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Tag: Junior Achievement (JA) Africa

  • Nigeria’s Smartgenix Crowned Grand Prize Winner of the 15th Junior Achievement (JA) Africa Company of the Year (COY) Competition in Abuja

    Nigeria’s Smartgenix Crowned Grand Prize Winner of the 15th Junior Achievement (JA) Africa Company of the Year (COY) Competition in Abuja

    …As the continental champion, Smartgenix will proceed to represent Africa at the global finals of the De La Vega Global Entrepreneurship Award, where it will compete against winning teams from other regions for a grand prize of US $15,000

    Junior Achievement (JA) Africa successfully concluded the 15th edition of the JA Africa COY Competition, held from December 3–5, 2025, in Abuja, Nigeria, bringing together Africa’s brightest young entrepreneurs to showcase innovative business solutions aligned with the theme “ACT! Action for Climate Transformation.” The continental finals convened student companies from across Africa who had progressed through national JA Company Program competitions to compete across six innovation tracks: Innovation & Technology, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Financial Technology (FinTech), Digital Media & Creation, Renewable Energy, and Circular Economy & Sustainability.

    Following three days of dynamic pitching, mentorship engagement, exhibitions, and rigorous judging, Nigeria’s Smartgenix was crowned the overall Company of the Year 2025 for demonstrating exceptional innovation, execution strength, and high-impact potential. Mauritius’ Plantura claimed Second Place, while Uganda’s Renewablock secured Third Place, rounding out the podium with solutions focused on sustainability and inclusive development. As the continental champion, Smartgenix will proceed to represent Africa at the global finals of the De La Vega Global Entrepreneurship Award, where it will compete against winning teams from other regions for a grand prize of US $15,000.

    Additional recognitions were distributed among other deserving teams, thanks to the generous support of various sponsors, including FedEx, PMIEF, FirstBank Nigeria, Delta Air Lines, Bank of America, Kuda Microfinance Bank, Boeing, and Entrepreneurs’ Organization.

    Summary of Signature Award Winners:

    • FedEx Global Possibilities Award: XeroLabs, Ghana
    • PMIEF Best Application of Project Management Award: Kwakhanya PlantIQ, Eswatini
    • FirstBank Nigeria CEO Entrepreneurship Award: Plantura, Mauritius

    Summary of Branded Award Winners:

    • Delta Air Lines Girls LEAD! Award: 16 girls awarded: Matse Takitsi, Fakudze Temantolo Siphesihle, Dlamini Gcinile Lenhle, Dhristi Gooroochurn, Ameydee Shalinee Chocken, Yezhilly Gopaulen, Lashna Gungabissoon, Ihimbazwe Niyikora Kevine, Uwayo Ange Kevine, Abarurema Hirwa Emma Reponse, Kendy Neilla Gisa, Atuhaire Gabriella Kusiima, Comfort Musukuma, Grace Chilinda, Ndanji Nanyangwe, and Wana Sanyikosa
    • Bank of America Best Financial Performance Award: Renewablock, Uganda
    • Kuda Young Entrepreneurs Award: Kwakhanya PlantIQ, Eswatini
    • Boeing Sustainable Innovation Award: XeroLabs, Ghana
    • Entrepreneurs’ Organizations Rising Leader Award: Ameydee Chocken, CEO of Plantura, Mauritius

    Reflecting on the success of COY 2025, Simi Nwogugu, President and CEO of JA Africa, said, â€śThe creativity, courage, and solution-driven mindset we witnessed at COY 2025 remind us why Africa’s youth are our greatest asset. Through entrepreneurship education, we are not just preparing young people for the future of work; we are empowering them to lead climate action, create jobs, and build resilient communities across the continent.”

    The competition concluded with the JA Africa Stakeholder Convening held on December 5 in Abuja under the theme “Unlocking Africa’s Youth Dividend: Radical Pathways for Inclusive Skills, Entrepreneurship, and Employment Systems.” The high-level gathering brought together policymakers, educators, private sector leaders, philanthropic institutions, and development partners to catalyze strategic collaborations aimed at strengthening entrepreneurship education, expanding skills pathways, and scaling youth employment systems across Africa.

