CBC AFRICAN BUSINESS AWARDS 2008 WINNERS
Lifetime achievement
Mo Ibrahim, Founder of Celtel and Chairman, Mo Ibrahim Foundation
Originally from Sudan, Mo Ibrahim is a global expert in mobile communications with a distinguished academic and business career. In 1998, he founded MSI Cellular Investments, which was later renamed Celtel International. The company now operates in 15 African countries, under licenses that cover more than a third of the continent’s population. The company has invested more than $750m in Africa, helping to bring the benefits of mobile communications to millions of people across the continent, revolutionizing the way business in the continent now operates, and opening up societies to greater information and communication.
Since selling his stake in Celtel, he has been championing the African cause, fighting tirelessly to improve the image of Africa. He set up his foundation to tackle one of Africa’s biggest scourges, the problem of good governance.
An internationally recognized business leader, he is first and foremost our great African brother. His achievements have brought tangible improvements to the lives of millions of ordinary people who through his pioneering business activities, and hope to many more by using his position to promote a fairer and better governed continent through philanthropy and activism.
African Business Leader of the Year
ArnoldEkpe, CEO, Ecobank
Arnold Ekpe has shown particular skill and dexterity to create Africa’s first true multinational, with a footprint in some 22 countries in French-speaking, English-speaking and Portuguese speaking Africa. One of the first institutions to list on three different exchanges simultaneously, Ecobank can be identified as a true African company, led and managed by Africans. He has overseen the overhaul of the bank and its recent expansion strategy. Arnold has also overseen the creation of a unique service centre which will revolutionise the way the Bank does business.
African Businesswoman of the Year
Prof Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke OON, Director GeneralNigeria Stock Exchange
Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke has been CEO of the NSE since 2000, and is a powerful voice for improving access to finance though the market across Africa. She was instrumental in the computerization of the exchange which last year achieved was one of the highest rates of return of stock exchanges in the world. She sits on the board of a number of leading companies in Africa.
African Business of the Year
MTN
MTN had operating profits of $1.58bn on revenues of $9.62bn. The biggest taxpayer in Nigeria and in Rwanda, MTN is present in some 20 countries across Africa and with operations also in Afghanistan, Cyprus, Syria and Yemen. MTN was launched only 14 years ago and is today one of Africa’s best known companies both on the Continent and abroad - a new “African lion”.
Best Global Business in Africa
Anglo-American
As one of the major diversified mining groups, Anglo American’s exploration activities cover many parts of the globe. Anglo runs over 30 mining operations in Africa. These operations employ approximately 75,000 Anglo employees, and about 30,000 contractors. Anglo’s employees receive salaries that a generally high by local levels – almost all of our South African employees are too well paid to receive Government housing subsidies.
Anglo has a policy of paying taxes where they make profits rather than in tax havens or in the UK where Anglo’s head office is based. As a result, Anglo is by far the largest tax payer in South Africa. Additionally, Anglo’s value added (contribution to GDP) and procurement figures in Africa exceed the total UK Government overseas aid budget.
The Anglo Zimele small business development initiative in South Africa has been recognised by the IFC and academics as a world-leading example of empowerment through enterprise development.
Best SME
Africa Invest, Malawi
Africa Invest’s focus has been to create employment intensive growth in the rural sector which avoids expensive capital inputs beyond means of farmers. Their outgrower schemes enable farmers with as little as 1ha of land a guaranteed export market for their crops. Profits for 2008 are estimated at $1m and workers are earning wages considerably higher than the average Malawian wage.
Best Efforts towards Improving Investment Climate
Ghana
Ghana has recorded strong achievements in reforming its trade, tax, and property administration. It was identified as the top reformer in Africa and 9th worldwide in the World Bank Doing Business in Africa 2007 survey, as well as the top improving African Commonwealth country in the CBC Business Environment Survey of 2007.
African Brand of the Year
MTN
MTN is a household name throughout much of Africa with a presence in over 20 African countries.
