STORY: Nigerian entrepreneur wins 2023 Africa's Business Heroes prize
SHOOTING TIME: Nov. 25, 2023
DATELINE: Nov. 26, 2023
LENGTH: 0:02:20
LOCATION: Kigali
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the competition
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): IKPEME NETO, Founder and chief executive officer of WellaHealth
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): IKPEME NETO, Founder and chief executive officer of WellaHealth
4. SOUNDBITES 3 (English): THOMAS NJERU, Co-founder and CEO of Pula Advisors Limited

STORYLINE:

Nigerian entrepreneur Ikpeme Neto clinched the 2023 Africa's Business Heroes (ABH) prize during the grand finale held in the Rwandan capital of Kigali on Friday evening.

The founder and chief executive officer of WellaHealth, a healthcare technology firm that enhances healthcare access in Africa through innovative care pathways and cost-effective technology, impressed the panel of judges with his entrepreneurial journey and WellaHealth's impactful role in increasing healthcare accessibility and improving lives across the continent.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): IKPEME NETO, Founder and chief executive officer of WellaHealth
"It is an excellent initiative, and a huge thanks to the Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Foundation for committing to supporting African entrepreneurs, and the opportunities to build networks with all Africans, and the mentorship, the learnings, workshops, and funding grant they provide. It's really unrivaled, so it's an excellent program, and I couldn't say enough great things about it. Our future is that of saving tens of millions of Africans with great access to healthcare. We are currently in Nigeria, we want to go across Africa so that everybody gets good access to healthcare."

Reflecting on his journey, Ikpeme, who originally trained as a doctor, emphasized his commitment to addressing healthcare challenges in Africa.

In a piece of advice to fellow entrepreneurs, Ikpeme emphasized resilience saying that the one most important and big advice to entrepreneurs is "never give up."

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): IKPEME NETO, Founder and chief executive officer of WellaHealth
"The only time you fail as an entrepreneur is when you give up. You can switch businesses, switch tactics, and switch channels, but never give up. So that's the real trick of being successful. It's just never giving up." 
In second place was Kenyan national Thomas Njeru, the co-founder and chief executive officer of Pula Advisors Limited. His agricultural insure-tech company provides comprehensive coverage based on yield performance, safeguarding smallholder farmers against various perils such as drought, frost, floods, hurricanes, plant diseases, and pests.

SOUNDBITE 3 (English): THOMAS NJERU, Co-founder and CEO of Pula Advisors Limited
"I appreciate the support of ABH and I thank everyone who has been part of this journey and I thank Pula's team effort. It is always about the team. They have been phenomenal from the time we started, and it's been a very interesting journey. My background, being in the village for 18 years, I did witness the impact of climate shocks on farmers. Let's solve our problems, let's solve our African problems, it is possible, and we can win."

Claiming the third position was Ayman Bazaraa, an Egyptian entrepreneur and the co-founder and chief executive officer of Sprints. Sprints offers an end-to-end solution to bridge the tech talent gap, encompassing talent assessment, customized learning journeys, job placement, and ongoing support for career growth.

The top three finalists emerged from a pool of 10 contenders, selected through rigorous semi-final business pitches and judging events. These entrepreneurs not only showcased their talent and business ideas but also served as inspiration for others considering entrepreneurship as a viable career option.

The finalists were selected from over 27,000 applicants across 54 African nations. Their start-ups span various sectors, including agriculture, education, energy, financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, and retail.

The ABH competition, initiated in 2019, aims to identify, support, and inspire the next generation of African entrepreneurs dedicated to making a positive impact in their local communities, addressing pressing challenges, and contributing to building a more sustainable and inclusive economy for the future.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Kigali.
(XHTV)