13th African Achievers’ Awards honor outstanding Africans today in London

The much anticipated 2023 African Achievers’ Awards (AAA) and International Summit holds today at the House of Lords, UK Parliament, United Kingdom.

The AAA, in its 13th Edition, has scaled through stages in the build up to the Awards event from the launch of event’s schedule to call for nominations into it’s various categories and announcement of judges.

The Right Honorable, Lord Simon Woolley, is the host for this year’s event. He is Member of the House of Lords, UK Parliament; Palace of Westminster. He is a British politician, activist, and the founder and director of Operation Black Vote and Trustee of the charity Police Now.

Lord Woolley was the chair of the Government of the United Kingdom Race Disparity Unit Advisory Group until July 2020. He is first Black Principal of the Homerton College, Cambridge University. Woolley has been a crossbench member of the House of Lords since October 2019.

As with every edition of the Awards ceremony and summit, the AAA will serve as a platform for industry leaders in Africa to converge, and talk strategies towards development sustainability in the African continent. The theme for 2023 is: “Unlocking Sustainable Trade and Investment Opportunities in Africa – the PPP Approach” will ensure critical aspects of the conversation is touched.

The selection process of ‘Achievers’ in the various categories for the awards is rigorous. The categories include: Community development, Arts & Culture, Business & Entrepreneurship Agriculture, Community Service, Rural development, Education.

The judges for this year’s edition are: Former President of Mauritius, H.E. Dr. Bibi Ameenah Firdaus Gurib-Fakim; Cabinet Member for Community Safety,
Dr. Susan Jumoke Fajana-Thomas OBE, DCL. Chairperson AAA and Former Trade Adviser on Infrastructure at the Department of International Trade (DIT) of the British High Commission in Ghana, Selork Kofi Dake.

Other esteemed members of the jury for the 2023 AAA are: Founder of Wintrade Global, Dr. Yvonne Thompson, CBE, FRSA, Deputy Lieutenant for the King for Greater London and Dr. Rex Idaminabo, FRSA.

Over the years, the Awards event has honoured and celebrated great African trailblazers whose works have had a meaningful impact on development in Africa. Former laureates include worthy African political leaders, exceptional young achievers, passionate and dedicated community builders, and captains of industries.

On the choice of this year’s theme: “Unlocking Sustainable Trade and Investment Opportunities in Africa – the PPP Approach,” Dr. Tonye Rex Idaminabo, Chief Executive Officer of the African Achievers Awards, reiterated the importance of addressing the challenges in Africa to work towards a prosperous, equitable, and sustainable future in Africa.

Created in 2010, the African Achievers Awards has become one of the most reputable awarding bodies on the African continent and one of the biggest annual gatherings of influential African achievers globally.

Over the years, the Awards event has honoured and celebrated great African trailblazers whose works have had a meaningful impact on development in Africa. Former laureates include worthy African political leaders, exceptional young achievers, passionate and dedicated community builders, and captains of industries.

Some of the notable names who have been laureates at previous editions of the African Achievers Awards include Late Emeritus Arch. Bishop Desmond Tutu; H.E. Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Former Chairperson the African Dr. Josephine Ojiambo, former Deputy Secretary-General of The Commonwealth; Dr. Margaret Blick Kigozi, former Executive Director at the Ugandan Sports Authority – who currently works as a consultant at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO);

Others are Divine Ndikhuluka, former Chairperson, Zimbabwe Chamber of Commerce; Late Prof. Attah Mills, former President of the Republic of Ghana; Mo Abudu, CEO Ebony Life Television; Late Rilwan Lukeman, former Secretary-General, OPEC; the Kofi Annan Foundation; Naseeb Abdul Juma Issack, popularly known by his stage name Diamond Platnumz; amongst many others.