THE RATIONALE:

Africa is at a crucial stage in its efforts to accelerate its economic growth and development, restore civil societal peace and security, ensure sustained political stability and complete an ongoing socio-economic renaissance underpinned by transparent and accountable democratic governance, ethnic and religious tolerance, social justice and the rule of law. To do this, countries all around the continent are striving to evolve from jurisdictions directed from powerful individuals to wider, sub regional and pan continental jurisdictions guided by established institutions and processes. However, this process of transformation is necessarily being guided and propelled by individuals – those who are deliberately stepping back from authoritarianism and those who are structuring the institutions and procedures that are replacing it. As this happens there is strong growth in societal enlightenment, this largely propelled by the advent of social influencers using emergent social media and other digital tools. The foundation for this though is the emergent of world class African entrepreneurial and professional classes, who are driving economic growth and rising living standards at both the sovereign jurisdiction and pan continental levels. All these are the people who are shaping Africa’s present and in doing do, guiding it into the future Ultimately therefore our awards scheme aims to enhance the sense of responsibility of Africa’s most influential people for the fortunes of the continent and its populace, and encourage them to serve as role models for the rest of the Africa’s political governance and socioeconomic growth and development elite, inclusive of the biggest societal influencers.

THE THEME
The theme for this year’s edition of the awards is: “The people who are driving the Africa renaissance.”