Nominations have opened for the Forty under 40 Africa Awards 2026, an initiative recognising young African business leaders and professionals under the age of 40 for their contributions to their industries, businesses and communities.

The 2026 edition features 40 categories covering a wide range of sectors, including agriculture, finance, education, technology, healthcare, media, manufacturing, fashion, energy, real estate and social enterprise.

The nomination window opened on September 10, 2026, and is scheduled to close on October 31, 2026.

The Forty under 40 Africa Awards seeks to identify and celebrate young business leaders across the continent who have demonstrated professional achievement, business growth and community service.

Eligibility extends to Africans living on the continent as well as members of the African diaspora, with nominees assessed across a broad range of industries.

Under the published guidelines, nominees must be citizens of one of Africa’s 55 countries and must live either in Africa or in the African diaspora. They must also be under 40, or turn 40 in the year of the event.

Eligible nominees must be entrepreneurs, shareholders, founders or co-founders of a company. The nomination must also come from someone other than the person being considered for the award.

The organisers have clarified that submitting multiple nominations for the same individual does not provide an advantage during the selection process.

The 2026 award categories include:

• Agriculture and Agro-Processing
• Architecture
• Aviation
• Education
• Authorship and Creative Writing
• Banking and Finance
• Beauty and Lifestyle
• Environmental and Climate Sustainability
• Community Development
• Consultancy and Professional Services
• Energy, Oil and Gas
• Event Management and Planning
• Food, Catering and Beverage
• Fashion
• Family Business
• Governance and Government Agencies
• Health and Wellness
• Human Resources and Development
• Hospitality
• Insurance
• Journalism
• Law
• Logistics and Supplies
• Manufacturing
• Media
• Music and Entertainment
• Mining and Natural Resources
• Pensions
• Printing, Press and Publishing
• Philanthropy and Charity
• Real Estate Development and Construction
• Science, Technology and Innovation
• Safety and Security
• Sports
• Shipping and Maritime
• Theatre and Arts
• Transport and Automobile
• Social Enterprise
• Telecom, Mobile and Software Development

The awards accept nominations for eligible individuals across the listed categories. Self-nomination is not permitted under the published eligibility guidelines, meaning an individual must be nominated by another person.

Nominees may also be asked to submit supporting materials, including recommendation letters and relevant business or company documentation, as part of the assessment process.

The 2026 awards process began with nominations on September 10, 2026, with the deadline set for October 31, 2026.

According to the published timeline, nominees are expected to be published and voting will begin on November 9, 2026. Voting will close on December 31, 2026.

The programme will then proceed to tourism activities scheduled for March 16–19, 2027, followed by the Summit and Awards Night on March 20, 2027.

The event is scheduled to take place in Accra, Ghana.

Individuals who know an African entrepreneur, founder, business leader or professional who meets the requirements can submit a nomination through the official Forty under 40 Africa website.

Applicants and nominators are advised to review the eligibility requirements and submit accurate information concerning the nominee’s professional and business achievements.

Key details for the 2026 edition include:

Award: Forty under 40 Africa Awards 2026

Eligibility: African citizens in Africa or the diaspora

Age: Under 40, or turning 40 in 2027

Categories: 40

Nomination type: Third-party nomination

Nominations open: September 10, 2026

Deadline: October 31, 2026

Awards venue: Accra, Ghana

Awards date: March 20, 2027

Application: Online

Nomination: Forty under 40 Africa nomination page

Source: Msme Africa Online