The Builders’ List means different things to different facets of the ecosystem. For us at , the Builders’ List is an archive of the people who made consequential contributions to the African technology ecosystem this year.
How do you decide the Builders?
As evidenced above, Africa’s tech ecosystem had a stronger year than 2024, making the selection of the 2025 Builders cohort a demanding process. The list originally had over 600 names spanning all 54 countries, but by sheer grit, determination, and an inordinate amount of research, this list was reduced to 50 people.
Each builder on the list has defined 2025 tech in their own way; from Femi Aluko, whose Chowdeck has redefined how Nigerians and Africans think about food delivery in this part of the world, to Salima Bah, whose work has increased international bandwidth capacity in Sierra Leone from 90 gigabits per second (Gbps) to over 500 Gbps, laying the foundation for startups scaling.
Making the list has given the newsroom a new way of seeing the African tech ecosystem; each person we added to the list offered a perspective on the ecosystem that we believe paints a bigger picture
There’s still a lot of work to be done in covering the ecosystem, especially for the people who work behind the scenes.
This first edition of The Builders’ List is the beginning of our annual commitment to telling more stories about the ecosystem.
As you dig into the list, we want you to think about all the different ways that African tech is now different from where it was at the beginning of the year.
Editor’s note: We said the Builders’ List would go live yesterday. It didn’t. We held publication to resolve technical glitches. Stick around on our website and across our social channels, and be the first to know when it drops.
