AFRICA'S YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR OF THE DAY

“Young entrepreneurs and those they inspire are the lifeblood of Africa’s rise.” – Tony O. Elumelu, Founder, Tony Elumelu Foundation

Africa’s growing crop of young entrepreneurs will transform the continent and rewrite its future. And they are taking charge of that destiny now. Today, a growing number of Africans are building innovative technologies and businesses that are solving critical socio-economic problems, while creating job opportunities for Africans. It’s in entrepreneurial boom. The young folks are taking the lead – and are making fortunes for themselves in the process. As they should, because what good is entrepreneurship if it doesn’t create wealth?

While there are only a tiny handful of under-30 entrepreneurs who have succeeded in building million-dollar businesses, there is a rising number of young Africans who are building fast-growing companies in food manufacturing, engineering, technology, hospitality, and any other industry you can think of. They are creating jobs, paying taxes, igniting the entrepreneurial spark amongst their contemporaries, and ultimately, playing pivotal roles in the continent’s renaissance. You can’t ignore them anymore.

We will consider some of these young entrepreneurs as we proceed. Meet the young entrepreneur of the day, Ali-shah Jivraj, Ugandan.

Jivraj, a 27 year-old third generation Asian-Ugandan entrepreneur, has worked extremely hard to become one of Africa’s most successful young entrepreneurs. He is the founder and CEO of Royal Electronics, a $15 million (annual revenues) Ugandan company that assembles and distributes electronic home appliances such as Television sets, radios, speakers, and DVD players. He also owns a real estate firm which is developing high-end residential apartments in two of Kampala’s toniest residential areas, and he is setting up a battery manufacturing plant in the country of Burundi, in Southeast Africa. And what’s most fascinating about Jivraj is the fact that he’s built his small empire only with a little help from his family.