Flutterwave, Zuri Health Shine at 2025 Africa Tech Summit Awards

Tech leaders and innovators gathered in Nairobi, Kenya, for the 2025 Africa Tech Summit Awards, celebrating companies transforming Africa’s digital landscape. The event, held on February 12 and 13, was powered by Raenest and brought together over 1,600 industry figures from more than 65 countries, fostering discussions on investment and growth opportunities in African tech.

Lauren Adair, Director of the Africa Tech Summit, highlighted the significance of the awards, stating, “The Awards were created to celebrate tech companies driving business and growth across a range of sectors, and it was fantastic to host so many finalists doing this, all in one room.”

Recognising Excellence Across Multiple Categories

The awards featured winners in two individual categories and eleven sector categories, recognising groundbreaking contributions to Africa’s technological development.

Chinwe Udo-Davis, CEO and co-founder of Instollar, received the Female Tech Innovator award. Instollar is a green energy marketplace dedicated to improving clean energy access across Africa, particularly in underserved regions. Through its InstallHer initiative, the company equips women with solar panel installation skills, creating opportunities in the green economy.

Maxwell Opondo from Kenya was honoured with the Young Tech Innovator award for his groundbreaking work in assistive technology. His company, Zerobionic, developed a robotic arm that enables students with hearing impairments to communicate in real time through sign language recognition.

Sector Leaders Making a Difference

In the Agritech category, Tanzania’s Mazao AgClimate Limited secured the award for its work in sustainable agriculture. MazaoHub focuses on improving soil health and reducing reliance on synthetic fertilisers, helping over 50 million smallholder farmers combat land degradation and preserve arable land.

Cassava Technologies from South Africa was recognised with the AI Award for its advancements in AI-driven infrastructure that enhance cloud services, cybersecurity, and connectivity. By developing scalable digital solutions, the company plays a crucial role in Africa’s digital economy.

Nigeria’s Sabi earned the Climate Tech Award for its TRACE platform, which leverages blockchain technology to track commodities such as copper, lithium, and cocoa in real time. The platform ensures Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) compliance, supporting sustainable trade practices.

Flutterwave, a Nigerian fintech giant, won the Cross Border Payments Award for its Send App, which facilitates seamless money transfers across over 35 countries, including the US, UK, Canada, Nigeria, and Kenya. OmniRetail also made Nigeria proud by securing the Digital Commerce Award for revolutionising retail distribution, improving access to essential products in a highly fragmented market where 90% of stores still rely on traditional supply chains.

South Africa’s Ikusasa Technology Solutions won the EdTech Award for its SMART Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) initiative, which promotes inclusive education and digital transformation in vocational training.

Identity verification remains a challenge in Africa, where over 400 million people lack valid identification. Smile ID, a Nigerian company, won the Enterprise Award for its cutting-edge technology that ensures secure transactions and reduces fraud risks.

In the FemTech category, South Africa’s My Pregnancy Journey took the spotlight with its digital health app tailored for African women. Offering pregnancy tracking, access to local healthcare professionals, and a comprehensive digital ecosystem, the platform supports women from conception to postpartum care.

Mauritius’ HUB2 claimed the FinTech Award for simplifying cross-border payments in Francophone Africa, where over 100 independent banks and mobile money providers create a complex financial landscape. The company’s single API integrates multiple payment methods, including Bitcoin, bank transfers, and mobile money, streamlining transactions.

Zuri Health, based in Kenya, won the Health Tech Award for its innovative platform that delivers affordable and accessible healthcare through multiple digital channels, including WhatsApp, SMS, and mobile apps. The company provides services such as AI-powered diagnostics, pharmacy delivery, virtual consultations, and chronic care management.

In the Web3 space, Nigeria’s MiniPay secured the award for making blockchain-based financial services more accessible. Integrated into Opera Mini, MiniPay enables fast and low-cost peer-to-peer transactions using USD Coin (USDC), Tether (USDT), and Celo Dollar (cUSD), addressing financial inclusion challenges in emerging markets.

The 2025 Africa Tech Summit Awards highlighted Africa’s rapidly evolving tech ecosystem and the trailblazers shaping its future. As innovation continues to flourish, these winners exemplify the continent’s potential to lead in various digital sectors.