[Emcee]
Distinguished guests, please welcome to the stage our co-chairs for the awards ceremony: Henry Mance, Chief Features Writer, Financial Times, and Chinwe Binitie, Co-Head of Partnerships at the World Bank Group’s Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency.
[Lively music]
[Henry Mance]
Good evening and welcome to the second Africa Sustainable Futures Awards. Thank you for joining us this evening on what promises to be a very exciting night as we celebrate and recognize some of the most innovative and transformative solutions to Africa’s biggest challenges. I know many of you have also attended our superb Africa Summit over the past couple of days, and I can think of no better way to conclude that event than gathering here this evening for this sparkling dinner. I am a keen cook, and sometimes when I make dinner, my family says it seems to have taken several months’ work. I can assure you that this dinner actually has taken several months’ work of preparation since the launch in June. More than 300 entries were received by the mid-August deadline. Of those entries, 19 were shortlisted for consideration by our judging panel. All shortlisted nominees are here this evening. Here you are to find out whether you or they have won. We are deeply grateful to the World Bank Group for their partnership on these awards. I’m delighted to be co-chairing proceedings again this evening with Chinwe Binitie, Co-Head of Partnerships at the World Bank Group’s guarantees platform, MIGA.
[Chinwe Binitie]
Thank you, Henry. And a huge thank you too to the Financial Times for partnering with the World Bank Group on this awards’ program. It’s so great to see so many innovators, investors, and thought leaders gathered here tonight. And a special welcome to our shortlisted nominees, many of whom have traveled from Africa to be with us tonight. Now, just a quick note before we begin. Our judges only met on Monday, and the names of the winners, as well as any highly commended projects, have not been shared with anyone except the organizing team. Tonight is really about celebrating all the incredible initiatives that made the shortlist. So, no matter who takes home an award, every one of them deserves recognition for their achievements. This event is being livestreamed to a global audience. A warm welcome to everyone who’s joining us on FT Live, LinkedIn Live, and of course, World Bank Live. Whether you’re in the room here with us or tuning in virtually, we’d love for you to join the conversation on social media using our hashtag #ASFAAwards
[#AfricaSFAwards].
[Henry Mance]
Now, it’s our great pleasure to introduce the co-chairs of the judging panel for these awards, David Pilling, the Africa Editor at the Financial Times, and Ed Mountfield, Vice President for Finance, Risk, Economics, and Sustainability at the World Bank Group’s Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency. Please, come to the stage.
[Lively music]
[David Pilling]
Hi. If you don’t know which one of us is a journalist and which one works for the World Bank, I have a scrappy piece of paper and he has an iPad.
[Audience laughs]
[David Pilling]
It’s great to be here again with the World Bank partners for the Africa Sustainable Futures Awards, ASFAs. Move over Oscars, ASFA is the thing to get. On Monday, the judges met at the FT. We were locked in a room. We judged six categories. There were eight of us. I’d like to thank the judges for their expertise and their passion. I can honestly say that some of the judges have a lot of money, not necessarily their own, but on behalf of other people. I reckon that those who won and those who didn’t win, those who were nominated, watch this space because you may see some of that money coming your way eventually. I think that this was an event that has really excited some important people and made some work waves. Some of the judging, if you’ve seen the movie 12 Angry Men, a little bit like that. Some people came in with favorites and they were persuaded to change their mind. One of the judges has a broken leg. That’s not because of what happened. She was abseiling across Greenland or something like that. We’re all still friends. The initiatives were amazing. They were in all sorts of areas, heat, light, health, and many other areas, water. If anyone’s trying to use the bathrooms here at the hotel where the sensors don’t seem to work, there may be a solution here in this room, Peninsula Hotel. People are trying to use new business models in very difficult, challenging circumstances, and they should be commended for that. As Henry said, many have flown in from the continent, those who could get visas, that is. British High Commission, take notes. Including a friend of mine, Echo
[VanderWal], from the Luke Commission, who I had been to see in Eswatini. So, thank you very much for coming. Shout out to you. I think these awards are more important than ever when multilateralism is under attack. We heard a lot about that today at our conference yesterday and today, and the defense of multilateralism. But when words like solidarity are dirty words and things like climate change need to be taken out of communiques because they’re controversial, then I think some of these solutions are needed. Probably somebody in The Horn of Africa or the Sahel doesn’t give a damn, really, whether the word climate change is in a G20 communique or not, but they know that climate conditions are changing and that that’s affecting their lives. I could go on, but I won’t because a lot of you have heard a lot from me in recent days. So, not all is lost. We have great initiatives like Mission 300, which I think has really galvanized people around the ambition, and that’s what it is, an ambition to bring power to people. I declared myself very controversial this morning. I’m pro-electricity, so if anyone is in doubt, Gavi and the Global Fund continue and obviously need funding. Anyway, I think that really is enough for me. I’m just going to hand over to Ed, who will probably be far more sensible than I have been. Thank you.
