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Africa’s Business Heroes Unveils Community Leads and Launches New Scaleup Program

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4 years ago

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Business-Heros

Entrepreneurs and SMEs across Africa have until 6th June to submit their applications for 2022 ABH Grant

KIGALI, Rwanda, April 22, 2022/APO Group/ — 

The Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) prize competition (www.AfricaBusinessHeroes.org) has announced a new Community Lead and ScaleUp Program to provide more enhanced mentoring and networking opportunities for ABH applicants and finalists.

Now in its fourth year, applications for the ABH grant are currently open in both French and English and the competition has already drawn talented entrepreneurs from almost all of the 54 African countries. Entrants have come from a diverse spectrum of sectors including agriculture, manufacturing, ICT, Education, Fashion, Healthcare, Business Services, Media and Entertainment. To date, 32% of the entrants are female and 68% are male. As a Pan-African and all-inclusive initiative, ABH is encouraging entrepreneurs and small-business owners to join the competition and stand the chance to gain many of its benefits including access to training, mentorship and a pool of USD $1.5 million.

ABH has also announced the newly launched ABH Community Lead initiative to foster greater connection and engagement among ABH finalists and applicants. This program will be introduced in and led by:

  • Egypt, Cairo – Khadija El Bedweihy, PraxiLabs (https://PraxiLabs.com) (2021 1st Place Winner)
    ABH Local Community Lead for North Africa

“I immediately accepted this opportunity. Spreading the word to everyone I know and everyone I can reach about what ABH can do for their startups, how it can impact them just seems right. I am looking forward to lots of events, networking and knowledge-sharing and give-back.”

  • Nigeria, Lagos – Chibuzo Opara, DrugStoc (www.DrugStoc.com) (2019 Top 10 Finalist)
    ABH Local Community Lead for Anglophone West Africa (Lagos, Nigeria)

“It’s great to be part of this amazing program. I feel humbled to be a community lead working with entrepreneurs out of Nigeria to enable them to leverage the ABH platform to solve their challenges and create African business giants. Excited about the next couple of years – watch this space guys!”

  • Cote D’Ivoire, Abidjan – Moulaye Taboure, ANKA (https://bit.ly/3uZRg2I) (2019 Top 10 Finalist)
    ABH Local Community Lead for Francophone West Africa

“As the first francophone to ever be in the TOP10 (and the only at the time), I know for a fact that our region has just as much talented as Anglophone Africa. So, I am extremely proud and confident to help more heroes hail from Francophone Africa, watch out for us!”

  • Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kinshasa – Patricia Nzolantima, Bizzoly Holdings (www.WorkingLadiesCabs.com) (2020 Top 50 Finalist)
    ABH Local Community Lead for Francophone Africa

“As a community lead, I hope to bring value, guidance, support and the necessary resources to DRC’s entrepreneurs. I hope to help entrepreneurs to believe in their dream and trust their process because entrepreneurship is a journey, not a destination. Entrepreneurs are the future of Africa!”

  • Kenya, Nairobi – Charlot Magayi, Mukuru Clean Stoves (www.MukuruStoves.org) (2021 Top 10 Finalist)
    ABH Local Community Lead for East Africa

“I am excited to be working with ABH as the local connect lead for Kenya. I hope my participation enables ABH to discover more heroes especially in East Africa and encourages more young people to pursue entrepreneurship.”

  • South Africa, Cape Town – Mampho Sotshongaye, Golden Rewards 1981cc (www.GoldenRewards1981cc.co.za) (2021 Top 20 Finalist)
    ABH Local Community Lead for Southern Africa

“This program enables entrepreneurs to engage with local counterparts, encourage one another as well as showcase their best entrepreneurial abilities. Creating platforms of empowerment is something that is dear to my heart. I am grateful to be given a role to contribute and encourage entrepreneurs to dream big.”

In each of these countries, Community Leads will have a platform to engage, collaborate and build a strong entrepreneurial community in their local markets. They will be organizing a range of offline events for ABH finalists including coffee, outdoor activities, discussions and vision boarding as well as events for ABH applicants such as information and networking sessions, ABH Show viewing parties and livestreams of the ABH Grand Finale.

