At a time when Africa’s youth population continues to rise, the role of young entrepreneurs in shaping the continent’s economic destiny has never been more critical. Rather than seeing barriers, these young innovators are identifying opportunities—turning challenges into channels for enterprise, creativity, and growth.
That spirit was at the heart of the 2025 Entrepreneurship Education in Africa Summit, recently hosted at the African Leadership Academy in Johannesburg. The event brought together educators, investors, policymakers, and business leaders to examine how Africa can better nurture the next generation of job creators.
The summit concluded with the Anzisha Awards Gala, a celebration of youth-led impact where four exceptional entrepreneurs under the age of 25 were recognised for their contributions to business and community development. Each awardee received $10,000 to further scale their ventures.
Among the honourees was Cebolenkosi Gcabashe (22), founder of G Khula Trading in KwaZulu-Natal, who received the Revenue Growth Award for transforming a small property services startup into a thriving enterprise. Bunmi Esther Olalude of Nigeria earned the Job Creation Award for empowering women and youth through employment initiatives, while Tafadzwa Manyanye of Zimbabwe received the Systems of Delivery Award for driving efficiency in agricultural services. Another Nigerian, Christianah Madu, took home the Storytelling Award for effectively amplifying her venture’s impact through communication.
Rethinking the Future of Work
Throughout the day, summit participants explored how very young entrepreneurs are redefining the future of work in Africa. Discussions ranged from bridging the gap between education and employment, to reframing informality as a sign of innovation, not failure. There was also a strong focus on how to unlock financing for early-stage founders who are often excluded from traditional funding systems.
In her closing remarks, Didi Onwu, Managing Editor at Anzisha, challenged the audience to shift perspectives about entrepreneurship’s role in society:
“Youth entrepreneurship isn’t the backup plan—it’s the blueprint. For too long, we’ve treated entrepreneurship as what happens when the system fails. This summit reminds us that youth-led enterprise is what happens when young people take control of their futures.”
Fellowship Applications Now Open
Following the summit, Anzisha announced that applications for its 2026 Anzisha Prize Fellowship will officially open on 7 October 2025.
Launched in 2011, the Anzisha Fellowship has supported nearly 300 young entrepreneurs across Africa, equipping them with funding, mentorship, and a pan-African peer network. The multi-year programme focuses on building sustainable ventures that generate jobs and social impact within local communities.
The 2026 Fellowship is open to African founders aged 15 to 22 who are actively running businesses on the continent. Selected fellows will receive venture-building support, leadership coaching, and access to a shared prize pool of $50,000.
Beyond its fellowship, Anzisha continues to advance youth entrepreneurship through research, advocacy, and storytelling—most notably through its YouTube series, The Journey, which chronicles the real-life experiences of Africa’s youngest changemakers and the communities they are transforming.