Africa Awards for Entrepreneurship: the 2013 winners

The winners of the 2013 Africa Awards for Entrepreneurship (AAE) has been announced at a Gala Awards Ceremony held in Mauritius by the African Leadership Network (ALN) on Thursday, 3 October. The award show is sponsored by the philanthropic investment firm Omidyar Network that hopes to create opportunity for people to improve their lives.

There’s a total number of five winners (from 12 nominees) all ranging from different industries such as technology, manufacturing, social development and agriculture. Quoted by Bizcommunity ALN CEO, Isaac Kwaku Fokuo Jr. hopes the promotion of this impressive group of entrepreneurs will help inspire more African entrepreneurs.

“ALN’s single mission is to promote prosperity in Africa by promoting entrepreneurship, and these winners represent the very avant-garde of dynamic African entrepreneurs across the continent, who each day unveil a confident, affirming and prosperous future for the continent. By spotlighting them through the AAE, we aim to position them as role models to inspire the next generation of African entrepreneurs and accelerate Africa’s take-off.”

Dr. Manilal Premchand Chandaria, is the winner for the Lifetime Achievement Award. He has been selected for being one of the most accomplished industrialists and entrepreneurs in Africa. Dr. Chandaria is the chairman and CEO of Comcraft Group, a billion dollar industrial sector conglomerate with business operations in over 40 countries.

Transformational Business Award went to Interswitch Limited from Nigeria which is an integrated payment and transaction processing company that provides technology integration, advisory services, transaction-processing and payment infrastructure to government, banks and corporate organisations.

Considered being Gambia’s first and largest Internet Service Provider, QuantumNet won the Outstanding Mature Business Award. The company is also hailed as being the leading distributor of global technology brands and luxury vehicles, with business operations in Gambia and Sierra Leone.

Outstanding Small and Growing Business Award went to Madagascar-based Guanomad. The agricultural company interestingly produces and supplies natural fertilizers and organic manures from bat droppings in Madagascar’s caves for use in organic agriculture.

Sustainable Development For All is a company from Kenya that aims to improve livelihoods and education in areas without electricity, by providing households with solar energy. Sustainable Development for All won the Outstanding Social Entrepreneur Award.