15 African entrepreneurs have been selected to compete for the £25,000 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation. The entrepreneurs shortlisted for the 2023 Africa Prize represent 10 African countries including Angola and Sierra Leone who are first time participants. The other countries include from Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
Shortlisted entrepreneurs provide innovative solutions crucial to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals and demonstrates the importance of engineering as a facilitator of improved quality of life and sustained economic growth
The innovative solutions shortlisted in 2023 tackle issues such as clean water and sanitation, sustainable cities and communities, good health and well-being, clean energy, good health and well-being, and quality education. They include:
Allen Chafa – Smart Water Tech (Zimbabwe)
Smart Water Tech is a real-time water quality monitoring and control system designed to address poor water quality, which results in the spread of waterborne diseases. It monitors dissolved oxygen, pH levels, temperature, turbidity, hardness and total dissolved solids.
Anatoli Kirigwajjo – YUNGA (Uganda)
YUNGA is a local rescue network that provides low-cost security by connecting neighbours to each other and with the police.
Boitumelo Nkatlo – Affordable AMD Solution (South Africa)
Affordable AMD Solution is a developed technology to treat acid mine drainage (AMD), using industrial waste to recycle contaminated water for human consumption.
Chukwuemeka Eze – Electric Mobility (Nigeria)
Electric Mobility is an e-mobility service which converts gas-powered three-wheel motorbikes to run on rechargeable batteries allowing drivers save up to 60% in costs on gas or petrol.
Margaret Yainkain Mansaray – Smart Green Stove (Sierra Leone)
Smart Green Stove is a non-electric cooking device created to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and health risks associated with it. It also saves time spent cooking and reduces energy use by 70%.
Dr Deon Neveling – ProbiGal (South Africa)
ProbiGal is a host-specific multi-strain probiotic designed to promote gut health and prevent bacterial infections in chickens.
Cletus Ekpoh – Waste-to-Wealth Enhancer (Nigeria)
Waste-to-Wealth Enhancer (WWE) is a four-part recycling system designed to address the issue of illegal dumping of rubbish, unregulated landfills and open burning of plastic, thereby reducing pollution, contamination and environmental degradation.
Cristovão Cacombe – Arobot (Angola)
Arobot is a robotics learning tool for children, modelled after a three-wheeled Angolan motorbike known as the ‘kupapata’. It has ultrasonic and ultraviolet sensors, which allow actions to be programmed through artificial intelligence.
Emmanuel Ofori Devi – MEDBOX (Ghana)
MEDBOX is a healthcare monitoring system that accesses a patient’s vital signs and immediately transmits them to healthcare professionals who can provide remote medical advice.
Fikru Gebre Dikumbab – Multi-Purpose Earth Brick Machine (Ethiopia)
The Multi-Purpose Earth Brick Machine is a manual interlocking machine used to make compressed earth bricks and can be reconfigured to create paving bricks and charcoal briquettes for more cost-effective and environmentally-friendly construction.
Flavien Kouatcha Simo – Digital Aquaponics (Cameroon)
Digital Aquaponics is a portable fish farm that uses fish waste to improve the production of organic vegetables and herbs.
Gibson Kawago – WAGA Power Pack (Tanzania)
WAGA Power Pack is a product from Tanzanian electrical engineer Gibson Kawago that uses recycled laptop batteries to produce cheap and reliable power for electric bikes, power banks, solar lights, businesses and homes.
Edmund Wessels – FlexiGyn (South Africa)
FlexiGyn is a portable device that enables gynaecologists diagnose and treat uterine health issues without the need for anaesthetic.
Obed Zar – Aquaset (Ghana)
Aquaset is a smart water management system that curtails waste and allows consumers manage their consumption.
Tolulope Olukokun – ThinkBikes CoolMAX (Nigeria)
ThinkBikes CoolMAX is an electric cargo bike equipped with a fridge to help Nigeria’s smallscale farmers deliver fresh food crops to the market.
