Forbes Africa releases Person of the Year shortlist

Business publication Forbes Africa has released the five finalists for its Person of the Year award.

They include:

·         South African mining magnate, Patrice Motsepe, the Executive Chairman of African Rainbow Minerals, noted for his philanthropic work, which will see him giving away more than half of his $3bn fortune as part of The Giving Pledge campaign;

·         Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture, Akinwunmi Adesina, who has a vision to make Nigeria a self-sustaining, food-producing nation and register 20 million farmers by 2015;   

·         Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, who has supported charitable causes including flood relief, healthcare, and poverty reduction;

·         Strive Masiyiwa, founder of global telecoms group, Econet Wireless, who educates tens of thousands of Zimbabwean orphans  through the Capernaum Trust;

·         Jim Ovia, founder of Zenith Bank Group, who is helping grow Africa’s budding ‘techpreneurs’

Three of the nominees are Nigerians, with Zimbabwe and South Africa proving one each.

The result is to be announced in Nairobi, Kenya, in December this year.