Telecom
26 Young African Entrepreneurs Selected for New 3 Year Anzisha Prize Fellowships
The Anzisha Prize has revealed their top 26 entrepreneurs for 2021. The entrepreneurs, who are between the ages of 18 and 22, will each receive more than US$5,000 in funding and more than US$15,000 worth of venture building support services over three years, which are aligned with the prestigious fellowship’s new structure of enabling young people to receive the financial and mentoring support they need to succeed.
“We’ve seen clearly that a transition from secondary or tertiary education directly into sustainable entrepreneurship requires both financial and learning support,” comments Josh Adler, Executive Director of the Anzisha Prize.
“Through our long-term partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, we’re thrilled to not only announce an increase in the number of fellowships we can offer each year, but also in the monetary support each venture will receive.”
The 2021 Anzisha Fellows were selected from hundreds of applications across Africa, and passed multiple stages of vetting and evaluation. Applicants were from countries such as Mali, Togo, South Africa, and Madagascar and running businesses in education, health, agriculture, manufacturing, energy, and beauty. These young Africans are demonstrating how it’s possible to pursue entrepreneurship as a career in the face of the pandemic.
Increased support for the top 26 entrepreneurs
In selecting 26 fellows this year, the annual Anzisha Prize fellowship has more than doubled in size since its first selection process, which included 12 innovative, young, African entrepreneurs in 2011.
In that time, Anzisha’s venture building support team has worked closely with over 150 early-age entrepreneurs in over 30 African countries. We have developed a pioneering approach to coaching, skills-development, and business support that has now been packaged into a three-year learning journey.
“Our fellowship offering has essentially been reframed as an alternative or accompaniment to university education for entrepreneurs in this age group,” adds Adler. “The grand prizes, which recognized achievement prior to selection as a fellow, will now recognize excellence from young entrepreneurs who role model job creation, venture growth, storytelling, and process improvements during their fellowship.”
The selected top 26 entrepreneurs represent 17 countries with 30% being Francophone. They include Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Mali, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. Nigeria has the largest cohort with four in the top 26. Young women are well represented, making up 10 of the 26 entrepreneurs.
“Young African entrepreneurs have continuously shown that they can rise to the challenge when given an opportunity. And what a challenging 19 months it has been for our world. Yet the calibre of innovators we consistently see apply to this program, prove that the rebuilding and reimagining of economies can be entrusted to young people. We are committed to supporting the growth of the Anzisha Prize and betting on the potential of young entrepreneurs to drive transformation,” says Philip Cotton, Director of Human Capital Development at the Mastercard Foundation.
After the selection process, the entrepreneurs will participate in a virtual induction boot camp for 10 days where they will engage with business leaders and past winners of the prize. The boot camp will prepare them for what lies ahead over the next three years.
To find out more about how the top 26 were selected this year, watch The Quest (anzishaprize.org/thequest) – a four-part series that follows the Anzisha Prize team and their search for Africa’s youngest, most exciting entrepreneurs.
Anzisha Prize applications for the 2022 cohort of young business owners opens on 20 October 2021. Eligible entrepreneurs are advised to download the application guide or apply for the prize at anzishaprize.org/apply.
The 2021 Anzisha Prize Fellows are:
Constant Ayihounoun, Benin, 21 – Constant is the founder of Agreco Sarl, a company that produces organic fertilizers and pesticides. Link to full profile here.
Sergio Tabe Ashu, Cameroon, 21 – Sergio is the founder of Excel Academy, which provides private home tutoring services to K-12 students and national exam preparatory classes for senior secondary school students. Link to full profile here.
Hebrey Issa Abraham, Cameroon, 21 – Hebrey is the founder of DATA, which produces and sells vegetables. Link to full profile here.
Krys Elfried Digbehi, Côte D’Ivoire, 18 – Krys is the founder of Yeyiba Restaurants. The venture cooks and sells African and European dishes to local colleges, high schools, and universities. Link to full profile here.
Victoire Bakunzi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), 21 – Victoire is the founder of Basuyi business that produces African-style jackets and tunics. Link to full profile here.
Oumar Diogo Sow, Guinea, 22 – Oumar is the founder of Felian Trading Limited. The business cultivates rice and cassava. Link to full profile here.
Martin Sure Ondiwa, Kenya, 21 – Martin is the founder of Greenfarms, a company that produces and sells fresh fruits to consumers and vendors. Link to full profile here.
Tsantatiana Fideranaharilala Rakotoarimanga, Madagascar, 22 – Tsantatiana is the founder of Dream Study Agency. The agency helps students in Madagascar apply to universities abroad. Link to full profile here.
Mahefarivo Thierry Andrianarinoa, Madagascar, 21 – Mahefarivo and two of his friends founded Coufé Madagascar. Coufé is a fashion brand that specializes in embroidered, customizable t-shirts that are handmade by women detained in prison. Link to full profile here.
Martin Masiya, Malawi, 21 – Martin is the founder of Sollys Energy, which distributes solar lamps and solar lanterns using a Pay-As-You-Go model for customers in semi-urban and rural areas. Link to full profile here.
