Mr Ngowi |
The winner of the
second episode of Tanzania’s Top 100 Mid-sized Companies Survey, Mr Patrick
Ngowi of Helvetic Solar Contractors, is one of the brainiest young African
entrepreneurs, according to Forbes magazine.
According to Forbes, Mr Ngowi is one of 30 Africans under
the age of 30 who are changing the face of Africa.
He was picked by a panel of 12 judges from across Africa who
took part in identifying the entrepreneurs and innovators who are making the
most dramatic impact across the continent.
A statement in the magazine puts it this way: “These 30
young African entrepreneurs, disruptors and innovators featured on this list
are impatient to change Africa.
Together, they represent the entrepreneurial,
innovative and intellectual best of their generation. They’re solving problems
like healthcare and electricity shortages, proffering innovative solutions to
waste management, building virtual and physical communities and creating lots
of jobs.”
Mr Ngowi, the CEO of Helvetic Solar Contractors, ventured
into business nine years ago after receiving a Sh2.3million loan from his
mother, Emmy. He earned about $3 million (about Sh4.8billion) last year.
With
Sh2.3 million, Patrick ventured into vending Chinese mobile phones but, having
discovered that only 14 per cent of Tanzanians have electricity, he decided
that the solar energy business would be more profitable. A Swiss contact,
Philippe Glauser, gave him extra funding.
The firm, now six years into
business, is a pioneer in the supply, installation and maintenance of solar
systems throughout the Northern Circuit of Tanzania. In his first year of
business, the 28-year-old had a turnover of Sh30 million, rising to Sh4.6
billion last year—making it the fastest growing medium-sized firm in the
country, according to a leading consulting and auditing firm, KPMG.
Ngowi’s father Ephra and his mother are secondary school
teachers. He credits the exposure he got from his family’s time living in Botswana
and South Africa for setting him on the path to success.
On being recognised by Forbes, he says: “I’m honoured to be
on the list of under 30 Best Entrepreneurs in Africa. This goes to show that
Tanzania’s economy is growing and that its policies support small and medium
business start-ups...It is my hope that this will inspire more of my fellow
entrepreneurs to follow their dream and maintain peace and harmony through
engaging in their work with absolute commitment.”
The Forbes list of 30 under 30 best African entrepreneurs
also includes eight Kenyans, seven South Africans, seven Nigerians, two
Ghanaians and one each from Uganda, Malawi, Cameroon, Zimbabwe and the
Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Kenyans are: Lorna Rutto (28), a Green Tech
Entrepreneur and founder of EcoPost; 26-year-old Evans Wadongo, the chairman of
SDFA Kenya; 26-year-old Eric Muthomi, the founder of Stawi Foods & Fruits
and the two founders of Serene Valley Properties Kimiti Wanjaria and Ian
Kahara, who are both in their late 20s.
The other Kenyans are 26-year-old Cosmas Ochieng, the
founder of Ecofuels Kenya, 20-year-old Joel Mwale, the founder of Skydrop
Enterprises, and 25-year-old Mark Kaigwa, a partner in the Afrinnovator.
The brainy young entrepreneurs from South Africa include
28-year-old Jonathan Liebmann, a real estate developer and chief executive
officer for Propertuity; 28-year-old Justin Stanford, the founder and chief
executive officer for 4Di Group and 28-year-old Rapelang Rabana, founder of
Yeigo Communications.
Source: The Citizen, www.the citizen.co.tz, reported by
Samuel Kamndaya in Dar es Salaam
0 comments :
Post a Comment