Inaugural ICA-Africa Cooperative Excellence Awards Honor Visionary Leaders and Pioneering Cooperatives
The ICA-Africa Cooperative Excellence Awards 2026, held during the 12th Technical Committee Meeting of the Africa Ministerial Cooperative Conference (TCAMCCO), celebrated outstanding cooperative leaders, institutions, and initiatives shaping the future of the cooperative movement across the continent. Established to honour excellence and inspire innovation, the awards reflect the vision of the late High Chief Ayeola Tajudeen Oriyomi, whose legacy of leadership and dedication continues to strengthen the movement. In a touching moment, he was honoured posthumously for his immense contribution, love, and commitment to cooperatives in Africa and beyond. The awards recognized excellence across eight distinguished categories, spotlighting influential leaders, women and youth champions, digital transformation pioneers, innovative cooperatives, and institutions driving financial inclusion, climate resilience, and agricultural impact.
The prestigious ceremony awarded trophies to the top three run-ups across eight elite categories, spotlighting individual visionaries as follows: 50 Most Influential Cooperative Leaders in Africa (Dr. Halefom Gezaei Abera, Zerihun Sheleme Erensa, Dr. Victor Mbatha Wambua); Top 100 Women in Cooperative Leadership (Evelyn Olunja, Leah Daudi, Cynthia Wandia); Top 30 Youth Cooperative Entrepreneurs (Dr. Victor Mbatha Wambua, Elias Abrham Weldetensae, Pako Ntone); Top 20 Cooperative Digital Transformation Leaders (Cynthia Wandia, Kenneth Odhiambo, Pako Ntone); Top 50 Most Innovative Cooperatives in Africa (Cooperative Bank of Oromia, Mwalimu National SACCO, Mauritius Co-operative Alliance Limited); Top 30 Cooperatives Driving Financial Inclusion (Fana Youth Saving and Credit Cooperative, Awach Savings and Credit Cooperative, Mwalimu National SACCO); Top 20 Climate-Resilient Cooperatives (Oromia Coffee Farmers Co-operative Union Ltd., Makueni Co-operative Union Ltd., Kigarama Peoples SACCO); and Top 30 Agricultural Cooperatives by Impact (Yirgacheffe Coffee Farmers Cooperatives Union, Githunguri Dairy Farmers Cooperative Society, The Mauritius Co-operative Agricultural Federation Ltd.
Congratulations to all awardees and nominees for their outstanding contributions to the growth, resilience, and transformation of cooperatives across the continent.