PUBLIC EVENT
he Africa Prize Final is an annual event that celebrates innovation talent from across the African continent. Each year, the final event is hosted in a different African nation and for 2026, we are excited to be returning to South Africa, the place where it all started, 11 years ago.
Join us for a showcase and celebration of African engineering excellence, as 16 innovators from 11 countries take to the stage to pitch their businesses to our panel of expert judges and live audience. This event is the conclusion to eight months of training and mentoring, giving them the opportunity to practice what they have learned, in their bid to be announced as the winner of the Africa Prize, taking home £50,000 to further their impact.
You will also hear from guest speakers and have the chance to meet and network with the people behind some of the most impactful new engineering and technology solutions in sub-Saharan Africa and beyond.
The Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, founded by the Royal Academy of Engineering, awards commercialisation support to African innovators developing scalable engineering solutions to local challenges.
Alongside the overall winner, the three remaining finalists will each receive £10,000 to help them turn their engineering innovations into scalable businesses that can transform the continent. Furthermore, as part of the audience, you will get the opportunity to vote for the shortlist pitch that wins the £5,000 ‘One-to-Watch’ award.
Please refer to the More details tab for information on the judges and shortlist.
Programme*
| SAST | Timings are South Africa Standard Time |
| 5.30pm | Event begins |
| 9.30pm | Event ends |
* Programme subject to change
Photography/filming notice
Please note that photography/filming may take place during this event. All photographs and videos will be securely stored on the Academy’s servers and used for editorial, marketing and media use by the Academy and selected press or industry media. Please let us know if you do not agree to this processing. Please refer to our General Privacy Policy for more details
Venue and accessibility
It is very important to the Royal Academy of Engineering that our events are accessible to all. If you have any accessibility requirements, please contact the Events team more than one week in advance of this event so that necessary arrangements can be made. Contact details: [email protected].
Diversity monitoring form
The Academy is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and one of our goals is to develop an engineering community fit for the future. To help us achieve this, we would like to collect some basic anonymous data about the event attendees. If you would like to help, please complete the diversity monitoring form by logging into your user account on our website and completing ‘Update my D&I data’.
This year's shortlist are as follows. Click on their name for more information:
Johannes Amo-Aye, Ghana
Moustapha Diop, Senegal
Millicent Kariuki, Rwanda
Allen Kimambo, Tanzania
Faith Kuya, Tanzania
Naom Monari, Kenya
Alice Muhuhu, Kenya
Mochesane Mpali, Lesotho
Tadala Mtimuni, Malawi
Tafadzwa Kalisto Munzwa, Zambia
Royford Mutegi, Kenya
Sincengile Ntshingila, South Africa
Chidi Nwaogu, Nigeria
Derick Nwasor, Nigeria
Mamane Kabirou Ousseini, Niger
Dyllon Randall, South Africa
The judging panel for the Africa Prize final are as follows:
Rebecca Enonchong FREng (Chair) – Founder and CEO of AppsTech and I/O Spaces
Sewu-Steve Tawia (Deputy Chair) – Managing Partner of Jaza Rift Ventures.
Ian Shott CBE FREng – Founder and Executive chair of ARCINOV, Managing Director at Shott Trinova and Director of Arctoris
Yewande Odomosu – Managing Partner at HoaQ Ventures Fund.
Richard Wylde FREng – Managing Director of Thomas Keating Ltd.
Guest judge
Neo Hutiri - Founder of Pelebox and former Africa Prize Winner