Africa's Business Heroes 2026 reveals record-breaking Top 100 entrepreneurs

Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) has unveiled its 2026 Top 100 entrepreneurs after receiving over 24,000 applications. This year’s cohort represents 27 countries and includes a record number of women applicants. The programme expanded its shortlist from 50 to 100 to offer more opportunities to participants. The selected businesses span diverse sectors, with agriculture leading at 21 entrepreneurs. Financial services, manufacturing, healthcare, and energy follow closely. Together, these companies generated USD 170 million in revenue in 2025, employed over 6,200 people, and served around 10 million customers.

Egypt, Nigeria, and Kenya each contributed 15 entrepreneurs to the list. Rwanda had 9, while South Africa provided 6. Half of the chosen founders had applied before, showing the programme’s lasting appeal. The average age of the entrepreneurs is 38, and their businesses have been running for about 6.5 years on average.

The Top 100 will now move to the next stage, where judges will narrow the list to 20 semi-finalists. The expanded shortlist reflects ABH’s commitment to supporting a wider range of entrepreneurs. The selected businesses demonstrate strong growth, innovation, and regional diversity. Their combined impact highlights the programme’s role in fostering economic development across Africa.