Adama Kanté, Mali, 22 – Adama is the founder of Food Sante, which is a production and processing company for agrifood products. Link to full profile here.
Ali Ould Mohamed, Mali, 18 – Ali is the founder of Créa-Couture, a clothing company that sells a variety of products such as pants, skirts, shirts, and suits for men and women. Link to full profile here.
Renata Silva, Namibia, 19 – Renata is the founder of RS Clothing Brand, which sells trendy clothes to young people between the ages of 15-25. Link to full profile here.
Eneyi Oshi, Nigeria, 19 – Eneyi is the founder of Maatalous Nasah. The business farms chickens, fish, and eggs to sell to urban dwellers through an e-commerce web application called Farmisphere. Link to full profile here.
Esther Akin-Ajayi, Nigeria, 19 – Esther is the founder of Jemai Interiors, which sells furniture pieces and architectural materials. They also render interior designs and offer 3D visualization services to other architectural companies and individuals. Link to full profile here.
Oluwadamilola Akinosun, Nigeria, 22 – Damilola is one of the founders of Grant Master, an online marketplace that connects ambitious organizations that are in need of debt-free and equity- free funding. The organizations in need are connected with grant writers. Link to full profile here.
Grace Okezie, Nigeria, 22 – Grace is the founder of Royal Graced Baking Company, which bakes and sells healthy snacks and foods to customers. Link to full profile here.
Rebecca Samuella Kalokoh, Sierra Leone, 20 – Rebecca is the founder of Grace Venture Natural Products, which extracts oils from seeds, herbs, and fruits to produce natural cosmetics that are sold in the local markets of Sierra Leone. Link to full profile here.
Amadu Deen Bah, Sierra Leone, 21 – Amadu is the founder of Caballay Investment, which produces paper bags and bags for packaging that are sold to local businesses. Link to full profile here.
Masello Mokhoro, South Africa, 22 – Masello is the founder of Starlicious Enterprises. She grows day-old broiler chicks and pigs and sells them to individuals in her community. Link to full profile here.
Doroles Mihanjo, Tanzania, 20 – Dolores is the founder of Maktaba. The business sells educational documents such as past papers, notes, and online content books to parents, schools, and teachers. Link to full profile here.
Rebecca Taboukouna, Togo, 22 – Rebecca is the founder of RBK Pearls, which manufactures and sells beaded accessories. Link to full profile here.
Jovia Nassuna Kintu, Uganda, 21 – Jovia manufactures and sells affordable organic shampoo, conditioner, and other hair products. She founded Kia Cosmetics to provide women with an alternative to haircare products containing chemical additives. Link to full profile here.
Viola Kataike, Uganda, 21 – Viola founded her venture in 2020 to impact the lives of refugee communities. A Hand for a Refugee trains members of Kyangwali refugee camp in growing and harvesting passion fruit. Link to full profile here.
Munyaradzi Makosa, Zimbabwe, 21 – Munyaradzi Makosa is the founder of Farmhut Africa, an online marketplace designed to connect farmers in rural Zimbabwe directly to the market. Link to full profile here.
Tafadzwa Chikwereti, Zimbabwe, 21 – Tafadzwa launched Murimi Electronic Agriculture using artificial intelligence and machine learning. The business helps financial institutions to process loans faster, and farmers to ascertain their financial health. Link to full profile here.
MTN Nigeria Communications Plc has invested N202.4 billion in capital expenditure (Capex) in the first quarter of 2025, marking a 159 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.
The investment, according to the company’s unaudited financial results for the quarter ended March 31, is aimed at improving network infrastructure and enhancing service delivery to customers across the country.
The telecom giant recorded a 40.5 per cent growth in service revenue, driven by strong demand and strategic commercial execution. Data revenue surged by 51.5 per cent, supported by a growing active user base and increased data consumption.
In its fintech division, MTN Nigeria reported a 57.9 per cent rise in revenue, attributed to the strong performance of airtime lending services and higher float income.
However, its active wallet base declined by 25.7 per cent to 2.1 million, reflecting the company’s focus on quality over quantity in customer acquisition.
Despite challenges in the broader economy, MTN Nigeria posted a profit after tax of N133.7 billion, recovering from a loss of N392.7 billion in the previous year. Its EBITDA increased by 65.9 per cent, with the EBITDA margin expanding to 46.6 per cent.
Karl Toriola, chief executive officer, MTN Nigeria expressed confidence in the company’s trajectory, stating: “We are pleased with our performance in the first quarter of 2025, which reflects the continued execution of our strategic priorities and the resilience of demand for our services.
“Building on the momentum from Q4 2024, our Q1 results place us firmly on the path to restoring profitability and achieving a positive net asset position within the current financial year, while increasing our investments to improve network and service quality.”
With a free cash flow of N209.9 billion, MTN Nigeria maintains a solid funding and liquidity position, reinforcing its market leadership in the telecommunications sector.
MTN Nigeria Communications Plc has said it generated N1.0 trillion in service revenue in the first quarter of 2025, a 40.5 per cent increase from the N752.99 billion earned in Q1 2024.
