Forbes Africa

Forbes Africa is the drama critic to business in Africa. The magazine helps readers connect the dots, form patterns and see beyond the obvious, giving them a completely different perspective. In doing this, it delivers sharp, in-depth and engaging stories by looking at global and domestic issues from an African prism.

Forbes Africa

The Builders Of Now

'EXPORTING OURSELVES TO THE WORLD'

WORLD BANK’S $350 MILLION GRANT

UNEMPLOYMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA RISES SHARPLY IN Q1 2025

MONEY AND MOMENTOUS OPPORTUNITY FOR AFRICA IN NEW-LOOK FOOTBALL TOURNEY

MOBILE INTERNET GENDER GAP NARROWS

30 TRAILBLAZERS UNDER 30 IN THE HOT SEAT CREATING A NEW ARCHITECTURE FOR CHANGE IN AFRICA • NO ONE HEARS MORE ‘NO’S’ OR HAS MORE DOORS SLAMMED IN THEIR FACE THAN A YOUNG PERSON CHASING A DREAM AND TRYING TO SOLVE A FORMIDABLE PROBLEM. BUT ASK ANY OF THESE YOUNG AFRICANS, AND THEY WILL TELL YOU THAT EVERY SETBACK HAS BUILT THEIR RESILIENCE. IF NO ONE OFFERS THEM OPPORTUNITIES, THEY WILL CREATE THEM, AND ACROSS SECTORS, WITH AN UNSHAKEABLE PASSION FOR NATION-BUILDING AND DEVELOPMENT. HERE ARE THE FINALISTS OF FORBES AFRICA’S 11TH EDITION OF THE ANNUAL 30 UNDER 30 LIST.

METHODOLOGY

EXTERNAL JUDGES • THE CATEGORY EXPERTS WHO TOOK ON THE ROLE TO SURVEY ALL THE FINALISTS OF THE 2025 30 UNDER 30 LIST AND PROVIDE COMMENTARY WHERE NECESSARY ON EACH CANDIDATE:

JACKLINE 'GYAKIE' ACHEAMPONG

SACHA FEINBERG-MNGOMEZULU

DARLINGTON AHIALE AKOGO

DR BRADLEY MAX SEGAL

MAS’OODA VARACHIA

STANLEY OMAH DIDIA 'OMAH LAY'

MAAMBELE KHOSA

TABITHA CHAWINGA

PABALLO 'PABI COOPER' MOTHAPO

FATOU JENG

DAMILOLA HAMID BALOGUN

LETSILE TEBOGO

NOEL ABEBE DANIEL

DR KHADIJA OWUSU

OCEANNE PREAUDET

NDIVHUWO ELAINE MUKHELI

DR COMFORT PEACE AYIKORU

CHAE FRANCIS

ORMANO RICHARD KWEKU

WISANI HLANGWANE

CANDICE CHIRWA

JOHNNY MALEPA

GOGONTLE NCHEMELE BASIAMI

ANJALI BORKHATARIA

THABANG SIZWE ZULU

DR JEREMIAH ROGITO

AYOBAMI AKINDIPE

AVIAN BELL

IN NUMBERS

THE BILLIONAIRE BETTING BIG ON AFRICA’S HIV RESEARCH • WITH STRATEGIC COLLABORATIONS, TARGETED FUNDING, AND GROWING INVESTMENT IN SCIENCE, AFRICA HOLDS IMMENSE POTENTIAL IN SPEARHEADING THE FUTURE OF GLOBAL HEALTHCARE. AMONG THOSE TAKING THE LEAD TO DEVELOP A CURE FOR HIV, THROUGH THESE PARTNERSHIPS, AND WITH MILLIONS IN INVESTMENT, IS AN AMERICAN BILLIONAIRE NAMED PHILLIP ‘TERRY’ RAGON WHO WE GET A RARE AUDIENCE WITH. HE SPEAKS ABOUT HIS BELIEF IN AFRICAN-LED SCIENCE AND WHY A BREAKTHROUGH IS WITHIN REACH.

THE REALITY ON THE GROUND

GAME ON • WITH $300 MILLION IN REVENUE AND A GENERATION PLAYING TO WIN, NIGERIA IS LEADING SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA’S MOBILE GAMING REVOLUTION POWERED BY SMARTPHONES, STORIES, AND AMBITION.

MAMMOTH MOGUL • IT’S AN UTTERLY MAD IDEA: REVIVE THE WOOLLY MAMMOTH, THE FURRY PACHYDERM WITH THE TWISTY TUSKS THAT WENT EXTINCT 4,000 YEARS AGO. BUT IT’S ALSO BRILLIANT, WITH WIDE-RANGING IMPLICATIONS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE AND HEALTH CARE—AND IT HAS ALREADY BROUGHT TO LIFE THE WORLD’S FIRST DE-EXTINCTION BILLIONAIRE, BEN LAMM.

RICH RESOURCES POOR RETURNS • FROM COPPER TO COBALT, THE CONTINENT IS RICH IN THE RAW MATERIALS THE WORLD NEEDS FOR CLEAN ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY. BUT CAN IT STOP EXPORTING VALUE AND START OWNING THE FUTURE?

THE CONTINENTAL INVENTORY

THIS IS FUR REAL • PET-PARENTS CAN REST EASY: THANKS TO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, PET TECHNOLOGY IS BEING REWIRED WITH SMART WEARABLE TOOLS AND SERVICES TAILORED TO EACH ANIMAL’S NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND AND CARE FOR THEM BETTER.

TURN ON THE BATTERY • THE...