advised resilience: “If you just want to do it for fun, do something else. The day-to-day is very hard.”

With this milestone, Gueye remains committed to driving change, declaring, “We are motivated to change Africa.”

Dr. Salma Bougarrani, Co-Founder and CEO of GREEN WATECH from Morocco, secured the 2^nd  position, winning $250,000, expressed her excitement after securing the first runner-up position in the African Business Heroes competition, winning $250,000.

She described the award as “the best confirmation we can have so far” for her team. Dr. Bougarrani outlined the company’s goal to “industrialize Green Watech processes” in order to expand their production capabilities, ultimately serving larger communities across Morocco.

“We aim to implement more and more wastewater plants in rural and decentralized areas,” she added.

 The prize, she emphasized, will play a crucial role in helping the company realize its vision of becoming the leading provider of decentralized water and sanitation solutions in Africa.

Alexander Odhiambo, Founder and CEO of Solutech Limited from Kenya, secured the 3^rd position, winning $150,000. Overwhelmed with gratitude, he expressed his excitement and pride in his fellow contestants.

“Today, I feel honored and great and good and satisfied and happy for my fellow contestants. So I am very proud of all of them, and I am satisfied that my heart is full for position three,” he said.

Odhiambo plans to use the winnings to expand Solutech’s presence across Africa, with a focus on strategic hiring and partnerships.

“So my plan for this money I won is to expand through other countries in Africa… hiring more business development executives in strategic markets and making efforts to get partners,” he explained. He also hinted at investments in artificial intelligence and machine learning projects.

Reflecting on his journey, Odhiambo revealed his persistence in the competition. “The first one, I never finished the application… I really beat myself,” he admitted. After witnessing friends advance, he tried again, making it to the top 20, and finally, after a third attempt, secured a top-three finish.

In this competition, all seven other finalists received $100,000 each.

Zahra Baitie-Boateng, ABH Managing Director for Africa, emphasized the ingenuity of the Top 10 finalists, highlighting how their work demonstrates entrepreneurship’s power to address Africa’s challenges. She underscored the competition’s role in empowering entrepreneurs to tackle pressing issues while creating transformative opportunities across the continent.

“Congratulations to Henri and all our finalists. As we celebrate their success, we’re excited to launch the 2025 call for applications and continue empowering Africa’s next business leaders,” said Zahra.

Fred Swaniker, ABH Judge, praised the exceptional quality of this year’s finalists, noting their potential to compete globally and solve Africa’s most pressing problems.

He explained that this year’s group of finalists is uniquely positioned as world-class entrepreneurs, capable of competing anywhere and driving significant change. This reflects Africa’s growing ability to foster entrepreneurship, create jobs, and solve critical issues across the continent.

Highlighting Rwanda’s increasing role in supporting entrepreneurship, ABH announced that Kigali will host the Summit and Grand Finale for the next four years. The Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Rwanda Convention Bureau (RCB), and the Bank of Kigali (BK) were recognized as key partners in this initiative. Since its launch, the ABH Prize has expanded significantly, growing from 9,366 applicants to 27,267, with a prize pool increasing from $1M to $7M. Winners have collectively generated $252M in revenue, raised over $153M in investment, and created more than 123,000 direct and indirect jobs.

The sixth edition also marked significant progress in gender inclusion, with female applicants rising to 39%, up from a five-year average of 30%.

The two-day ABH Summit and Grand Finale brought together 1,606 participants, showcasing thought leadership and top entrepreneurial talent. Discussions explored how entrepreneurship addresses Africa’s key challenges in healthcare, agriculture and education.

The summit also featured live podcast recordings, a debate, TED-style ABHx talks, a financing masterclass and interactive experiences like the ABH Heroes’ Circle business ‘roast’ and Networking in the Dark, a blindfolded networking session.

The event closed with the official launch of the 2025 call for applications, inviting African entrepreneurs to apply for the next edition of the competition and stand their chance to win a share of $1.5 million USD. Full details for interested applicants can be found at: https://africabusinessheroes.org/en/register.