[Ed Mountfield]
Thanks, David.
[Applause]
[Ed Mountfield]
Since I do work for the World Bank Group, I have prepared remarks that are 47 minutes long, but I promise I’ll do them in two or three minutes. Just to say, first of all, that the World Bank Group is really honored to host these awards together with our friends at the FT. It was really a privilege to co-chair the judges panel with David. The discussions were illuminating and they were also inspiring, and in part because of the brilliant judges who gifted their time and their energy and their wisdom, but above all because of the just phenomenal entries that we received from all across the continent. We were thrilled with the more than 300 submissions, so many of which underscore why the private sector matters for Africa. At the World Bank Group, our global priorities are very much aligned with the core categories in these awards. As Mission 300 is about lighting up and empowering the poorest communities across Africa with electricity. Our prioritization of healthcare focuses on enabling access to affordable quality care in developing economies, the World Bank Group’s AgriConnect program is designed to scale up agrifinance and agribusiness. Our focus on manufacturing and tourism is also about creating more and better jobs, recognizing that the private sector accounts for 90% of all employment in Africa, and that a job is a route not just to a livelihood, but also to security and dignity. Africa remains top of mind at the World Bank Group. Last year alone, we committed more than 36 billion dollars to Africa; but Africa’s fast-growing economies are fueled most of all by abundant natural resources, a dynamic, young, and expanding population, an incredible ingenuity and enterprise. So, tonight is a celebration of the entrepreneurship, the innovation and investment that’s delivering transformation and sustainable solutions across the continent. And we had a very difficult time narrowing down the entries to the shortlisted candidates who are represented here tonight. And really every nominee tonight is really a winner. And just about all of them, I think, could really have won. It was very hard to pick the winners. But please join me in congratulating all the nominees in their inspiring work.
[Applause]
[Ed Mountfield]
You really are a reminder that despite all the challenges, Africa can be a beacon of hope and a new frontier of opportunity. So, thanks very much, everyone, for being here tonight with us.
[Applause]
[Lively music]
[Chinwe Binitie]
Thank you, David and Ed. We’re very grateful, actually, to our expert panel of judges who, as we heard from the co-chairs, deliberated for so many hours and were faced with so many difficult choices given the strength of the shortlist. Thank you also to Ground Truth. They served as our technical advisors on the awards.
[Henry Mance]
Great. On to the main business of the evening to find out who the judges have selected as the winner of the second Africa Sustainable Futures Awards. Before we get going with our core categories, we already have one winner to recognize. Some of you may have witnessed the closing session of the Africa Summit, during which a panel of judges and the audience voted for the winner of our Innovation Showcase. Spoiler, they weren’t the same winner. Anyway, but the showcase is designed to highlight exciting new ideas that may not meet the eligibility criteria for the core categories, but have the potential to have a transformative impact. The winner who is not here in person was SafePatch emergency detection device, please give a round of applause to them.
