Every year, Forbes goes in search of some of the brightest young entrepreneurs, leaders and billionaires of tomorrow to be featured in its 30 Under 30 list across the world.
Forbes Africa, in its 2018 list, and for the first time, had over 90 young individuals in the continent across three industries – Business, Technology and Creative – in the list.
Music stars such as Wizkid, Davido, Sarkodie, Nasty C, Cassper Nyovest, Falz, Yemi Alade also made the list.
BN Alum and founder of AsoEbiBella Ink Eze, Kene Rapu, Gozie Coker of Coker Creative, and Bidemi Zakariyau of LSF|PR were also listed.
Fashion entrepreneurs Adebayo Oke-Lawal of Orange Culture and Tania Omotayo of Ziva Lagos; beauty entrepreneurs Anita Adetola Adetoye of Anita Brows, Joyce Jacob were also named; actress Beverly Naya also made the list.
See full list below:
Business
Yannick Nzonde, 29, DRC
Co-founder ATI Groupe
Leroy Mwasaru, 20, Kenya
Founder, Greenpact
Ladipo Lawani, 29, Nigeria
Founder, L&L Foods
Emmanuel Ademola Ayilara, 29, Nigeria
Founder, LanaWey Investment Limited
Mwiya Musokotwane, 28, Zambia
Founder, Thebe Investment Management
Nomvula Mhambi, 29, Zimbabwe
Founder, Disruptive Innovation
Abubakar Sadiq Mohammed Falalu, 28, Nigeria
Founder, FalGates
Roger Boniface, 29, South Africa
Founder, EDISIM
Gilbert Eugene Peters, 29, Zimbabwe
Founder, Spidex Media
Sihle Ndlela, 28, South Africa
Co-founder, Majozi Bros Construction
Vera Shaba, 29, South Africa
Founder, Shaba and Rampling; Green Building Solutions
Thomas Duncan, 28, Namiba
Owner, Anticor
Wesley Beneke, 29, South Africa
Founder, WCB Construction
Anita Adetola Adetoye, 26, Nigeria
Founder, Anita Brows Beauty
Akinwande Durojaye, 28, Nigeria
Founder, JustBrandIt; FixMyRide. Co-founder, FueledUp; LashBells
Samuelle Dimairho, 27, Zimbabwe
Co-founder, Chengetedzai Depository Company
Joey Friedman, 26, South Africa
Founder, LA Group of Companies
Zuko Tisani, 25, South Africa
Founder, Legazy Technology Conferencing
Gisela van Houcke, 27, DRC
Founder, Zuri Luxury Hair&Beauty
Bidemi Zakariyau, 28, Nigeria
Founder, LSF|PR
Zareef Minty, 24, South Africa
Founder, ZRF Holdings
Fred Apaloo, 28, Ghana
Founder, Villa Grace
Kene Rapu, 28, Nigeria
Founder, Kene Rapu
Jack Mthembu, 27, South Africa
Founder, First One Adventures
Reabetswe Ngwane, 25, South Africa
Co-founder, KreamFields
Anelisa Mntuyedwa, 28, South Africa
Founder, Gilbert Civils
Gozie Coker, 29, Nigeria
Founder, Coker Creative
Alexander Knieps, 27, South Africa
Founder, Printulu
Adam Amoussou, 27, Benin
Founder, Amosconsult Group
Nataliey Bitature, 28, Uganda
Co-founder, Musana Carts
Technology
Rivo Mhiari, 23, South Africa
Founder, Rikatec
Olaoluwa Samuel-Biyi, 27, Nigeria
Co-founder, SureGifts. Director, SureRemit
Isaya Yunge, 28, Tanzania
Founder, SomaApps Technologies Company Limited
Mahmood Oyewo, 26, Nigeria
Co-founder, RubiQube
Kevin Lubega, 28, Uganda
Founder, EzeeMoney
Berno Potgieter & Thatoyaona Marumo, 28, South Africa
Founders, Domestly
Leonida Mutuku, 29, Kenya
Founder, Intelipro
Chris Kwekowe, 25, & Emerald Kwekowe, 21, Nigeria
Founders, Slatecube
Phiwa Nkambule, 26, Swaziland
Co-founder, Riovic
Sunkanmi Ola, 22, Nigeria
Founder, Syracuse Digital
Perseus Mlambo, 29, Zambia
Founder, Zazu Africa Limited
Kola Olajide, 26, Nigeria
Co-founder, Bridge Labs
Nneile Nkholise, 29, South Africa
Founder, iMed Tech
Bamal Namata, 26, Cameroon
Founder, Maibeta
Riaz Moola, 26, South Africa
Founder, HyperionDev
Leonard Stiegeler, 29, Nigeria.
Co-founder, Zanda, Jumia & Director Ringer Africa AG.
Kofi Genfi & Nii Osae Osae Dade, 24, Ghana.
Founders, CYST Company Limited.
Juan Pienaar, 27, South Africa.
Founder, Apex Media.
Timothy Adeleye, 29, Nigeria.
Founder, Optiweb Communications.
Maya Horgan Famodu, 27, Nigeria.
Founder, Ingressive.
Abraham Omani Quaye, 28, Ghana.
Founder, Farmart.
Melvyn Lubega, 28, South Africa.
Founder, GO1.
Huston Malande, 28, Kenya.
Founder, Skyline Design.
Cukia Kimani, 26 & Ben Myres, 25, South Africa.
Founders, Nyamakop.
Ink Eze, 28, Nigeria. (YAY!! BN Alum!)
Founder, AsoEbiBella.
June Syowia, 23, Kenya.
