Billionaire Femi Otedola Among Top Authors Shortlisted for the 2026 BCA African Business Book of the Year Awards
The Business Council for Africa (BCA), in partnership with the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), African Business magazine, and BrandComms, has officially unveiled the shortlist for the 4th edition of the BCA African Business Book of the Year Awards. This prestigious competition, now in its fourth year, celebrates the most compelling business writing that examines and shapes Africa’s economic imagination—from leadership memoirs and sectoral deep-dives to bold analyses of the continent’s future.
Among the distinguished authors shortlisted this year is Femi Otedola, the Nigerian billionaire business mogul and philanthropist. Otedola earned his place on the list with his book, Making It Big: Lessons from a Life in Business, a personal account of his journey building a multi-billion-dollar empire across energy, shipping, and finance. The book offers readers a rare, first-hand look at the strategies, risks, and resilience required to succeed in Africa’s volatile but opportunity-rich markets.
The Full Shortlist: A Diverse Range of Voices and Perspectives
The shortlist for the 2026 BCA African Business Book of the Year Awards reflects a continent in motion—from the boardrooms of Lagos and Johannesburg to the food markets of Accra, the banking corridors of Nairobi, and the policy tables of Addis Ababa. The complete list of shortlisted books and authors includes:
- Making It Big: Lessons from a Life in Business – Femi Otedola
- How We Made It in Africa II – Jarco Martiz
- How Africa Works – Joe Studwell
- Cultural Confluence in Organisational Change: A Portuguese Venture in Angola – Allete Vonk
- Afro-Optimism Unleashed – Adeolu Adewumi-Zer
- It’s About Tyme – Adrian Saville, Bruce Whitfield
- How Africa Eats – Professor David Luke
- Realizing Africa’s Potential: A Journey to Prosperity – Landry Signé
Each of these works brings a unique lens to Africa’s business landscape. For example, How Africa Eats by Professor David Luke provides a critical analysis of food systems and agricultural value chains, while It’s About Tyme explores the rise of digital banking and financial inclusion through the story of TymeBank, a South African fintech success. Afro-Optimism Unleashed challenges prevailing narratives of doom and gloom, offering a data-driven case for Africa’s economic renaissance.
Why This Award Matters: Documenting Africa’s Economic Transformation
The BCA African Business Book of the Year Awards are more than a literary prize—they are a platform for amplifying the voices of thinkers, practitioners, and leaders who are documenting Africa’s business and economic transformation with clarity, rigour, and ambition. As the continent continues to attract global investment and navigate complex challenges, these books serve as essential resources for policymakers, entrepreneurs, investors, and academics alike.
Supported by the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), Africa’s leading infrastructure solutions provider, the awards underscore the importance of narrative in shaping perceptions of Africa. As AFC approaches its 20th anniversary in 2025, the institution recognizes that telling the story of Africa’s business evolution is as critical as building the roads, ports, and power plants that drive it.
READ ALSO: Femi Otedola’s Making It Big jumps to Number 1 on Amazon Best Sellers list
The Judging Panel: Leaders in African Business and Thought
The judging panel for the 2026 awards is composed of respected African business and thought leaders, as well as media executives. Their collective expertise ensures a rigorous and fair evaluation of the submissions. The panel includes:
- Arnold Ekpe – Chairperson of BCA and Chair of the Judging Committee
- Arunma Oteh – Former Director General of the Nigeria SEC and Chair at the Royal Africa Society
- Chris Ogbechie – Former Dean of Lagos Business School
- Moky Makura – CEO of AfricaNoFilter
- Terhas Berhe – Managing Director and Founder of Brand Communications
- Omar Ben Yedder – Publisher of African Business and New African magazine
- Anver Versi – Editor of New African and African Banker
Commenting on the awards, Arnold Ekpe praised the quality of this year’s submissions while emphasizing the need for even more African business voices to emerge. “We are excited to have the Africa Finance Corporation join us this year as our headline sponsor. As AFC approaches its 20th anniversary next year, it understands the importance of narrative and the significance of documenting first-hand the business stories being created across the continent. These stories help deepen understanding of Africa’s evolving business landscape and economic transformation.”
Prizes and Ceremony Details
The winner and runners-up for the 2026 BCA African Business Book of the Year Awards will be unveiled at a ceremony scheduled to take place on 3 July 2026 at the Institute of Directors in London. The winner will receive a trophy and a cash prize of $10,000. The second- and third-placed finalists will receive $5,000 and $2,500, respectively.
For context, last year’s winners included All Hands on Deck: Unleash Prosperity Through World Class Capital Markets by Arunma Oteh; Africonomics: A History of Western Ignorance by Bronwen Everill; and Riding the Storm: The Untold Story of Africa’s Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic by Toni Kan. These works exemplify the breadth and depth of business writing that the awards seek to recognize.
About the Business Council for Africa (BCA)
The Business Council for Africa was established in 1956 to provide reliable intelligence to investors interested in African economies. Today, it is a registered not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting African business, championing enterprise, and connecting the continent with global opportunity. Its flagship initiatives include the Annual African Business Book Awards and the Annual RED Index.
For more information about the awards, the shortlisted books, or the BCA, visit: www.bcafrica.org
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