[Applause]
[Henry Mance]
They were all great projects. I also want to give a shout out to Anthony Ochieng, whose BioGold initiative was the audience choice. Anthony actually gave his presentation to the judges and the audience during a blackout, which meant that very little was visible, but he did prove that it’s okay for you to be in the dark as long as your investors are not. Anyway.
[Audience laughs]
[Henry Mance]
Please. Anyway, that is an excellent start, but there’s much more to come.
[Chinwe Binitie]
He’s here every year in October, guys. Yes, indeed, Henry. That was wonderful. But here’s how this evening will go. For each category, we’ll introduce all the shortlisted initiatives one by one and then we’ll play a short video. So thank you to our nominees, by the way, for providing all the great visuals. When the video ends, we’d like the chief representative of each nominated organization to stand and receive some well-earned applause. After that, we’ll invite our guest presenters to the stage, and they’ll announce any special commendation first. The highly commended organization will then come up to the stage to receive their certificate. Next, the presenter will announce the winner who will be invited to the stage to accept the trophy and share a short acceptance speech. Like, really short. Like 30 seconds. Thank you.
[Audience laughs]
[Chinwe Binitie]
We’ll take a quick photo with both the winner and the highly commended together and then move on to the next category. Once they leave the stage, both the winner and the highly commended will be escorted to a side room for a short video interview.
[Henry Mance]
After we’ve announced the winners and highly commended in the regular categories, we’ll then be giving out our final award, the best of the winners’ award, the Judges Award for Excellence. You can see we’ve got a lot to get through. You deserve a prize for just following all of that. But I should mention that at the end of the ceremony, all nominees are welcome to come to the stage and take pictures. So, please do stick around for that. Now, let’s get started with the first category, which celebrates outstanding innovation in Africa’s agribusiness with a focus on job creation, operational excellence, and sustainability, while at the same time strengthening local communities and building vibrant local economies.
[Chinwe Binitie]
Nominated for this category is, here we go. Cayenne Pepper production and processing initiative by Hardcore Agric-Value Chain Cooperative Credit Union, Cameroon.
[Narrator]
Hardcore Agric Cooperative empowers smallholders through cayenne pepper production. Farmers access resilient seeds, irrigation, and organic inputs linked to processing centers that reduce waste and boost income. A mobile platform shares planting and market data, letting farmers trade directly and earn equity. Scalable across crops and regions, it strengthens value chains and livelihoods alike.
[Applause]
[Henry Mance]
Great stuff. Also shortlisted is Hello Tractor, a tractor financing and deployment initiative operating Africa-wide.
[Narrator]
Hello Tractor connects small to mechanization through its Pay-As-You-Go platform. Across 20 countries, 2.5 million farmers access 6,500 tractors, financed through data-driven lending, enabling 15 million dollars in loans with zero expected defaults. By turning tractors into smart shareable assets, Hello Tractor is driving productivity, jobs, and sustainable growth across African agriculture.
[Applause]
[Henry Mance]
Please do stand up.
[Chinwe Binitie]
Excellent. The third nominee is Ngwilago Youth Transcend, AI-driven, offline-enabled unified platform for multifunction irrigation in Tanzania.
[Narrator]
Ngwilago Youth Transcend is revolutionizing smallholder irrigation with AI-powered, solar-enabled systems. Using sensors and edge computing, it targets water, fertilizer, and pesticide use, cutting waste and tripling yields. Farmers rent devices via WhatsApp or SMS on a pay-as-you-use model. Reaching over a million users, it’s redefining sustainable farming for Africa’s dry lands.
[Applause]
[Henry Mance]
I can see our nominees are very shy, but when we read out your name, you can stand up and soak up the applause. Imagine it is, as David said, the Oscars or the BAFTAs. The final nominee in this category is Terraformation’s Africa Seed to Carbon Forest Accelerator, which operates in Ghana, Cameroon, Kenya, and Tanzania.