Alongside the Community Leads initiative, ABH has also launched a new ABH ScaleUp program. The ScaleUp program will provide ABH entrants with holistic training sessions that cover a critical range of business operational areas for entrepreneurs and small businesses including People & HR Management, Strategy Planning, Financial Management, Growth, Fundraising, and Operations & Execution.

The ScaleUp training program will be led by ABH’s partners. Initial programs will cover a Management Development course led by African Management Institute (www.AfricanManagers.org) will equip managers with skills to empower teams and drive performance; an Investment Readiness program designed by VC4A will teach fundraising, negotiating with equity investors, debt finance and more; FinTech training by 10×1000 (www.10×1000.org) to provide entrepreneurs with the mindset knowledge and skills on the latest fintech topics and technologies to  become drivers of digital economic growth; and Financial Management by the South African Innovation Summit (SAIS) (www.InnovationSummit.co.za) to explore key financial topics around financial management to grow a business.

Beyond the training programs on offer to ABH finalists, the ScaleUp program will also include community-based learning sessions that are open to the wider ABH community including past applicants. One such event will be held this Friday, the 22nd of April at 14:00 GMT | 15:00 WAT | 16:00 CAT | 17:00 EAT and will focus on two topics that are vital to master when becoming a successful entrepreneur “Relationship Building” and “Resilience”. Interested participants can register now by following this link: https://bit.ly/36xopcy

To apply to the 2022 Africa’s Business Heroes competition and gain access to a wide range of benefits, enter your application on ABH’s official site (https://bit.ly/3OqQ6oq). You can also follow Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/36yDUB9), Twitter (https://bit.ly/3Or4fCd), Facebook (https://bit.ly/3L39gil) and Instagram (https://bit.ly/3kgDMtn).

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH).

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Canada–Africa Financing Forum to Convene Investors and Decision-Makers in Cape Town – May 14, 2026

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12 hours ago

on

April 29, 2026

By

Ateau Zola

This timely Forum comes on the heels of commitments announced by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, deepening Canada–Africa commercial ties and expanding investment partnerships

TORONTO, Canada, April 29, 2026/APO Group/ –The Canada–Africa Chamber of Business (https://CanadaAfrica.ca) will convene investors, financiers, policymakers, and industry leaders in Cape Town on May 14, 2026 for the Canada–Africa Financing Forum—a high-level platform focused on unlocking capital and accelerating deal flow across African markets.

Registration is open (http://apo-opa.co/4vZN6oV)

This timely Forum comes on the heels of commitments announced by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, deepening Canada–Africa commercial ties and expanding investment partnerships. The program connects leaders from venture capital, private equity, and institutional investors to examine where capital is moving—and where the next opportunities lie—supported by Canadian project partners with proven capacity to deliver on-the-ground.

Delegates will engage directly with finance and investment decision-makers, following the program opening, featuring messages from President Cyril Ramaphosa and Prime Minister Mark Carney, in addition to high-level Ministerial representation.

This Forum is about capital deployment, not just conversation

“This Forum is about capital deployment, not just conversation,” said Garreth Bloor, President of the Canada–Africa Chamber of Business. “We are convening investors, institutions, and project leaders who are actively shaping transactions across Africa—and connecting them directly with Canadian partners who are ready to work together.”

The Canada–Africa Financing Forum reflects the Chamber’s role as a privately financed, market-led platform advancing Canada-Africa trade and investment through world-class networking and information-sharing events.

Why Attend

  • Direct access to active dealmakers and capital allocators
  • Insights into where capital is being deployed and key players delivering major projects
  • Opportunities to build partnerships across Canada and African markets
  • Participation in a curated, high-level environment focused on execution

Secure Your Place

Space is limited and demand is strong.

Apply to secure your place (http://apo-opa.co/4vXb9oz)

Read More and View the Program (http://apo-opa.co/4vZN6oV)

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business.

