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Generation Africa awards US$100,000 to two young agripreneurs from Kenya and Uganda

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Generation Africa

The fourth annual GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize reached nearly six million people during the entry window from 19 April to 6 June 2022

KIGALI, Rwanda, September 9, 2022/APO Group/ — 

After impressive on-stage pitches to an expert panel of judges earlier this week, Esther Kimani founder of FarmerLifeLine Technologies in Kenya and Mark Musinguzi founder of Hya Bioplastics in Uganda each received a US$50,000 grand prize at the African Green Revolution Forum’s (AGRF) at its Gala Dinner and Africa Food Prize Awards Ceremony attended by H.E. President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame and a host of other African heads of state, dignitaries, and esteemed food systems experts from across the world.

With 12 top-class finalists in this year’s GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition, four additional Impact Awards winners were merited and will receive US$2,500: Eloge Niyomwungere, founder of Best Food Solution in Burundi, Nancy Iraba co-founder of Healthy Seaweed Company in Tanzania, Noël N’guessan co-founder of LONO in Côte d’Ivoire, and Seynabou Dieng, co-founder of Maya Sarl in Senegal.

“These young entrepreneurs are the in the midst of a food revolution. Their ventures are making a positive impact on their communities, their environment, and the local economy,” remarked Ms. Fernanda Lopes, Executive Vice President for Asia & Africa, Yara International, who awarded the winners on behalf of the Generation Africa co-founders.

Emerging victorious among the women agripreneurs, Esther Kimani and her company FarmerLifeLine Technologies invented a device that helps Kenyan farmers to get ahead of pests and pathogens with a proprietary disease detection device that leverages solar-powered cameras, Artificial Intelligence, data analytics, and machine learning.

Among the men, grand prize winner Mark Musinguzi of Hya Bioplastics wants to lead Africa in sustainable food packaging with an innovative biodegradable product solution that provides a cost competitive alternative to petroleum-based plastic packaging.

Generation Africa co-founder Svein Tore Holsether, CEO and President of Yara International, delivered keynote remarks at the final pitching contest to thank the finalists for their visionary work, remarking: “Once again, I am so impressed with the finalists. They are all truly inspiring and I see them as leaders and role models in a world that so desperately needs that kind of drive and dedication to solve the staggering global challenges we are faced with.”

AGRF Chair Emeritus Strive Masiyiwa, Generation Africa co-founder and Executive Chairman of Econet and Cassava Technologies, joined Holsether via video message to motivate the contestants to use their entrepreneurial spirit for positive impact: “From amongst you, are the very people who are going to save our continent and ensure that millions of people do not starve, ensure that millions of other people will be able to overcome the challenges created by climate change. […] The true winners are not going to be because you got a prize, but because you were inspired and encouraged to go on to do greater things with your entrepreneurial venture, and that you reached out where the need was greatest, and the help was least,” Masiyiwa said in a heartfelt appeal.

Embodying the spirit of Masiyiwa’s message, Generation Africa also recognized four Impact Award Winners for each venture’s potential to empower communities and protect the environment.

For Senegalese Seynabou Dieng, the company she co-founded, Maya, is much more than a food processing company. By partnering with small-scale local farmers in Mali, this 80% women-staffed company gets the best local ingredients to manufacture their proudly African sauces, spices, mixes, and dried fruits.

Nancy Iraba founded Healthy Seaweed Company to boost the livelihoods for women seaweed farmers in Zanzibar and to bring the health benefits of seaweed home through local value-addition and the promotion of seaweed as a sustainable and highly nutritious food source.

Noël N’guessan of LONO co-founded his business to focus on healthy soil. One of its products, KubeKo, helps farmers in Côte d’Ivoire to unlock value from their waste. This easy-to-use biogas composting system generates 2hrs of cooking gas and 50l of liquid fertilizer from 5kg of organic waste per day.

Eloge Niyomwungere and his business Best Food Solution processes chillies into oil, powder, and dried chillies for local and export markets. He founded his company to revitalise Burundi’s chilli industry by supporting smallholder farmers with quality inputs and guaranteed offset. They even manufacture an organic chilli-based pesticide to protect yields.

Marking the first in-person GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition since 2019, the twelve finalists were elated for the post-pandemic opportunity to build relationships with a global complement of delegates attending the 2022 AGRF summit. They enjoyed facilitated participation at the AGRF Agribusiness Deal Room where they could build face-to-face trust with future partners, investors, and clients. Corteva Agriscience, one of Generation Africa’s co-founders, sponsored the finalists in their travels to the live event.