[Narrator]
Terraformation is boosting reforestation in Africa through its Seed to Carbon Forest Accelerator. Supporting small forestry teams in Ghana, Cameroon, and beyond, it provides finance, training, and software to scale carbon projects across millions of acres. Communities, empowering local foresters, improving livelihoods, and unlocking biodiversity.
[Applause]
[Chinwe Binitie]
Now, it is our great pleasure to invite Leslie Maasdorp, CEO of British International Investment, and Nkem Onwuamaegbu, MIGA’s Regional Head of Africa, to the stage to present the award for Agribusiness.
[Applause]
[Lively music]
[Leslie Maasdorp]
Thank you very much. The Special Commendation goes to Ngwilago Youth Transcend.
[Applause]
[Lively music]
[Nkem Onwuamaegbu]
Just like the Oscars, I’m pleased to accept it on their behalf.
[Applause]
[Nkem Onwuamaegbu]
Now for the winner, which in the words of the judges, is empowering and increasing income for smallholder farmers using established technologies, but in an innovative way: Hello Tractor.
[Applause]
[Lively music]
[Jehiel Oliver]
I wasn’t expecting this. I have quinoa in my teeth, but this award is for our ecosystem. It really does take an entire community to do the work that we do. I want to thank our partners, John Deere, our biggest commercial investor, Heifer International, who’s present here for the work that they’ve done to support us, and most importantly, our 2.5 million smallholder farmers. Thank you.
[Applause]
[Lively music]
[Henry Mance]
Great. Thank you very much. Thank you. If I could have your attention back for a second. Amazing. My script says, “That main course looks good,” and it does look good, and it was good. So, onto the next category for this year’s Africa Sustainable Futures Awards. This award recognizes outstanding innovation in local manufacturing across Africa, with a focus on strengthening job creation, economic diversification, and local communities.
[Chinwe Binitie]
Nominated for this category is Do The Right Thing Apparel, Ghana.
[Narrator]
In Ghana, Do The Right Thing Apparel is setting new standards for sustainable manufacturing. Since 2019, output has doubled to 10 million units, and revenues reached 41 million dollars. Employing over 6,000 people, mostly women, DTRT champions inclusivity, including hiring through the Ghana National Association of the Deaf. With global exports and plans for a 10,000-strong workforce, it’s on course to become Africa’s largest apparel producer.
[Applause]
[Henry Mance]
That’s great. Also short-listed is Emzor Pharmaceuticals Industries from Nigeria.
[Narrator]
Emzor Pharmaceuticals is advancing Nigeria’s self-reliance in medicine. Producing over 200 products across five plants and building West Africa’s first API facility, it’s strengthening supply chains and cutting import dependence. With a 25-country reach and a vertically integrated model, Emzor creates jobs, transfers skills, and builds sustainability, a blueprint for pharmaceutical industrialization across Africa.
[Applause]
[Chinwe Binitie]
Thank you. The third nominee is Roam Air, an electric mobility initiative by Roam, Kenya.
[Narrator]
Roam Air builds locally made electric motorcycles designed for Africa’s roads. Riders cut costs by up to 70% and slash emissions with flexible charging at home and via a network of hubs. Over 3,000 bikes and 10 hubs are already running, supporting 300 jobs. With large scale manufacturing and an infrastructure first model, Roam aims to deploy 100,000 bikes, transforming Africa’s electric mobility future.
[Applause]
[Henry Mance]
Now, it’s our great pleasure to invite Mahmoud Mohieldin, UN Special Envoy on Financing Sustainable Development, and one of our awards judges, Runa Alam, co-founder and CEO of Development Partners International, to the stage to present the award for Local Manufacturing.
[Lively music]
[Runa Alam]
The Special Commendation goes to... I’m going to quote first for the winner, which is in the words of the judges, is localizing innovative manufacturing to provide critical low-cost products and boosts self-reliance. So the award goes to… This one?
