The inaugural African Supply Chain Confederation Awards took place from 23 to 25 September 2026 at the Radisson Blu Mosi‑oa‑Tunya Livingstone Resort in Zambia. Under the theme, 'The Boardroom Starts Here: Celebrating the Future CEOs of Africa,' ceremony honoured leaders whose work positions supply chain management as a strategic function within businesses and public institutions. These supply chain awards recognised achievements across governance, sustainability, digital transformation, and professional development, reflecting growing importance of profession across continent. We are delighted to share stories of this year's honourees with you, as they illustrate depth of talent present throughout African supply chain communities.
The Strategy & ESG winners were Dr Obiora Madu of Nigeria, founding Multimix Academy and mentoring thousands across Africa, and Dr Erastus Kiswili Nyile of Kenya, recognised for research on circular economies and green manufacturing. The SCM CEO/DG of the Year award went to Kenneth Matiba, CEO of Kenya Institute of Supplies Management, for leading digital transformation of certification programmes and fostering cross‑sector partnerships. Governance champions were Basil Ahiable of Ghana, praised for ethical procurement and public sector accountability, and Richard Migambi of Rwanda, awarded for e‑government procurement platforms that span 12 African nations, reflecting impact of supply chain awards.
Isac Smith, director in the Western Cape Provincial Treasury, received the AfCFTA SCM Architect award for modernising public sector procurement frameworks. Executive of the Year honours went to Dr Clever Ruswa of Zimbabwe for leading procurement reform and rolling out Zimbabwe’s e‑government system, and to Dr Eric Ekow T. Ghansah of Ghana for transforming procurement into a strategic organisational capability. Professional of the Year award went to Vusumutiwendvodza Matsebula of Eswatini for mentoring emerging leaders and enhancing cross‑border cooperation, while Rev Celestine Djane of Kenya earned runner‑up for advancing standards and driving growth at Ghana Institute of Procurement and Supply.
Together, these supply chain awards show the calibre of leadership emerging across the continent and the strategic role the profession now plays in shaping organisations and economies. Recognition of achievements in governance, sustainability, digital innovation, and professional development motivates ASCON to inspire more executives to step into boardroom positions. We invite you to join the conversation about these developments, to learn from the winners, and to consider how your own initiatives can contribute to this momentum.