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ORUN and 1xBET Partner to Support a Dynamic Creative Africa

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18 hours ago

on

April 29, 2026

By

MIR Holding

During the MASA 2026 edition, held from April 11 to 18, 2026, ORUN and 1xBET implemented the We Champion Talent program, an initiative aimed at promoting African talent and advancing the development of Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs)

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, April 28, 2026/APO Group/ –As part of the Innovation Village co-organized with MASA at the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan from April 14 to 18, ORUN (https://ORUN.Africa) announces the rollout of its partnership with 1xBET to support a creative Africa that is structuring itself, professionalizing, and scaling across the continent.

We aim to demonstrate that it is possible to support African talent, narratives, and creative ecosystems over the long term, with ambition and consistency

Designed as a space of convergence between heritage, innovation, and knowledge transmission, the Innovation Village features scenography crafted by Ivorian artisans, a program of panels and masterclasses on creative industries, an immersive experience produced by Orun Studios, and a major institutional highlight on April 17. Its narrative platform is built around three pillars: memory, structure, and transmission. The initiative aims to position cultural and creative industries as an economic driver for the continent.

“The Innovation Village was conceived as an act of construction. By partnering with organizations such as 1xBET, we aim to demonstrate that it is possible to support African talent, narratives, and creative ecosystems over the long term, with ambition and consistency,” said Habyba Thiero, CEO of Africa Currency Network and President of ORUN.

This vision aligns with ORUN’s broader ambition to produce, structure, and internationalize African creative industries through events, content, and strategic partnerships.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of ORUN, part of African Currency Network (ACN).

 

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MIR Holding Reaffirms Its Commitment to African Creative Industries Alongside ORUN at Marché des Arts du Spectacle Africain d’Abidjan (MASA) 2026

Published

18 hours ago

on

April 29, 2026

By

MIR Holding

More than event support, this partnership reflects a commitment to backing platforms capable of structuring value chains, increasing the visibility of talent, and fostering the emergence of strong African creative infrastructures

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, April 28, 2026/APO Group/ –On the occasion of MASA 2026, held from April 11 to 18 in Abidjan, MIR Holding (https://MIRHolding.odoo.com) reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the growth of African creative industries by partnering with ORUN as part of the Innovation Village, hosted at the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan. This presence reflects a clear intention to support the scaling of cultural and creative industries so they can fully contribute to job creation and value generation across the continent.

 

Co-organized by ORUN and MASA, the Innovation Village brought together over several days scenography designed by Ivorian artisans, a program of panels and masterclasses dedicated to creative industries, an immersive experience produced by Orun Studios, and a key institutional highlight on April 17.

At MIR Holding, we believe that Africa’s future will also be shaped by its ability to structure its narratives, its talent, and its creative value chains

Built around three pillars — memory, structure, and transmission — the initiative carried a renewed ambition for culture: positioning it as a concrete lever for economic structuring and African projection.

By supporting this initiative, MIR Holding aligns with a broader dynamic aimed at strengthening connections between creation, entrepreneurship, content, youth, and growth ecosystems. More than event support, this partnership reflects a commitment to backing platforms capable of structuring value chains, increasing the visibility of talent, and fostering the emergence of strong African creative infrastructures. MIR Holding stands among the main partners of the Village, alongside Africa Currency Network and other stakeholders engaged in this vision.

“With ORUN, we are not only seeking to make culture visible. We aim to help provide it with a framework, a reach, and a trajectory. What is at stake here is the continent’s ability to better transform its creative energy into sustainable value, real opportunities, and influence,” said Habyba Thiero, CEO of Africa Currency Network and President of ORUN.

Mouhamed Dieng, President of MIR Holding, added: “Supporting Africa’s creative industries is not about backing a secondary sector. It is about investing in one of the continent’s most powerful spaces for storytelling, youth, innovation, and competitiveness. At MIR Holding, we believe that Africa’s future will also be shaped by its ability to structure its narratives, its talent, and its creative value chains.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of MIR Holding.

 

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