[Mahmoud Mohieldin]
Right. Okay.
[Runa Alam]
The commendation goes to Do The Right Thing.
[Mahmoud Mohieldin]
Yes.
[Runa Alam]
Here.
[Lively music]
[Applause]
[Mahmoud Mohieldin]
All right. Well, good evening to you all. Now for the winner, which is, again, in the words of the judges, is localizing innovative manufacturing to provide critical low-cost products and boosts self-reliance. The winner is Emzor.
[Lively music]
[Applause]
[Mahmoud Mohieldin]
Let’s get that right then. Let me repeat that. Special Commendation goes to Do The Right Thing. All right? Where is Do The Right Thing? Do The Right Thing? You are both? Oh, my God. Really? Okay, congratulations twice. All right? Do The Right Thing, Emzor.
[Verod representative]
Thank you. Thanks, everyone. I’m here on behalf of Verod, an investor in both Do The Right Thing, DTRT and Emzor. Unfortunately, representatives from neither of the companies could be here tonight. On their behalf, thank you very much. We look forward to sharing this award with them. And thanks to the judges and our hosts tonight. Thank you.
[Applause]
[Lively music]
[Chinwe Binitie]
Okay, congratulations to Emzor and Do The Right Thing.
[Henry Mance]
Just to be clear, third place was also that guy.
[Audience laughs]
[Henry Mance]
Now, not really. On to the next category which recognizes innovative initiatives in Africa’s tourism sector that contribute to economic growth, job creation, and community development.
[Chinwe Binitie]
Nominated for this category is the Cradle Group, hotels and lodges, Kenya.
[Narrator]
In drought-affected Turkana County, the Cradle Group is redefining hospitality through sustainability using solar power, conserving water, and sourcing locally. Guests connect with rich local culture while the company trains youth, employs displaced people, and funds girls’ education. Balancing conservation culture and community, the Cradle Group is building opportunity in one of Kenya’s most marginalized regions.
[Applause]
[Henry Mance]
We’re going to get the nominees to stand up eventually. Don’t worry. Peer pressure is going to do it. Help us with this one, the next one. Another shortlisted entry is also from Kenya. It’s Triply, operations and payments stack for travel agencies. Do take a bow when it comes up.
[Narrator]
Triply, a fintech born in Africa, removes financial barriers for small travel agencies. Its all-in-one system streamlines invoicing, collections, currency exchange, and supplier payouts, with smart virtual cards that pay suppliers only when travelers settle bills. Already empowering over 5,000 agencies, many led by women and youth, Triply is expanding beyond East Africa, building the operating system for travel SMEs across the continent.
[Applause]
[Chinwe Binitie]
Nice. Now it is our great pleasure to invite Hanan Morsy, Deputy Executive Secretary and Chief Economist at the United Nations Commission for Africa, and Greg Guyett, First Vice President at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, to the stage to present the award for Tourism.
[Greg Guyett]
For the Special Commendation Award in the category of tourism goes to the Cradle Group.
[Lively music]
[Applause]
[Hanan Morsy]
Now for the winner, described by the judges as a truly scalable platform built for local operators, driving broader efficiency and better margins for their clients, Triply.
[Lively music]
[Applause]
[Triply representative]
I just happened to make it here today. I’d like to thank everyone, and I’d like to thank the judges for having us here, and also thank everyone that was nominated for this category for all the good work they’re doing. I’m representing Triply all the way from Nairobi, Kenya. Thank you.
[Applause]
[Lively music]
[Henry Mance]
Congratulations to the Cradle Group and to Triply for that.
[Chinwe Binitie]
Now on to the next category, which recognizes innovative, scalable, and commercially viable solutions that significantly improve healthcare access, affordability, and quality across Africa, with a tangible long-term impact on improving health outcomes and strengthening local healthcare systems.