“By bringing them to Africa’s biggest agriculture summit we hope to catalyse relationships between these youth agripreneurs and global leaders in the industry. The GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize, and the networks and connections that come with it, is designed to empower the youth generation to scale their impact-driven agrifood businesses in the fight for a sustainable, African food system. It is wonderful to see this powerful platform back in action,” said Barbra Muzata, Head of Corporate Communications and Brand at Corteva Agriscience.

The fourth annual GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize reached nearly six million people during the entry window from 19 April to 6 June 2022. Applications streamed in from 45 African countries with 10 countries represented amongst the Top 12 finalists.

“GoGettaz has grown into the biggest, youth-focussed, agripreneurship competition in Africa. Our entries are becoming more diverse every year,” said Dickson Naftali, Head of Generation Africa. “The GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize was conceived to spread a message of hope and opportunity in the agrifood sector. Seeing more youth with truly innovate solutions, building companies that create jobs in the food system, makes me really proud. They hold the future of our continent in their hands.”

The 2022 Gogettaz Agripreneur Prize Judging Panel

George Apaka, Agriculture Sector Lead at the Mastercard Foundation

Barbra Muzata, Head of Corporate Communications and Brand at Corteva Agriscience, Africa and the Middle East

Edson Mpyisi, Chief Financial Economist and Coordinator of the ENABLE Youth Programme at the African Development Bank.

Ellen Cathrine Rasmussen, Executive Vice President of Scalable Enterprises at Norfund

Zvichapera Katiyo, Group CEO of Delta Philanthropies

Jane Lowicki-Zucca, Senior Youth Advisor at USAID

Temi Adegoroye, Managing partner at Sahel Consulting

Jean Muthamia-Mwenda, Global Lead for Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship at SNV Netherlands

Generation Africa Co-Founders:

African Development Bank Group: https://www.AfDB.org/ 

Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa: https://AGRA.org/

The AGRF:  https://AGRF.org/

Bayer:  https://bit.ly/3RuMPpi

Corteva Agriscience: https://www.Corteva.com/

Econet: https://www.Econetafrica.com/

Heifer International:  https://www.Heifer.org/ 

Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation: https://www.NORAD.no/

Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions: http://www.SACAU.org/

Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture: https://www.SyngentaFoundation.org/

U.S. Agency for International Development: https://www.USAID.gov/

Yara International: https://www.Yara.com/

Full List of the 2022 GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Top 12

Women

Lawrencia Kwansah, Dent Agrisystems, Ghana:

These young entrepreneurs are the in the midst of a food revolution

http://DentAgrisystems.com

Dent Agrisystems empowers poor urban households in Ghana with its environmentally sustainable Aquaponics Hub. Its innovative solar-powered, IoT-integrated system makes it easy for anyone to farm fish and grow hydroponic vegetables.

Esther Kimani, FarmerLifeLine Technologies, Kenya:

http://FarmerLifeLine.co.ke

FarmerLifeLine invented a device that helps Kenyan farmers get ahead of pests and pathogens with a proprietary disease detection device that leverages solar-powered cameras, Artificial Intelligence, data analytics, and machine learning.

Nancy Iraba, Healthy Seaweed Company, Tanzania:

https://HealthySeaweedCafe.co.tz

Healthy Seaweed Company is boosting the livelihoods for women seaweed farmers in Zanzibar and bringing the health benefits of seaweed home through local value-addition and the promotion of seaweed products as a sustainable food source.

Seynabou Dieng, Maya Sarl, Senegal:

www.Maya-Mali.com

Maya is much more than a food processing company. By partnering with small-scale local farmers in Mali, this 80% women-staffed company gets the best local ingredients to manufacture proudly African sauces, spices, mixes, and dried fruits.

Yvette Dickson-Tetteh, Pure and Just Food, Ghana:

www.Yvayafarm.com

Pure and Just Food is all about climate-smart agro-processing that creates sustainable jobs, raises incomes, and protects the environment. They process and package dried fruit for Ghanaian and international markets.

Marie Ange Mukagahima, Zima Healthy, Rwanda:

http://ZimaHealthy.com 

Zima Healthy processes the pulp and seeds of organic pumpkins into healthy snacks, food ingredients, cooking oil and cosmetics. They employ youth and source their pumpkins from women and youth farmers in Rwanda.

