Every year since 2011, Forbes has assembled a group of accomplished African entrepreneurs, Business Journalists, thinkers and thought leaders to randomly name 30 of the continent’s most exceptional young entrepreneurs below the age of 35.
This year, four Nigerians made it to the Forbes list of 30 most promising young entrepreneurs in Africa 2016.
Here are the four Nigerians who among Forbes 30 most promising young entrepreneurs in Africa.
1. Olatorera Oniru – Founder, Dress Me Outlet
The 29-year-old lady is the founder and CEO of the electronic commerce website Dressmeoutlet.com which stocks more than 1,000 products from premium designers globally. She established the website selling fashion products, health & beauty products, and home goods in 2015.
The outlet currently has customers in different states across Nigeria, Uganda and the United States of America and ships worldwide.
The company which has funding offers from notable investors including Nigerian investor Tony Elumelu, employs more than 20 full-time staff.
She is married to Adedapo Oniru and they have two children.
2. Ogunlana Olumide and Chukwuwezam Obanor – Founders, PrepClass
Olumide, 25, and Obanor, 24, founded the Prepclass, which changed the face of Nigerian education. Prepclass is a Nigerian academic solutions provider offering online test prep software, full-length tests, and a Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) experience similar to that of Nigerian university pre-entry exams.
The idea behind PrepClass which was officially launched in 2014, is to provide a hub for tutors and students to connect, under a controlled and well regulated system.
It uses the latest web technologies to ensure that relevant local content such as past questions, past tests, class notes; interactive audio and 2D/3D videos are available to users. It also provides personalized home tutors in Lagos. The tutors are skilled at meeting individual academic needs.
Prepclass helps students prepare for JAMB which is written yearly by almost 2 million students around the country.
The company recently won the India Africa business venture competition.
3. Kasope Ladipo-Ajai – Founder, OmoAlata
The 29-year-old lady co-founded OmoAlata in 2012, with the aim of promoting healthy eating and to make cooking easier for busy people. OmoAlata is a Nigerian food service and packaging company that produces hygienically processed and packaged local Nigerian soups, spices and peppers.
OmoAlata’s flagship product, the pepper mix, is sourced from local markets. The company organizes delivery of the tomatoes, onions and peppers from the suppliers to the factory.
Kasope won the 2015 She Leads Africa Pitch Competition. She got a $10,000 cash prize, a mobile device from Etisalat, international media coverage and a host of other prizes.
4. Abiola Olaniran – Founder, Gamsole
Olaniran, 27, who was on the list last year, made it to this year’s list. He is the founder and CEO of Gamsole, a mobile gaming company based in Lagos. The company founded in 2012, develops games solely for the Windows Phone store. There are more than 9 million downloads both locally and internationally on the Windows Phone store.
Abiola has won several recognitions, including the 2010 winner of the Microsoft Imagine Cup software competition.