[Henry Mance]
Great. So, nominated for this healthcare category is AI Consult, an initiative of Penda Health, Kenya.
[Narrator]
Penda Health’s AI Consult makes primary care safer. Built into electronic records, it guides clinicians in real-time, cutting diagnostic errors by 16% and antibiotic misuse. Used in 15 clinics, deployed during more than 40,000 visits, and backed by OpenAI, among others, AI Consult shows how responsible innovation can strengthen everyday healthcare in low-resource settings.
[Applause]
[Chinwe Binitie]
That’s great. Also shortlisted is Buffalo Bicycles, an initiative of World Bicycle Relief, Zambia.
[Narrator]
In rural Zambia, distance once limited access to care. Buffalo Bicycles changed that. Durable bikes built for tough terrain now help health workers reach 63% more patients and deliver vital maternal care. Replicated across Africa, co-financed by governments and NGOs, and supported by community mechanics, the model is proving mobility can save lives.
[Applause]
[Henry Mance]
Great name. The third nominee in this category is Luvelo Solutions, a digital platform for healthcare in collaboration with the Luke Commission, Eswatini.
[Narrator]
Luvelo is transforming healthcare delivery in Eswatini. Serving 300,000 patients a year, it unites records, logistics, and workforce management, cutting wait times by 40% and admin costs by 30%. With offline capability, a biometric ID system, and drone network integration, it ensures reliable care in remote areas, offering a proven digital backbone for life-saving health systems.
[Applause]
[Chinwe Binitie]
Now, it’s our great pleasure to invite John Humphrey, Trade Commissioner for Africa at the UK Department for Business and Trade, and another of our judges, Lexi Novitske, General Partner at Norrsken22, to the stage to present the award for Healthcare.
[Lively music]
[Applause]
[John Humphrey]
The Special Commendation in the words of the judges goes to Luvelo. Yes, in fact, the words are for the winner, aren’t they? I think so I will leave those there. Cheers.
[Lively music]
[Applause]
[John Humphrey]
I’m going to turn it over.
[Lively music]
[Lexi Novitske]
Okay, everybody. Now for the winner, who, in the words of the judges, made an impact in improving patient and health care worker productivity, provides a clear basis for wider market adoption. And they were the rowdiest in the audience as well. AI Consult from Penda Health.
[Lively music]
[Stephanie Koczela]
Do I just speak over the music? Is that the vibe? Apparently, I’m the rowdiest, so I think that means I get more than 30 seconds, right? No. At Penda, we have a dream that everyone in Africa will have access to health care that they can trust. And by building AI Consult and putting it in the hands of our clinicians, we’ve not only allowed our providers to provide high-quality care, but also to focus on what they care about most, which is patients. I’m really deeply honored to have had the opportunity to be here today and also to be on stage with so many wonderful innovators. These are my favorite spaces to be a part of. So thank you all for the honor and have a great evening.
[Applause]
[Lively music]
[Henry Mance]
We’re now going to go on to the next category, which recognizes innovative projects that significantly advance access to electricity for households, agriculture, and industry, and develop essential infrastructure, including transport, logistics, water, sanitation, and digital connectivity.
[Chinwe Binitie]
The response to this Access to Electricity and Infrastructure category was so strong, our shortlisting team decided to create two separate awards, one focused on Energy Infrastructure and the other on Digital and Other Infrastructure. Let’s begin with the second subcategory in other infrastructure.
[Henry Mance]
The first nominee is Eastern Cape Fibre and Broadband Project in South Africa.
[Narrator]
In South Africa’s Eastern Cape, Liquid Intelligent Technologies is bridging the digital divide with 7,000 kilometers of fiber. Through a public-private partnership, it connects 2,700 public sites, including 1,300 schools and 347 clinics, creating 8,000 jobs and local supply chains. Blended finance derisks investment while shaping a connected, inclusive future.
