2025 Äänit Prize honours African leaders in education and innovation
Nigerian social entrepreneur Dr Sunday Ochai, founder of EduRise, winner of The Mandela Rhodes Foundation’s 2025 Äänit Prize, for his work restoring education to children affected by conflict.
Image: Supplied
Having survived the challenges of trying to get an education in Nigeria, social entrepreneur Dr Sunday Ochai has built an award-winning venture, EduRise, to restore education to children affected by conflict.
Mr Ochai is this year's overall winner of The Mandela Rhodes Foundation’s 2025 Äänit Prize, awarded by an external panel of independent judges.
The winner was announced at a rooftop event venue and lounge in the Mother City on Friday, September 19.
He was one of four finalists - African leaders - from South Africa, Nigeria, and The Gambia, tackling some of the continent's most pressing challenges in education, climate change, and technology through bold social ventures.
Award-winning ventures must be based in Africa, demonstrate sustainability, replicability, strong leadership, and potential for long-term impact.
Pictured at the back, from left are 2025 Äänit Prize chairman Dr Sangu Delle, of The Mandela Rhodes Foundation’s chief executive officer Judy Sikuza, commended Äänit Prize finalist winner Fama Jallow (on the screen), and fourth finalist Ntsako Mgiba. In front are judge Dr Shehnaaz Suliman, 2025 Äänit overall winner Dr Sunday Ochai, and commended finalist Dr Kenechukwu Ikebuaku.
Image: Supplied
EduRise supports other conflict-affected Nigerian children by restoring access to schooling and providing menstrual health and peacebuilding initiatives in a country where millions of children are not in school, and 43 percent are engaged in child labour. The venture restores dignity, builds resilience, and demonstrates that education is critical to breaking cycles of poverty and displacement.
"The prize is not just for me but for every child who dares to dream.
With this support, EduRise will be able to assist 300 000 conflict-affected children living in Nigeria to reclaim their right to education and a brighter future, he said.
"I was one of them. It is also a shout-out to the millions of children, not in school to say your hope is renewed because we are just starting."
Mr Ochai takes home US$60 000 ( approximately R1,039,200) to invest in EduRise, continuing to lay the groundwork for a future generation of workers and business leaders who can help rebuild their communities.
He was also the recipient of the US$1 000 (approximately R17,320) Audience Choice Award.
Judy Sikuza, chief executive officer of The Mandela Rhodes Foundation, highlighted the importance of supporting Africa’s young entrepreneurs.
"Social initiatives such as the Äänit Prize are vital in enabling ventures with potential for significant impact, scalability, and replicability".
"What excites me is not just the brilliance of the 29 applications we received for the prize but that young African leaders have the courage to act where the need is greatest," she said, adding that their creativity is deeply inspiring.
"We are proud to be part of an initiative that opens new possibilities and the potential to transform lives," said Ms Sikuza.
The prize is accompanied by a significant monetary award in US dollars and is a complementary offering to the Foundation's flagship programme, the Mandela Rhodes Scholarship, and is available to alumni of the Mandela Rhodes Scholarship and Rhodes Scholarship.
Mr Ochai was also a Mandela Rhodes scholar.