Men

Julio Chilela, Agro Marketplace Kepya, Angola:

http://Kepya.co.ao

Kepya is an agribusiness innovation hub with a network of rural shops and an online e-commerce platform. Kepya is improving rural livelihoods by bringing agricultural services and products to smallholder farmers across Angola.

Eloge Niyomwungere, Best Food Solution, Burundi:

http://BFSolution.biz/

Best Food Solution processes chillies into oil, powder, and dried chillies for local and export markets. They are revitalising Burundi’s chilli industry by supporting smallholder farmers with quality inputs and guaranteed offset.

Denish Ogwang, Fidena Agri Limited, Uganda:

http://FidenaAgri.com    

Fidena Agri converts banana peels and eggshells into Eggo Farm, a low-cost organic fertilizer that gives crops the nutrients they need to boost yields by up to 45%. Its helping Uganda’s smallholder farmers to increase their profits.

Mark Musinguzi, Hya Bioplastics, Uganda:

www.HyaBioplastics.com  

Hya Bioplastics wants to lead Africa in sustainable, biodegradable food packaging. Its innovative business upcycles wasted agricultural fibres and casava starch into cost-competitive containers and fruit trays to replace plastic food packaging in Uganda.

Noël N’guessan, LONO, Côte d’Ivoire:

www.LONOCI.com

LONO designed an innovative system that helps farmers in Côte d’Ivoire to unlock value from organic waste with KubeKo. This easy-to-use biogas composting system generates 2hrs of cooking gas and 50l of liquid fertilizer from 5kg of organic waste per day.

Idoko Nnaedozie, Solaristique, Nigeria:

http://Solaristique.com.ng

Solaristique is a recycling company that is tackling Nigeria’s food waste problem with an innovative solution that repurposes old freezers into a range of low-cost, hyper-efficient, solar-powered cold storage units for off-grid use.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Generation Africa.

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Sierra Leone’s PDSL to Host Strategic Investor Roundtable at Paris Energy Forum

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2 days ago

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March 24, 2026

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Energy Capital

The Petroleum Directorate of Sierra Leone will lead a targeted roundtable at Invest in African Energy 2026, spotlighting upstream potential and cross-regional partnerships

PARIS, France, March 24, 2026/APO Group/ –The Petroleum Directorate of Sierra Leone (PDSL) is set to convene an investor roundtable at Invest in African Energy (IAE) Forum 2026 in Paris, underscoring growing interest in West and North African energy markets and the need for deeper capital engagement across exploration, renewable and offshore services. The session reflects a strategic effort by Sierra Leone to connect its emerging upstream prospects with established operators and project developers as the country moves to unlock the full potential of its emerging oil and gas industry.

 

Sierra Leone is increasingly positioning itself as a frontier oil and gas market with significant offshore potential, and part of the PDSL’s mandate is to catalyze investment interest in its offshore acreage through direct engagement with global capital. Recent data suggest the country holds estimated recoverable resources in the tens of billions of barrels, backed by discoveries and extensive multi‑client seismic datasets that prospective investors are evaluating. The PDSL is actively promoting licensing opportunities and drilling plans, emphasizing fiscal terms and exploration readiness to attract strategic partners.

 

A cornerstone of this strategy is the anticipated launch of the country’s sixth licensing round. Offering a rare early-entry opportunity into a largely untapped deepwater terrain with considerable upside, the upcoming bid round is backed by fresh 3D datasets which de-risk exploration and support new drilling campaigns. Just this month, GeoPartners announced that the final Pre-Stack Time Migration data for its recently acquired 3D multi-client seismic survey in the country was complete and is now available for licensing. The dataset provides a 3D window into the hydrocarbon potential of the underexplored northern Sierra Leone region.

 

Sierra Leone’s licensing drive comes as major operators advance exploration activities. In 2025, Eni signed a Reconnaissance Permit Agreement with the PDSL, securing rights to conduct reconnaissance and technical evaluation activities across offshore blocks G113, G129, G130, G131 and G132. The acreage covers 6,790 square kilometers within Sierra Leone’s territorial waters. Nigeria’s F.A. Oil Limited is pursuing drilling following its award of six offshore blocks through the country’s fifth licensing round in 2023. The company is currently seeking a farm-in partner to advance the project from exploration to production, offering a 40% stake in each of the G Blocks 53, 54, 55, 71, 72 and 73.