[Applause]
[Chinwe Binitie]
Very good. Also shortlisted is Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund, NIDF.
[Narrator]
The Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund fills a vital financing gap, providing long term Naira denominated loans for national projects. With 351 million dollars in loans, enabling 600 million dollars in infrastructure, it supports pipelines, power, and roads. Backed by 1,000 investors and a perfect repayment record, NIDF is transforming how infrastructure is financed in Africa.
[Applause]
[Henry Mance]
Thank you. The third nominee is Raxio data centres, which operates Africa-wide.
[Narrator]
Raxio is powering Africa’s digital future through a network of efficient renewable data centers. Facilities in Uganda, Ethiopia, DRC, and beyond deliver reliable infrastructure for cloud and internet growth. With local talent, modular design, and sustainability-linked finance, Raxio is closing the digital gap and enabling a connected continent.
[Applause]
[Chinwe Binitie]
Nice. Now, it is our great pleasure to invite Ousmane Diagana, the World Bank’s Regional Vice President for Western and Central Africa, to the stage to present the award.
[Lively music]
[Applause]
[Ousmane Diagana]
I’m all alone. So, I must not be confused, and I must not confuse you.
[Audience laughs]
[Ousmane Diagana]
All right. The special commendation goes to Eastern Cape Fibre and Broadband.
[Applause]
[Lively music]
[Ousmane Diagana]
Now for the winner… Now for the winner, which in the words of the judges has a huge financial impact by deepening capital markets and mobilizing African capital for African infrastructure: NIDF.
[Applause]
[Lively music]
[Phil Southwell]
It’s a shame to stop the saxophonist. I thank you very much from the team at NIDF. It’s a big team. Obviously, all the work we’ve done over the last 10, 11 years is down to them. I would like to thank the FT and the World Bank Group for organizing today. A quick message, I think, for the FT. There are lots of column inches in the FT about AI. I very much hope they also spend some of those column inches on the other AI, African Infrastructure.
[Applause]
[Phil Southwell]
As David’s article 15 months ago showed, the other AI is actually pretty important for the climate outcome for the world. I very much hope that we can see more capital market solutions, more local currency solutions in delivering that promise. Thank you very much.
[Applause]
[Lively music]
[Chinwe Binitie]
Congratulations to NIDF and Liquid Intelligent.
[Henry Mance]
Now, on to the second infrastructure subcategory, recognizing the solutions that focus on the energy sector. The first nominee is BasiGo, electric bus assembly supply and financing program in Kenya and Rwanda.
[Narrator]
BasiGo is electrifying public transport. Through a pay-as-you-drive model operators pay per kilometer for bus use, charging, and maintenance. Over 100 e-buses already run in Kenya and Rwanda, cutting 2,600 tons of emissions and saving 1.4 million liters of diesel. With scalable finance and infrastructure, BasiGo is leading Africa’s clean transport revolution.
[Applause]
[Chinwe Binitie]
Excellent. Also shortlisted is Husk Power mini-grids, Nigeria.
[Narrator]
50% cheaper than diesel, Husk Power’s solar mini-grids deliver affordable energy to half a million people in 100 sites across Nigeria. Under its Africa Sunshot initiative, Husk plans to build 2,500 mini-grids in six countries by 2030, also expanding to other services, including appliance finance, e-mobility, and AI-driven asset management.
[Applause]
[Henry Mance]
The third nominee is MOPO, MOPO battery rental system by Mobile Power, Africa-wide.
[Narrator]
MOPO brings clean power to off-grid communities through solar hubs and rentable smart batteries. No debt, no upfront cost, just pay as you go energy. With 30 million rentals across six countries, agents earn income while users access reliable clean energy. Backed by global investors, MOPO is proving energy access can be affordable and profitable.
[Applause]
[Chinwe Binitie]
Nice. The final nominee in this category is NOA Group energy aggregator in South Africa.