It has consolidated its position as possibly Africa’s leading brand by sponsoring the 2008 African Cup of Nations, giving the brand exposure not only in sub-Saharan Africa but with the huge audience for football across the Maghreb, and internationally. It is rare today to go to an African capital and not see the colours of MTN scattered across buildings from the cities to the most rural area evidence of a company that has truly brought a new service to millions of Africa’s entrepreneurs and citizens.
Telecoms Company in Africa
Celtel (Zain)
Celtel (Zain) is widely considered ‘the most successful pan-African mobile network, offering telecommunications services to more people in Africa than any other network. Today it has 30m customers across Africa and revenues in 2007 of approximately $3.4bn. It is the first telecom provider in the World to offer a one rate tariff across all its roaming service through its One Network.
Airline of the Year
South African Airways
South African Airways is the only nonstop service from to the US from Africa with daily departures to Washington, DC and New York. The winner’s unrivaled network, featuring connections to more than 20 destinations within South Africa, and more than 20 cities across the rest of the continent, make the airline the ‘gateway to Africa’. It has unrivalled comfort and entertainment and the winner also offers passengers connections through its various partnerships to 965 destinations in 162 countries and 18,000 flights daily, including more than 25 cities in the US.
Best Corporate Citizenship/Social Responsibility
Bamburi Cement, Kenya
Bamburi Cement has contributed in several areas of CSR. It has initiated bursaries to pursue further education, put in place job training schemes for students, as well as helped schemes to tackle and educate people on issues such as Malaria, HIV/AIDS, Health and Family planning, and more recently environmental issues.
Leader in Contributing to Achieving MDGS
Anglo-American
Anglo-American is the biggest taxpayer in South Africa today, employing 75,000 staff in Africa and 30,000 subcontractors. It plays a vital role in the development of host communities, and makes a major contribution to achieving the MDGs in Africa. The company focuses on community development, education, environment, health and water and HIV/AIDS. They also provide capital injections and loan finance to entrepreneurs to enable them to establish medium sized business. Anglo has also developed a benchmark Social and Economic Assessment Tool or SEAT, an innovative process to ensure that investments build sustainable benefits to host communities.
Leader in Social Innovation
Small Enterprise Foundation – South Africa
The Small Enterprise Foundation has developed a rapidly expandable and cost-effective means to deliver credit to small business men and women. It has pulled together an impressive Board of Directors that includes the founding director of the first organization to extend loans to informal sector businesses on a systematic basis. To date it has disbursed micro-credit loans to the value of $70m, and delivered a business model which has resulted in bad debt levels of only 0.7% in 2007.ridge the digital divide and improving the lives of Africans.
Award for Gender Sensitivity
Anglo American
Anglo-American have been selected for their outstanding efforts to improve the plight of women in the workplace. In a traditionally male oriented industry, women now comprise 14% of Anglo’s workforce with 16% being in management positions (up from 9% in 2000). Anglo has a number of programmes related to HIV and women and also has conducted a scheme to empower women with has resulted in a 55% fall in domestic violence against women enrolled in this programme.
Award for Technological Innovation
Ecobank
Ecobank this year developed a “One Bank” concept to centralize and standardize its middle and back office operations across the group. This central credit factory will roll out Internet and SMS banking, telecoms and technology platforms reducing costs and improving efficiency, and improving customer service. The new centre, built in Accra at a cost of $40m will employ some 3,000 staff.
Leader in Reducing Digital Divide
SubmarineCable, Nepad e-Initiative
The Submarine Cable Project which is the brainchild of innovative Nepad E-Africa Commission has seen the cooperation of a number of Eastern African countries to connect African countries to each other with high quality internet and international communication services. A submarine cable will transform the telecoms landscape in the region as it improves access for 250m Africans. The network is a major step in interconnecting the African continent and thus helping to bridge the digital divide and improving the lives of Africans.
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