ABH 2026: 17 Nigerian entrepreneurs make top 100

Seventeen Nigerian entrepreneurs have been included in Africa’s Business Heroes 2026 (ABH) Top 100, making Nigeria jointly the top country alongside Egypt and Kenya with the most representatives in one of the continent’s most competitive entrepreneurship competitions.

The list was announced by the Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Philanthropy, which run the ABH Prize Competition.

This year’s cohort was selected from over 24,000 applications across all 54 African countries, the largest application pool in the competition’s eight-year history. For the first time, ABH expanded its first-round selection from a Top 50 to a Top 100, creating more visibility for founders across regions and sectors.

The 17 Nigerians span a diverse range of industries, from clean energy and agriculture to healthcare, fintech, logistics, and food manufacturing, reflecting the breadth of entrepreneurial activity happening across the country.

The 17 Nigerian entrepreneurs in the 2026 ABH top 100

Affiong Williams founded ReelFruit, one of Nigeria’s best-known packaged fruit snack companies, which has grown into a recognisable consumer brand with distribution across multiple markets.

Ayo Bankole Akintujoye leads Caladium Consulting, an advisory firm operating at the intersection of business strategy and development in West Africa.

Ayoola Dominic is the founder of Koolboks, a solar-powered cold storage startup that has raised significant funding and been recognised globally for its approach to solving the cold chain problem in Africa.

Chidalu Onyenso founded Earthbond, a company working in the clean energy and sustainable building materials space in Nigeria.

Chidimma Uzoma leads Zayith Yoghurt, a food production company bringing locally made yoghurt products to Nigerian consumers.

Chinazom Arinze is the founder of Muvment by Autogirl, a platform focused on mobility and automotive services for women.

Faiz Bashir is the chief executive of FlexiSAF, an edtech company that has built school management and learning software used by thousands of institutions across Nigeria.

Ikechukwu Anoke leads Zuri Health, a digital health platform expanding access to quality healthcare services across Africa.

Kelvin Umechukwu founded Bumpa, a commerce enablement platform that helps small businesses in Nigeria manage sales, inventory, and customer relationships from a single app.

Mary Njue leads Epicentre Africa Limited, a company providing business support and professional services across the continent.

Michael Collins founded Periculum, a data and credit intelligence startup that uses alternative data to improve credit scoring and lending decisions for underserved borrowers.

Oluwarotimi Thomas is the founder of SunFi, a clean energy financing platform making solar installations more accessible to Nigerian homes and businesses through flexible payment options.

Omoniyi Salami leads New Extension Allround Trust Limited, a company operating in agriculture and rural economic development.

Onimisi Atere founded Nimsy Agro Solar Concept, a business combining agriculture with solar energy solutions for rural farming communities.

Opeoluwa Onaboye is the founder of Renda, a logistics and last-mile delivery infrastructure startup serving merchants across Nigeria.

Riches Attai leads Winich Farms, an agribusiness focused on poultry and food production in Nigeria.

Teniola Tunde-Oni founded Pharmarun, a digital pharmacy and medication delivery platform that has simplified how Nigerians access prescription drugs and healthcare products.

What the ABH numbers say

The 2026 ABH Top 100 collectively generated $170 million in revenue in 2025, employed 6,200 people, and served ten million customers across 27 countries. The average founder is 38 years old, has been running their business for 6.5 years, and one in three is a woman.

Nigeria’s strong showing, tied at the top of the ABH list with Egypt and Kenya, confirms its continued position as one of the most active startup ecosystems on the continent.

The presence of companies like Koolboks, Bumpa, SunFi, and Pharmarun, all of which have gained international recognition, suggests the Nigerian contingent is not just numerous but commercially credible.

The Top 100 will now advance to the next stage, where judges will select a Top 20 to pitch live in Nairobi on August 21 and 22, competing for a share of the $1.5 million grant prize.

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