[Narrator]
NOA Group aggregates solar, wind, and storage power into one flexible platform, supplying cheaper, cleaner energy through the grid. Backed by 220 million dollars and with 750 megawatts under construction, NOA is aiming for 5 gigawatts by 2030. With local jobs and community investment at its core, it’s accelerating South Africa’s energy transition.
[Applause]
[Henry Mance]
Now, it’s our pleasure to welcome to the stage, Hiroshi Matano, Executive Vice President of the World Bank’s Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, MIGA, to the stage to present the award.
[Applause]
[Lively music]
[Hiroshi Matano]
The Special Commendation goes to Husk Power.
[Applause]
[Lively music]
[Hiroshi Matano]
Now for the winner, which as in the words of the judges, provides power to the hardest to reach people in the hardest to connect countries: MOPO.
[Applause]
[Lively music]
[Hiroshi Matano]
Great job.
[Jono West]
Sorry. Yes. I wanted to say it’s a real honor. Thank you very much to the judges. This is a big moment. MOPO has been going for 12 years. We’re growing fast. It’s exciting days. I want to dedicate it to the real heroes of MOPO, who are our African team who are doing a million rentals a month, providing clean, affordable power to those who need it the most. Thank you. Thank you to the Financial Times, the World Bank Group. And just to say, we haven’t managed to get our story in the Financial Times yet, but maybe now we will. Thank you.
[Audience laughs]
[Applause]
[Lively music]
[Henry Mance]
Congratulations to Husk Power and to MOPO. And yes, if you are going to criticize the Financial Times, it’s better to do it after you’ve won the award rather than before.
[Audience laughs]
[Henry Mance]
Otherwise, these things are subject to change. Anyway.
[Chinwe Binitie]
What an evening we’ve had so far. I want to say a big congratulations to all the winners and all the highly commended. Please, give them a round of applause again.
[Applause]
[Henry Mance]
Now onto our final award, the Judges Award for Excellence, the winner of the winners’ award, the entry that has stood out for innovation, impact, replicability, sustainability, and financial viability in the context of Africa’s development.
[Chinwe Binitie]
For the special award, I would like to invite our judging panel co-chairs back to the stage, David Pilling and Ed Mountfield. Please, join us.
[Lively music]
[Applause]
[David Pilling]
I didn’t know we were going to do this. I’m not going to say the winner’s “La La land.”
[Audience laughs]
[David Pilling]
I’m just going to open the envelope because when I joined the FT, they didn’t say I had to read.
[Audience laughs]
[Ed Mountfield]
This stage in the evening, it’s probably just as well I have only two syllables that I have to say, which is MOPO. Yeah.
[Applause]
[Lively music]
[Henry Mance]
Thank you very much, David. Thank you, Ed. Congratulations to MOPO. Very well deserved. We’ve now come to the end of the second Africa Sustainable Futures Awards. We would like to congratulate all of our winners and commendees, and also all the nominees who submitted such strong entries. I also want to say thank you to Ann Marie on tenor sax tonight for accompanying them up to the stage. And indeed, all the staff who have made it such a wonderful dinner. Thank you. Our photographer will be taking group shots now of all nominees, so please do come to the stage afterwards. We have special certificates for all the nominees. Please, pick them up at the registration desk that’s out there before leaving. We’d love to hear what you thought of tonight’s event, and you can do that by scanning the QR code on the screen behind me. There’s going to be a short survey. You share your feedback, and there’s a chance to win a 200-pound voucher if you do that. So even if you haven’t won tonight, you might win on this. Over to you, Chinwe. Thanks for being such a great co-chair as well.
[Chinwe Binitie]
Oh, thank you, too, Henry. We do encourage all nominees to enter again next year. Please, keep an eye on the awards’ website as we continue to evolve the categories and the focus of this program. Thank you to our presenters, and to our judges, and to you all for being with us this evening. Good night. See you next year.
[Applause]
[Lively music]
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