Johannesburg, South Africa — It was a night of celebration, inspiration, and youthful brilliance as two Nigerian innovators, Bunmi Esther Olalude and Christianah Madu, took the spotlight at the prestigious Anzisha Prize Awards Gala on August 6, 2025.
The duo joined two other young entrepreneurs from across Africa in receiving $10,000 each to scale their groundbreaking ventures, recognized for transforming lives within their communities.
Olalude, who earned the Job Creation Award, was celebrated for generating significant employment opportunities, particularly for women and young people. Addressing the audience, she expressed her unwavering determination:
“If I keep doing what I’m doing, I know I can go anywhere and reach my biggest dreams.”
Madu, meanwhile, received the Storytelling Award for her outstanding ability to communicate her vision and amplify the visibility of her work.
From South Africa, Cebolenkosi Gcabashe was honoured with the Revenue Growth Award after his business recorded the highest surge in profitability. Speaking with pride about his rural roots, he said:
“This award means the world to me and my community. Start where you are with what you have — the rest will come along.”
The final award, Systems of Delivery, went to Tafadzwa Manyanye, recognised for building strong operational structures that enable business scalability. His advice to aspiring entrepreneurs was simple yet powerful:
“Just start. Whatever you are doing, starting today means you are gearing up for a successful tomorrow.”
The awards ceremony formed part of the Anzisha Entrepreneurship Education in Africa (EEA) Summit, held at the African Leadership Academy campus. The event brought together policy makers, educators, investors, and business leaders to exchange ideas on strengthening entrepreneurship education and championing youth-led economic growth.
In her closing remarks, Anzisha Prize Managing Editor, Didi Onwu, challenged traditional perceptions of entrepreneurship:
“Youth entrepreneurship isn’t the backup plan — it’s the blueprint. For too long, we’ve treated it as Plan B, the option when other systems fail. But today reminds us that youth-led enterprise is what happens when young people take charge of their futures.”
Onwu applauded the innovators’ diverse ventures — from digital learning platforms to organic farming solutions, fashion design, and health innovations — all launched before the age of 25.
“They’re not wondering if they’re too young. They’re building anyway,” she said.
The 2025 Anzisha Prize Gala was not only a celebration of achievement but also a rallying call for Africa to invest in its youngest visionaries, proving that with support and opportunity, the continent’s future is already taking shape.
