Two Nigerian innovators honoured as Anzisha summit calls for focus on youth entrepreneurship

The Anzisha Entrepreneurship Education in Africa (EEA) Summit, held on August 6 at the African Leadership Academy campus, concluded with a powerful call to action for business and community leaders to support the continent’s very young entrepreneurs. A major highlight was the prestigious Anzisha Prize Awards Gala, which recognised the outstanding achievements of four young African innovators, with two of the coveted prizes going to Nigerians, Bunmi Esther Olalude and Christianah Madu.

Bunmi Esther Olalude from Nigeria was honoured with the Job Creation Award for creating the most jobs, particularly for women and youth. Elated at her victory, Olalude reflected on the significance of the award, saying, “If I keep on doing what I am doing, I know I can go anywhere and reach my biggest dreams.”

Similarly, Nigerian Christianah Madu was awarded the Storytelling Award for her powerful communication and ability to increase visibility for her venture.

Each of the four prize winners received a $10,000 prize to further the impactful work they are already delivering in their communities. The event brought together policy architects, educators, investors, and business leaders to explore best practices in entrepreneurship education and celebrate the innovative strategies driving youth-led growth.

In delivering the day’s closing speech, Anzisha Prize Managing Editor Didi Onwu said, “Youth entrepreneurship isn’t the backup plan, it’s the blueprint. For too long we have treated entrepreneurship as plan B, the path we take when “the real” systems fail you. But today has reminded us that youth-led enterprise isn’t what happens when things go wrong, its what happens when young people take control of their futures.”

In addition to a keynote address and awards ceremony, the day’s events included a dynamic panel discussion titled “Rewriting the Rules of Work.” The conversation reflected on critical themes for young entrepreneurs in Africa: the collapsing pipeline between education and jobs, informality as innovation rather than failure, and why investors remain hesitant to back very young founders. The panel featured young entrepreneurs who are actively rewriting the rules of business in Africa.

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Breakout sessions were also held where industry-focused solutions were put in focus with session partners. From innovative financing discussions to tech toolkits that enable businesses to manage their teams, enriching insights were shared with young entrepreneurs.

The other award winners were South African Cebolenkosi Gcabashe, who earned the Revenue Growth Award for his business which showed the greatest increase in profitability. “As a person from a rural area, this award means the world to me and the community I come from.” He added that young business leaders should “start where you are with what you have and the rest will come along with your journey.”

Finally, Tafadzwa Manyanye received the Systems of Delivery Award for building strong operational systems to scale efficiently. “I am really proud of the work we have done, representing the farmers of Zimbabwe!” His advice for other aspiring entrepreneurs is that they should, “just start, whatever you are doing, starting today means you are gearing up for a successful tomorrow.”

Onwu reflected that “We’ve heard from our entrepreneurs who are running digital schools, inventing organic farming alternatives, designing global fashion brands, solving health challenges and more – all before the age of 25. They’re not asking if they’re too young. They’re building anyway.”

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Supporting these young innovators addresses the pressing reality that over the next decade, 1.2 billion young people will enter the workforce in developing countries, while only 420 million jobs are likely to be created. With the fastest-growing youth population in the world, Africa is under heightened pressure to act. Stakeholders at this summit are responding to this pressure with new solutions, rewriting what the growth and development playbook looks like for young Africans.

The summit serves as a reminder that Anzisha is more than a financial supporter; it’s a catalyst for change that uses research, advocacy and collaboration to create an enabling environment for young change-makers. As Onwu stated, “We believe in the power of very young entrepreneurs to transform communities, providing the support they need to build sustainable businesses and create lasting impact.”