Junior Achievement Africa, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering young people, has announced the winners of its significant high school entrepreneurship competition.
The 12th annual Company of the Year competition, an African high school entrepreneurship competition, was held in Nigeria under the theme “Fueling Changemakers,” according to a statement from First Bank and JA Africa.
According to the statement, the JA Africa Company of the Year Competition is the continent’s top pitch competition for high school students who have successfully completed the JA Company Program.
The young people competed in teams to show their resiliency and inventiveness in overcoming global challenges and creating profitable businesses.
The three-day event brought together winners from nations across Africa, including Seksolin JA Company from Ghana, Aquatech Enterprise from Kenya, Green Apex Africa from Nigeria, Aqua Pure Company from South Africa, Kibega Company from Tanzania, City Multi Tech Stars from Uganda, Moxes Sanitary Sports Ent. from Zambia, Hekima Inc. from Zimbabwe, and Time Out Company from Eswatini, who had to compete against thousands of startups to qualify for the regional competition.
According to Folake Ani-Mumuney, group head of marketing and corporate communications at FirstBank, the 2022 Junior Achievement Company of the Year competition will continue to be a great way to highlight the innate entrepreneurship skills, spirit, and talent found in schoolchildren all over Africa.
“We commend Junior Achievement Africa on the COY initiative as it serves as an avenue to expose participants to inter-cultural values and traditions that will foster the unity of the continent,” Ani-Mumuney said.
Commenting on the awards, the Chief Executive Officer, JA Africa, Simi Nwogwugwu, said, “I am extremely proud of all our winners tonight. Our aim for the students is to keep them focused on their journey to becoming changemakers.
“The world needs more of them. And we on our part will continue focusing on equipping them with an entrepreneurial mindset to become solution providers in their communities.”
Hekima Inc. from Zimbabwe emerged as the overall winner and JA Africa’s Company of the Year 2022. They also received trophies, certificates, a grand prize of $1,000, and the opportunity to compete against other regional winners in the Ralph de la Vega Global Entrepreneurship Competition.
Team Green Apex Nigeria finished in second place and received medals, certificates, and an award of $800;
Team Eswatini received certificates and a $500 prize for finishing third, claiming their fourth prize of the evening.
