The Future Africa Awards has entered its 9th season, with a formal launching of The Future Africa Awards & Summit (TFAAS) 2014 at the closing gala for SHAPE Africa 2014 (an annual regional meeting of Global Shapers from Africa which held on May 5-7 in Abuja), signalling the commencement of voting.
“As the world focuses on Africa, with global leaders weighing in on our most pressing solutions; we are excited to launch yet another season of the premier event for Africa’s young leaders,” Adebola Williams, co-founder of the awards said in a statement.
According to him, TFAAS’ mission to identify exceptional young leaders across Africa has been fully expanded. The achievements of such leaders would then be celebrated as they are presented as the “new set of young Africans who will be shaping the future of Africa and the world.”
With the need to do more than just present awardees to the world, a 2-day summit called ideas-fest has been added to the awards.
The Future Africa Awards & Summit will involve the continent’s most influential leaders and institutions that have portfolios on youth. They will be discussing actions to be immediately taken in order to increase jobs and opportunities. Citizen engagement and good governance will also be discussed by the leaders.
Williams described the event as “the largest home-grown network of policy-makers, business people, and other stakeholders in Young Africa”.
Voting for the awards, which is supported by Microsoft, the US Consulate and the Tony Elumelu Foundation will end on June 12.
According to organisers of the awards, only youths of African origin, aged 18 – 31 are eligible for nomination into any of the ten categories of the awards. (VENTURES AFRICA)