    COY is anchored in the JA Company Program, which equips young people aged 14–17 with hands-on experience in business creation, financial management, teamwork, leadership, and venture pitching. As youth unemployment continues to pose a major development challenge across the continent, programs such as COY remain essential in bridging education to enterprise creation, equipping young people not only to seek employment but to become job creators and innovators within their communities. Alumni of the program across Africa have gone on to establish registered businesses, secure international scholarships and fellowships, and lead social and technology ventures.

    The 15th edition of the JA Africa COY was made possible through the generous support of its partners: Headline Sponsors – FedEx, Project Management Institute Educational Foundation (PMIEF), and FirstBank Nigeria; Platinum Sponsors – Delta Air Lines, Bank of America, and Kuda Microfinance Bank; Gold Sponsors – Boeing and the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO); and Media Partner – What Media Group

  • Junior Achievement (JA) Africa, with Support from Google.org, to Equip 750,000 African Youth, Educators, and Parents with Digital Safety Skills

    Junior Achievement (JA) Africa, with Support from Google.org, to Equip 750,000 African Youth, Educators, and Parents with Digital Safety Skills

    …Recent studies show that in Nigeria, more than 70 percent of children aged 6–12 use the internet but lack basic safety awareness

    Junior Achievement (JA) Africa, with support from Google.org through USD $1.5 million funding, will deliver digital literacy and online safety education to children, teachers, and parents across Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa.

    Through this groundbreaking initiative, JA Africa will implement Google’s Be Internet Awesome (BIA) curriculum, empowering 250,000 children aged 7–15, 6,000 teachers, and 8,000 parents and caregivers with the skills and confidence to explore the digital world safely and responsibly by 2027.

    As internet access expands across Sub-Saharan Africa, many children are coming online for the first time without the knowledge or support needed to navigate digital spaces safely. Recent studies show that in Nigeria, more than 70 percent of children aged 6–12 use the internet but lack basic safety awareness. Similar patterns appear in Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa, where online risks such as cyberbullying, harassment, and exploitation remain widespread.

    “As digital connectivity becomes the foundation of modern life in Africa, our children must be equipped not only to participate, but to be protected,” said Simi Nwogugu, CEO of JA Africa. “With funding from Google.org, we are helping young people turn access into opportunity, building a generation of smart, safe, and kind digital citizens.”

    Developed by Google, Be Internet Awesome teaches the fundamentals of digital safety through interactive lessons and Interland, a gamified online platform that makes learning about privacy, cyberbullying, and media literacy fun and accessible for children.

    “At Google.org, we believe that every child should be able to explore the internet with confidence and care,” said Alessia Scarpellini, Senior Program Manager, Child and Youth Safety and Digital Wellbeing, Stronger Communities, Google.org EMEA. “By supporting JA Africa’s proven community-based model, we’re helping educators, caregivers, and young people across the continent build the skills to be safe, confident explorers of the online world.”

    The program will be delivered through school-based workshops, teacher trainings, and community outreach, ensuring equitable access even in underserved and rural areas. It also aligns closely with national child-protection and ICT-in-education priorities, including Ghana’s National Child Online Protection Framework, Nigeria’s Child Online Protection Policy and Strategy, and Kenya’s Industry Guidelines for Child Online Protection.

    Key Program Targets by 2027

    â—Ź 250,000 children trained on online safety, cyberbullying, privacy, and digital  citizenship

    â—Ź 6,000 teachers certified as facilitators to integrate BIA into classrooms

    â—Ź 8,000 parents and caregivers engaged through workshops and digital learning modules

    â—Ź Over 750,000 people reached directly and indirectly across four countries

    The initiative will be amplified through awareness campaigns, digital storytelling, and flagship events such as Safer Internet Day 2026, ensuring that messages about online safety reach millions more across Africa. JA Africa and Google.org will also collaborate with Ministries of Education, ICT, and Communications to embed the curriculum into school systems and teacher-training frameworks for long-term sustainability.

    “This underscores the power of collaboration in safeguarding Africa’s future generation,” Nwogugu added. “When governments, educators, families, and the private sector work together, we can build a safer, more inclusive digital Africa for every child.”