5 Kenyans were named part of the Africa Report Magazine’s Africa’s Top 50 Disruptors, a ranking based on innovation, disruption, and heft. The list groups different individuals’ impact in politics, business, tech, and civil society, from Nobel Peace Prize Winner Abiy Mohamed to Uber For Tractors Pioneer Kamal Yakub.
- Ken Njoroge
Ken Njoroge is the first Kenyan and 14th disruptor in Africa. Njoroge co-founded Cellulant, a payments Fintech that now serves 33 countries. Its Growth Enhancement Support Scheme creates an e-wallet that allows farmers direct access to fertilizer subsidies on their phones. The company also plans to connect farmers to banks, therefore addressing the financing gap.
2. Peter Njonjo
Twiga Foods co-founder and CEO Peter Njonjo is the second Kenyan on the list and 25th in Africa. The Africa Report celebrates his success in the food supply, through the tech-enabled platform that connects 17,000 farmers from different counties to 2500 vendors. Moreover, the company is improving efficiency in supply chains, raising yields, and stabilizing consumer prices.
3. Eliud Kipchoge
The marathon champion is number 26 on the list, winning 12 out of the 13 marathons. Kipchoge holds records for the fastest and second-fastest marathon speeds in human history. Further, he also holds two Guinness World Records for the fastest male marathon distance, and the first marathon distance sub-two hours.
4. Noordin Hajj
Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Hajj is 37th on the list for his contributions towards fighting crime. Hajj holds the record for the arrest and charge of former Treasury CS Henry Rotich, the country’s first arrest of a sitting cabinet minister.
5. Edwin Macharia
Edwin Macharia is number 47 on the continent’s list for his contributions to business. He is also Dalberg’s first Kenyan Global Managing Partner, advising on global strategy, operational efficiency, and implementation.
Other Notable Figures on Africa Top 50 Disruptors
Other notable figures on the list include the coalition of Ghanian and Cote d’Ivoire Presidents Nana Akufo-Addo and Alassane Ouattara. The duo is working together to disrupt the international cocoa markets, negotiating a $400 per tonne surcharge in this season’s harvest to protect farmers’ livelihoods. Besides, Nana is also the pioneer of Eco, the new currency to replace CFA Franc in 8 Francophone countries.
It also mentions Interswitch founder Mitchel Elegbe, Mining Mogul Bridgette Motsepe Radebe, and Farm crowdy founder Onyeka Akumah.
SEE ALSO: Kenya Among Top Nations in 2020 Global Fintech Ranking