MTN Nigeria said this in a corporate filing with the Nigerian Exchange Ltd. on Tuesday.
However, the company’s after tax dropped by 134 per cent, falling to N133.7 billion from N392.7 billion in the same period of 2024.
Its total subscriber base grew by 8.2 per cent to 84.1 million, with 3.2 million new additions in Q1 2025.
MTN Nigeria also said the number of its active data users rose by 13 per cent to 50.3 million, following the addition of 2.6 million users.
EBITDA climbed 65.9 per cent to N492.7 billion, while EBITDA margin improved by 7.2 percentage points to 46.6 per cent.
The company recorded free cash flow of N209.9 billion and earnings per share stood at N6.38.
Karl Toriola, MTN Nigeria CEO, expressed satisfaction with the Q1 2025 results, citing strong strategic execution and resilient service demand.
He said momentum from Q4 2024 had helped put the firm on track to restore profitability and achieve a positive net asset position.
He added that regulatory approval for price adjustments was essential to sustain investment and maintain service quality.
This approval enabled N202.4 billion in capital expenditure, up 159 per cent, aimed at expanding capacity and enhancing user experience.
Toriola said the 40.5 per cent growth in service revenue underscored strong demand and commercial discipline.
He noted that Q1 results do not yet reflect the full impact of price changes made late in the quarter.
Some federal lawmakers, yesterday, exchanged heated arguments with telecom operators in the country over the roles they are supposed to play to stem the tide of incessant kidnapping and other phone-related crimes in the country.
The lawmakers said the telcos were not doing enough to track kidnappers, despite the number of calls they make to victims’ families demanding ransom.
However, the telcos swifty responded that the lawmakers were mistaking them for security agencies, instead of the telecommunications services providers they were, clarifying that their duties were to provide telecom services to their subscribers and not to catch criminals.
They however, clarified that where and whenever the security agencies had needed their support or services in information that would lead to locating or arresting kidnappers and other criminals, who perpetrated crimes through mobile phones, they had gladly and freely rendered result-oriented support.
The scene played out at the first day of the two-day colloquium on the Nigerian Communications Act, NCA 2003, at Sheraton Hotels, Ikeja, Lagos, with the theme “22 years after: Reassessing the Nigerian Communications Act –Challenges, Opportunities, and Future Directions for a Digital Nigeria”
Ben Etanabene, member of House of Representatives, representing Okpe, Sapele and Uvwie federal constituency, Delta State, was the first to throw the salvo, wondering why despite all the money and time expended in registering phone lines in the country, kidnappers were still operating freely without telcos tracking them.
“Every part of this country, kidnappers are on the rampage, kidnapping and making demands for ransom. Why are the telecom operators not tracking and helping in arresting them before they wreak havoc?” he queried.
Etanabene, who claimed to have been a victim of kidnappers in the past, queried why the telcos and the NCC couldn’t provide geo-location services that would ensure kidnappers were located and nabbed before they carried out their actions, even when all over the world, technology deployment stemmed same crime.
Corroborating him, Ayodele Festus, another member of House of Representatives, who represents Ile-Oluji in Ondo State, said the telcos should improve their services.
He alleged that the telcos were smiling to the bank at the expense of subscribers, who hardly finish a call without it dropping at least five times.
He alleged that there was an increase in customer dissatisfaction because, according to him, “millions of subscribers are deeply frustrated.”
Also, Mr Moshood Olawale, yet another member representing Lagos Mainland in the House of Representatives, alleged that while it was expected that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and the telcos collaborated for the progress of the sector, what appeared to be playing out was connivance, explaining why telecom tariff goes up instead of coming down.
However, in a swift reaction, Gbenga Adebayo, chairman of Association of Licenced Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), punctured the claims of the lawmakers, saying operators were doing a lot to stem phone-related crimes in the country.
Adebayo said: “In the first instance, we are clearly telecom services providers and do not have the mandate to run around arresting criminals.
“Again, kidnappers usually don’t use their own numbers to call families of their kidnapped victims for ransom. Rather, they use the phone of the kidnapped, while moving from one point to another.
“Then, also remember that there is a privacy law, which gives every subscriber right to privacy until there is a lawful reason to intercept their conversations.
“The worst is that the security agencies have not come to ask for geo-location of event and we refused giving it out. At least, there is Law of Lawful Interception, which gives them right in that regard.’’
Also responding, Tobechukwu Okigbo, Corporate Service Executive, MTN Nigeria, told the lawmakers that in terms of affordability, Nigeria was one of the cheapest country with very low tariff in Africa, meaning that their allegation that Nigerians paid the highest price for telecom services was not based on empirical facts.
He also reminded the lawmakers to consider legislating on telecom infrastructure protection which would nip the cases of theft and incessant fibre cuts and vandalism, in the bud.
On his part, Dr. Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman of NCC, corrected the impression that the commission was conniving with telcos but stressed the importance of collaboration of the two bodies to deliver quality services to Nigerians.
Credit – Vanguard
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