ABH Summit 2025 crowns top African entrepreneur in Kigali

The Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) Prize Competition, a philanthropic initiative sponsored by the Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Philanthropy, has crowned its grand prize winner at the sixth annual ABH Summit and Grand Finale on March 15, 2025.

The highly anticipated event, held in Kigali, Rwanda, also celebrated the achievements of the first and second runners-up, marking another milestone in Africa’s entrepreneurial landscape.

The ABH Summit and Grand Finale honored the Top 10 finalists, selected from nearly 20,000 applicants, who competed for a share of the $1.5 million prize pool. Under the theme “AI – African Innovation, Insight, and Impact,” finalists presented their groundbreaking business ideas to a distinguished judging panel and a live audience.

The panel included Dr. Diane Karusisi, CEO of Bank of Kigali, Ibukun Awosika, Founder of the Chair Centre, and Fred Swaniker, Founder and CEO of Sand Technologies. The event culminated in an inspiring awards ceremony, unveiling this year’s winners.

Henri Ousmane Gueye, Co-founder and CEO of EYONE from Senegal, emerged as the grand prize winner, securing $300,000. Dr. Salma Bougarrani, Co-founder and CEO of GREEN WATECH from Morocco, claimed the second-place prize of $250,000, while Alexander Odhiambo, Founder and CEO of Solutech Limited from Kenya, took third place with a $150,000 award.

Reflecting on his victory, Gueye expressed gratitude and determination, stating that the achievement was a testament to years of dedication and teamwork. He emphasized the importance of continuing to address pressing challenges in his community through innovation.

A highlight of this year’s summit was the introduction of ABi, ABH’s AI co-host, designed to provide insights, facilitate discussions, and enhance networking opportunities. Zahra Baitie-Boateng, ABH Managing Director – Africa, commended the ingenuity of this year’s finalists and emphasized the competition’s growing influence. She congratulated the winners and encouraged more entrepreneurs to apply for the next edition, reaffirming ABH’s commitment to empowering Africa’s business leaders.

ABH also announced that Rwanda will host the Summit and Grand Finale for the next four years, reinforcing its status as a leading hub for entrepreneurship. The Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Rwanda Convention Bureau (RCB), and Bank of Kigali were recognized as key partners supporting this initiative.

The two-day ABH Summit and Grand Finale brought together more than 1,600 participants, fostering high-level discussions on how entrepreneurship can address Africa’s pressing challenges in healthcare, agriculture, and education.

Attendees engaged in a variety of dynamic sessions, including live podcast recordings, TED-style ABHx talks, a financing masterclass, a debate on the future of African entrepreneurship, the ABH Heroes’ Circle business ‘roast,’ and a unique blindfolded networking experience known as Networking in the Dark.

More than 50 distinguished speakers from 15 countries participated in the summit, including Jean-Guy Afrika, CEO of the Rwanda Development Board, Nick Hu, Executive Director of Health Innovation at Sand Technologies, Dr. Brenda Kateera, Country Director at the Clinton Health Access Initiative, Nathalie Munyampenda, CEO of Kepler, and Hasan Haider, Founder and Managing Partner at PlusVC.

In her keynote speech, ABH Grand Finale judge Ibukun Awosika emphasized the role of ‘African Intelligence’ in shaping the continent’s economic future. She highlighted the need for purpose-driven leadership, lived experiences, and local ingenuity in driving meaningful change, stating that Africa’s future belongs to those who see challenges as opportunities and take decisive action.

The event concluded with the official launch of the 2025 ABH Call for Applications, inviting African entrepreneurs to apply for a chance to win part of the $1.5 million USD prize pool.