Founder, Beiless Group.
Obinna Okwodu, 27, Nigeria.
Founder, Fibre.
Abdellah Mallek, 28, Algeria.
Co-founder, Sylabs.
Yasmine El Baggari, 25, Morocco.
Founder, Voyaj.
Simba Mubvuma, 26, Zimbabwe.
Co-founder, Lexware Inc.
Creatives
Thuso Mbedu, 26, South Africa.
Actress.
Maria Borges, 25, Angola.
Supermodel.
Herieth Paul, 22, Tanzania.
Supermodel.
Eddy Kamuanga Illunga, 26, DRC.
Painter.
Cassper Nyovest, 27, South Africa.
Rapper & Entrepreneur.
Stacey Gillian Abe, 27, Uganda.
Multidisciplinary Contemporary Artist.
Yemi Alade, 29, Nigeria.
Singer & Songwriter.
Falz, 27, Nigeria.
Rapper & Actor.
Orapeleng Moodutle, 29, South Africa.
Fashion Designer.
Nomzamo Mbatha, 27, South Africa.
Actress.
Kwesta, 29, South Africa.
Rapper & Entrepreneur.
Davido, 25, Nigeria.
Singer & Songwriter.
Safia Elhillo, 27, Sudan.
Author & Poet.
Joyce Jacob, 28, Nigeria.
Founder: Joyce Jacob Beauty.
Shekhinah, 23, South Africa.
Singer & Songwriter.
Adebayo Oke-Lawal, 28, Nigeria.
Fashion Designer. Founder: Orange Culture.
Wizkid, 27, Nigeria.
Singer & Songwriter.
Koleka Putuma, 25, South Africa.
Poet & Author.
Nasty C, 21, South Africa.
Rapper & Producer.
Beverly Naya, 29, Nigeria.
Actress & Entrepreneur.
Simphiwe, 27, South Africa.
Visual Artist.
Rina Chunga-Kutama, 29, South Africa.
Fashion Designer.
Kemiyondo Coutinho, 28, Uganda.
Playwright, Actress, Filmmaker & Entrepreneur.
Sarkodie, 29, Ghana.
Rapper & Entrepreneur.
Mapeseka Koetie-Nyokong, 29, South Africa.
Actress & Entrepreneur.
Sonia Irabor, 28, Nigeria.
Writer, Filmmaker & Actress.
Tony Gum, 22, South Africa.
Visual Artist.
ANATII, 25, South Africa.
Producer, Writer, Director & Artiste.
Sasha Pieterse, 22, South Africa.
Actress & Singer/Songwriter.
Tania Omotayo, 26, Nigeria.
Model & Entrepreneur.
Wait is falz really 27.?hmm
Sorry apart from the musicians from Nigeria only the rich lekki phase 1 are on the list
Please they should go around Nigeria and look for Nigerians killing it in other areas !
Phase one kids*
Sasha Pieterse from PLL is South African? Wow. So Ink is only 28. Chai. My life! By the way, I agree with @Lolarae I’m pretty sure Nigeria is not Lagos Island. This list is a let down. Sorry.
Yo the guy from syracuse stay on the mainland and also have an office there.
Congrats to my congelese brothers I hail you
as in ..there is this young lady farmer in the north doing amazing business abeg this forbes are a lazy about research and just sit in a cafe in lagos and flip through instagram …
Dont mind them. They are useless
They are giving the original USA Forbes a bad name.
Cos the africa one is ABSOLUTELY LAZY on research. Rubbish
I know at least 3 Nigerians already BILLIONAIRES under 30 who are not on this list, and no, they are not in media or just lekki phase 1 kids. They are not “I shan’t grees” like some of the Nigerians we see on this list.
They are into real estate, finance and oil and gas respectively…and to make it more interesting, they are WOMEN. Respectable WOMEN at that, not bed gracers, not wanna be / future billionaires, didn’t come from rich backgrounds/not daddy’s money, not drug peddling, not 419 – Just clean money.
Sometimes, I wonder what yardsticks/indicators are used in measuring for the compilation of these lists. I would advice anyone to take these with a pinch of salt. This Forbes compilation is 30 under 30 Instagram smashers. Nothing more.
Maybe you can name your billionaires, it will enrich your comments.
Tell them
RUBBISH FORBES AFRICA lazy people who just do instagram and google search, instead of paying people to hit the ground to do proper research.
Mschewwww. i cant stand Forbes Africa.
Yen yen yen
Name them
Dear Nancy abi Kiki, do us all a favour by naming these three billionaire friends of yours so maybe Forbes will include them next year. You’re clearly not a real friend, a real friend would have thought of doing that before bashing the ones who actually made the list. Less bitterness more positivity. Don’t be like Nancy, be a positive friend not a pseudo one
Hello @fake Kiki,
I see you have chosen t use my name….quite unfortunate for you!
On the other hand, there is no need for me to name my billionaire friends, what is the essence? If Forbes truly wants to showcase global-Forbes-worthy achievers, they will correctly do their home work.
And point of correction, there was no bashing but just stating the obvious.
We really need to understand true value, and stop with the mediocrity.
i dont respect FORBES AFRICA and any thing they put out
see the usa 30 under 30 list from different business publications and you will notice this Forbes 30 under 30 is just a complete JOKE
may be the list is authentic, maybe not, buh the above entries do worth the list big [email protected] ballers #gisthub
One can always discuss any lists or rankings, I just like Forbes Africa as they are almost the only publication really celebrating African entrepreneurs in the best reliable way. Kudos to this extensive List, always inspiring!
Nice one 👍