Pictures by Hycinth Iyereosa

What: Anzisha Prize Tour, Lagos Day

When: 17 March, 2012

 

The Anzisha Prize tour  touched down in Lagos, Nigeria on March 17th .The Prize which received over 40 applications from Nigeria last year, worth about $75,000 is a continent-wide youth innovation competition that promotes entrepreneurial projects amongst young people (age 15-20) in Africa. Also this year, this year, there will also be a special $10,000 award given to an Anzisha finalist with a renewable energy related project. Making the total prize money $85,000.

Chidinma Achebe who is the Program Manager said, “The Anzisha Prize which is an initiative of the African Leadership Academy Centre for Entrepreneurial Leadership was launched in 2011 and is aimed at identifying and recognizing youth innovation and entrepreneurship in the African continent. Africa’s future will be determined by entrepreneurial leaders across all sectors and the prize hopes to encourage and develop the next generation of ethical and effective African Leaders”.

“It’s basically a lifelong process as the individuals who are selected, will be exposed to a network of contacts and opportunity through the African Leadership Academy’s network of young African innovators. We will be touring 8 different African countries Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Senegal, Morocco, Ghana and Zimbabwe. Our goal is to reach out to young people and educate them about the opportunity available at Anzisha.” She added.

 

Past Semi finalist of the Anzisha Prize 2011, 20 year old Ada Umeofia who was invited to take part in the one week entrepreneurial training in ALA runs a project which focuses on making the shopping experience in the local market convenient. She designs, builds and distributes contemporary market stalls to the market vendors. Ada who majored in Architecture, was able to combine starting her own company, We built Africa and school work.

She said, “The experience has been life changing and it has broadened my horizon. I felt like an actual business person during the trainings in and I have been empowered with information, resources and the network to succeed’.

 

The Anzisha prize which was initiated in 2011 in conjunction with the MasterCard Foundation, has come to stay and is focused on finding and developing the next generation of African CEOs and change makers, celebrate their initiative to encourage others to follow in their footsteps thereby creating a movement of young entrepreneurs who will shape the 21st century.  For further information and questions, visit www.anzishaprize.org and check out their Facebook page www.facebook.com/theanzishaprize.