FORBES AFRICA’s 30 Under 30 Class Of 2024

It’s that time of the year when anticipation gives way to excitement as FORBES AFRICA prepares to welcome and honor, yet again, the next cohort of young innovators, influencers and intellectuals taking the continent by storm.

Marking 10 years of the FORBES AFRICA 30 Under 30 list, this edition will also hark back to the journey of unearthing Africa’s youngest and brightest people taking the continent to the future. The 10th annual list will highlight the potential of what is yet to come.

“It has been 10 years of showcasing tomorrow’s titans and billionaires! This list continues to draw great interest from our readers, young and old. And on a continent with the world’s youngest population, it’s more pertinent than ever to unravel these young movers and shakers who will be tomorrow’s global newsmakers,” says Renuka Methil, Managing Editor, FORBES AFRICA.

With thousands of applicants and hundreds of list-makers over the past decade, FORBES AFRICA has shone the spotlight on award-winning musicians, actors, tech trailblazers, business leaders, sports stars and social entrepreneurs, among others, who have gone on to become behemoths in their own right. The list has also evolved in the past decade to look at the new wealth creators from the world of content creation and digital media.

Now is the time to invite the next 30 visionaries, risk-takers, change-makers and pioneers from Africa to take their place in the class of 2024. This is a list that promises to be our biggest and best yet as we foray our way into the next decade.

Requirements for Forbes Africa 30 Under 30

Business and Technology categories 

1. Must be an entrepreneur/founder aged 29 or younger as on 31 March 2024 
2. Should have a legitimate REGISTERED business on the continent 
3. Business/businesses should be two years or older (please ensure you have your audited financial documents for at least two years as well as your company’s registration documents; should you make the second stage, this will be required) 
4. The more innovative the business the better (as it speaks to Africa’s growth story) 
5. Have you/your company created social impact on the African continent? 
6. The company must be profit-generating 
7. Must employ people in Africa 
8. All applications must be in English 

Sports category

1. Must be a sports person aged 29 or younger as on 31 March 2024
2. Must be representing an African team
3. Should have a proven track-record of no less than two years
4. Should be making significant earnings
5. Endorsement deals and/or awards of any kind would be a bonus
6. Entrepreneurship and social impact are a plus, especially if applying under the Business/Technology category. However, the business must oblige by the same rules as under Business/Technology
7. All applications must be in English

Creatives category 

1. Must be a creative aged 29 or younger as on 31 March 2024 
2. Must be from or based in Africa 
3. Should have significant earnings 
4. Should have a proven creative record of no less than two years 
5. Awards/recognition of any kind should be mentioned  
6. Social media presence will be taken into consideration 
7. Entrepreneurship and social impact are a plus, especially if applying under the Business/Technology category. However, the business must be legitimate, registered and also two years or older 
8. All applications must be in English 

Health/Science category 

1. Must be a creative aged 29 or younger as on 31 March 2024
2. Must be from or based in Africa 
3. Should have a proven track-record in the field of health and/or science for no less than two years
4. Must have social influence and impact 
5. If the nominee is a doctor/professor, please provide us with documentation and a reference letter from the institution where the applicant received a doctorate or Ph.D.   
6. Entrepreneurship and social impact are a plus, especially if applying under the Business/Technology category. However, the business must be legitimate, registered, and also two years or older 
7. All applications must be in English

Interview date, Process and Venue for Forbes Africa 30 Under 30

Our rigorous nominations process will require extensive paperwork including police clearance certificates (PCC) or a report from your country verifying that you have no criminal record, no ongoing or upcoming court cases and that you are a citizen of that country. The FORBES AFRICA 30 Under 30 team of curators will also need a recommendation/reference letter from a financial institution (like your bank), ensuring that you are a legitimate business/brand employing funds responsibly. We recommend that you contact your financial institution or advisor to prepare for this part of the process as well as apply for your PCC as it could potentially take 4-6 weeks.

The judging process will take place in four stages:

• The first stage will be the evaluation of your motivation. If you do not hear back from us (within a specific period), please deem your nomination as unsuccessful.
• The second stage will require potential candidates to submit further documentation for the next stage of assessment.
• The third stage will include an analysis of your financials, revenue model and credibility as in-depth research will be conducted into who you are and your company/team (no criminal records, troubling lawsuits/bankruptcies, allegations of crime, bad behavior, sexual harassment/abuse cases or fraud).
• The final stage will have an expert panel of judges assess the strong candidates, whittling them down to the final 30. The editorial and research team makes the final selection based on judges’ scoring/remarks and adjusts for diversity across company type, gender, background, etc.

Application Deadline

March 31, 2024

How to Apply

Interested and qualified? Go to Forbes8 on form.typeform.com to apply

For more details, visit Forbes website