 

As these development unfold, the upcoming roundtable at IAE 2026 offers a unique opportunity for operators and policymakers to engage potential investors. The IAE 2026 Forum has become a strategic bridge between African upstream opportunities and global investors, with sessions like the PDSL roundtable designed to foster deeper dialogue and provide clarity on project pipelines and investment prerequisites. Discussions are expected to cover mechanisms for de‑risking exploration activity, optimizing fiscal and contractual frameworks and identifying synergies between hydrocarbon investment and renewable energy commitments.

 

For investors seeking differentiated exposure to African energy markets, the Sierra Leone roundtable represents both a focused exploration of frontier oil potential and a broader conversation about regional infrastructure, partnerships and the evolving demands of energy capital in the years ahead.

 

IAE 2026 (www.Invest-Africa-Energy.com) is an exclusive forum designed to connect African energy markets with global investors, serving as a key platform for deal-making in the lead-up to African Energy Week. Scheduled for April 22–23, 2026, in Paris, the event will provide delegates with two days of in-depth engagement with industry experts, project developers, investors and policymakers. For more information, visit www.Invest-Africa-Energy.com. To sponsor or register as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com

 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

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Cape Town Prepares for African Mining Week 2026 as Draft Program Reveals Continent’s Mineral Drive

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March 24, 2026

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Energy Capital

African Mining Week returns for its 2026 edition with an expanded three-day program, bringing together African mining leaders and global partners to shape the future of the continent’s mining sector

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, March 24, 2026/APO Group/ –Global economic trends – from record-breaking commodity prices to intensifying geopolitical competition for resources – are reshaping the strategic importance of Africa’s mineral wealth. As global countries race to secure supply chains for energy transition metals – which are expected to triple by 2030 – Africa is positioning its 30% share of the world’s critical minerals as a key pillar of economic growth. African governments are modernizing mining codes, developing industrial corridors and investing in mineral processing facilities to support local beneficiation, job creation, workforce development and regional mineral markets.

 

Against this backdrop, the upcoming African Mining Week (AMW) Conference & Exhibition – Africa’s premier gathering for mining stakeholders – has launched the draft program for its 2026 edition {https://apo-opa.co/3NneKLj}. Scheduled to take place October 14–16 in Cape Town, the event provides a platform where policymakers, global investors, project operators, technology providers, academia and mining service companies examine Africa’s mining opportunities, challenges and long-term strategic direction.

Under the theme ‘Mining the Future: Unearthing Africa’s Full Mineral Value’, the three-day, multi-track agenda reflects the growing urgency among African markets to strengthen value addition across the mining value chain.

Regional Cooperation and Policy Alignment in Focus

A key feature of the agenda is the Ministerial Forum, where African mining ministers will provide updates on regulatory reforms and policy alignment initiatives aimed at unlocking greater value from the continent’s mineral resources. Discussions will examine how harmonized regulatory frameworks and regional cooperation can accelerate investment flows and strengthen Africa’s position in global mineral supply chains.

The inclusion of regional policy integration reflects a growing continental push to leverage frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to enhance cross-border mineral cooperation and trade.

We are acting to enhance regional integration through frameworks such as the African Mining Vision and the Africa Mineral Strategy Group

“Africa’s integration is not only a political objective but a strategic economic vision,” stated Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Ghana’s Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, in remarks reported by Energy Capital & Power – organizers of AMW – in February 2026. “Our natural resources require coordinated policies. Isolated legal frameworks cannot fully unlock their value. Through integration and initiatives such as the ECOWAS [Economic Community of West African States] Mining Code and the African Mining Vision, we can build a stronger and more competitive mineral economy.”

Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Henry Alake, echoed this emphasis on regional cooperation and beneficiation.

“We are acting to enhance regional integration through frameworks such as the African Mining Vision and the Africa Mineral Strategy Group,” he stated. “We must develop mineral corridors that connect resources, infrastructure and markets across the continent. Our goal is not to simply export raw materials, but to develop industrial hubs that create jobs and value across borders.”

Connecting Global Investors with African Opportunities

Strategic roundtables and Country Focus sessions form a key part of the AMW 2026 program, connecting African mining jurisdictions with international partners from the U.S, Europe, the Middle East and China. These sessions will provide African stakeholders with a platform to showcase exploration opportunities and project pipelines across the mining value chain.

Meanwhile, technical workshops and the exhibition floor at AMW 2026 will provide a platform for equipment manufacturers, technology providers and engineering firms to showcase innovations designed to enhance operational performance across mining operations.

By combining high-level policy dialogue with technical expertise and investment matchmaking, AMW 2026 positions itself as a critical marketplace where Africa’s mineral potential converges with global capital, technology and strategic partnerships – helping shape the next phase of growth for the continent’s mining sector.

