Happy New year to all of you! Thank you for being here!
2012 has been an incredible year for me and the people I work with. We have met and worked with so many people inside and outside Africa, so we decided again to put together this list so that you can meet and connect with them if you have not done so already.
Each of these individuals does not always get the credit they deserve: they are doing amazing things and are making great differences inside and outside Africa and in their respective home countries.
Thanks to them 2012 was one of the best years I can remember. I am buzzing with excitement for the year ahead; I can feel that many things will change in the continent and the people listed below will be part of it. Look out for them, connect with them. They are extraordinary. I endorse them all with confidence.
In no particular order here is the list and the names per country.
#1 – Kofi Yeboah – Blogger, BarCamp Organiser
#2 – Akua Akyaa Nkrumah – Environmental Activist
#3 – Mac Jordan – Ghanaian – Blogger
#4 – Nicole Amarteifio – Ghanaian Entrepreneur- World Bank Consultant
#5 – William Edem Senyo – Co-Founder SliceBiz
#6 – Edward Tagoe – Co-Founder of Nandi Mobile
#7 – Heather Cochram – Co-Founder SliceBiz
#8 – Jeanne Clark – Information Officer- US Embassy Ghana
#9 – Rebecca Enonchong – Blogger current Affairs Africa
#10 – Kathleen Bomani – Event Director Africa Gathering USA
#11 – Tom Murphy – International Aid and Development Blogger
#12 – Jon Gosier – Founder of Metalayer, Appfrica and Hive Colab
#13 – Bunmi Oloruntoba – Writer
#14 – Amma Birago – Artist
#15 – Amaka Okechuku – Journalist at Afrimind
#16 – Moustapha KANE - CEO Amarante
#17 – Yann Le Beux – Business Development – CTIC Dakar
#18 – Oumar Cisse – CEO CTIC Dakar
#19 – Ndeye Awa Gueye – Jjiguene Tech Senegal
#20 – Awa Caba – Jjiguene Tech Senegal
#21 – Binta Cody De – Jjiguene Tech Senegal
#22 – Aboubacar Sadikh Ndiaye - Entrepreneur – Social Media Strategist
#23 – Stephane Adefemi Ndour – Founder SamaEvent
#24 – Afrique News Team – Senegal
#25 – Ken Banks – Founder Frontline SMS – Mobile technologist. Anthropologist
#26 – Indigo Trust Team – London (Loren Treisman, Matthew O’Reilly)
#27 – Stephane Busari – Digital Producer at CNN London
#28 – Tonisha Tagoe – Founder of U Media Films
#29 – Luisella Mazza – Program Manager Google UK
#30 – Morris Marah – Global Development Strategist, Specialist on Conflicts and Wars
#31 – Oscar N. Onyema Chief Executive Officer Nigerian Stock Exchange
#32 – Idriss Bello – Entrepreneur, Co-Founder Wennovation Tech Hub
#33 – Chika Uwazie – HR Professional
#34 – Oluwole Odetayo – Co-Founder Wennovation Tech Hub Nigeria
#35 – Paul-Harry Aithnard – Group Head of Research and Risk Ecobank
#36 – Team SasaAfrica
#37 – Faith Karimi – CNN
#38 – Evans Muriu – Kenyan Entrepreneur
#39 – Thomas Sithole - Zimbabwean Writer
#40 – Sibanda, Thando US Embassy (Harare)
#41 – Hudson – Dean, Sharon US Embassy (Harare)
#42 – Johanna Kollar – Program Manager Markets Start – Up Support at Google
#43 – Wendy Luhabe from the Women Private Equity Fund
#44 – Romany Thresher- Social Media Strategist – South Africa- UK
#45 – Lukonga Lindunda – Co-Founder of Bongo Hive
#46 – Jonathan Mack Mazele & Gauthier Wetu – Software Developers
#47 – Yann de Wouters – Software Developer
#48 – Nick M’sewa – Software Developer
#49 – Christian Ilunga – Tech CEO Kinshasa
#50 – Barbara Buringi – Director Hive Colab
I also would like to thank all the people I have not mentioned here but have deeply touched me with their stories and left me with great memories, especially Mandiaye Pety Badji, Aboubacar Sidy SONKO from Senegal andTopsie Ogunyade Egbetokun from Nigeria. Thank you for sharing your story with me!