AMW serves as a premier platform for exploring the full spectrum of mining opportunities across Africa. The event is held alongside the African Energy Week: Invest in African Energies 2026 conference from October 12-16 in Cape Town. Sponsors, exhibitors and delegates can learn more by contacting sales@energycapitalpower.com.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

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Tony Elumelu Foundation Selects Seven North African Entrepreneurs in 2026 Cohort

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March 24, 2026

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entrepreneurs

Seven North African entrepreneurs in technology, education, professional services and agriculture selected from 265,000 applications at historic Abuja ceremony

Hope is not just a feeling — it is a system we can build

ABUJA, Nigeria, March 24, 2026/APO Group/ —

  • 7 North African entrepreneurs selected from Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt
  • 51% of the 2026 cohort are women, all selected purely on merit, without any quota in place
  • 3,200 total entrepreneurs selected from 265,000+ applications across 54 African countries
  • USD 5,000 in non-refundable seed capital for each selected entrepreneur
  • Selection conducted independently by Ernst & Young

 

The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) (www.TonyElumeluFoundation.org), the leading philanthropy empowering young African entrepreneurs, announced on Sunday, 22 March 2026 the 12th cohort of the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme at a ceremony held at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja. The announcement was made by Founder Tony O. Elumelu, C.F.R.

 

Among the 3,200 entrepreneurs selected from 265,000 applications received from all 54 African countries: seven from North Africa. Three from Tunisia, two from Morocco, two from Egypt. Spanning technology, education, professional services and agribusiness, they represent a generation of North African founders building businesses that address the urgent needs of their communities. Their selection, which was conducted independently by Ernst & Young, places them among the most rigorously assessed young entrepreneurs on the continent.

 

This year’s cohort carries a historic signal: 51 percent of the 2026 entrepreneurs are women. They were selected purely on merit, without quota. Across hundreds of thousands of applications, women distinguished themselves through the strength of their ideas, the clarity of their business models and the ambition of their vision.

 

In 2026, the Foundation is empowering a total of 3,200 entrepreneurs across all its entrepreneurship programmes:

 

  • 1,751 entrepreneurs through Heirs Holdings Group: Heirs Energies, Transcorp Power, Transcorp Hotels, and United Capital;
  • 1,049 entrepreneurs in partnership with the European Commission, OACPS, BMZ and GIZ;
  • 100 entrepreneurs in partnership with Sèmè City Development Agency;
  • 100 entrepreneurs in partnership with DEG, the German Development Agency;
  • 100 entrepreneurs in partnership with the IKEA Foundation, UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited and the Dutch Government; and
  • 100 entrepreneurs in partnership with UNDP and the Rwandan Ministry of Youth and Arts.

 

 

Each selected Tony Elumelu Entrepreneur will receive USD 5,000 in non-refundable seed capital, access to world-class business management training on TEFConnect, one-on-one mentorship, and entry into a powerful network of investors, partners and fellow entrepreneurs.

 

In his annual letter (https://apo-opa.co/4uOFepM), “A Story of Hope,” Tony O. Elumelu, C.F.R., Founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, shared a powerful message to the new cohort:

 

“For a long time, I believed luck was something that simply happened to you. Then I came to understand: luck can be engineered. Opportunity can be democratised. Hope is not just a feeling — it is a system we can build.” — Tony O. Elumelu, C.F.R., Founder, Tony Elumelu Foundation — 2026 Annual Letter

 

The Tony Elumelu Foundation has empowered over 2.5 million young Africans with access to business management training on TEFConnect (https://TEFConnect.com), and disbursed over USD 100 million in seed capital to more than 24,000 selected entrepreneurs.

 

Collectively, these entrepreneurs have generated USD 4.2 billion in revenue and created more than 1.5 million direct and indirect jobs. Through its support for African entrepreneurs, TEF has lifted 2.1 million Africans above the poverty line and positively impacted more than 4 million African households, with 46% of supported entrepreneurs being African women. Eighty percent of TEF-supported businesses survive and scale, against a global average of ten to twenty percent.

 

 

The announcement ceremony was broadcast live in English (https://apo-opa.co/3PWLiML), French (https://apo-opa.co/3PWLiML), Portuguese (https://apo-opa.co/4t4Y7Da) and Arabic (https://apo-opa.co/4bYHlQl).

 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Tony Elumelu Foundation.

 

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