African supply chain professionals from several countries were recognised at the inaugural African Supply Chain Confederation (ASCON) Awards, held during the organisation’s conference in Livingstone, Zambia.
The awards were presented on September 25 at the close of the three-day ASCON conference, which ran from September 23 to 25.
The conference brought together supply chain, procurement and related professionals from across Africa as part of the wider African Commerce Convergence Summit. ASCON’s conference was held alongside events organised by the African Marketing Confederation and TICON Africa.
The awards were held under the theme, “The Boardroom Starts Here: Celebrating the Future CEOs of Africa”, according to ASCON.
ASCON President Ronald Mlalazi said the awards recognised work in areas including sustainable procurement, public sector reform, regional trade integration and professional development.
“Through six categories, we recognised achievements ranging from sustainable procurement and public sector reform to regional trade integration and the development of Africa’s next generation of supply chain professionals,” Mlalazi said.
Strategy and sustainability
Nigeria’s Dr Obiora Madu received the SCM Visionary: Strategy & ESG Award for his work in supply chain education and professional development.
Madu is the founder of Multimix Academy and chairman of the African Centre for Supply Chain. ASCON said his work has included training and mentoring professionals in the public and private sectors and promoting ethical procurement, strategic sourcing and sustainable supply chain practices.
“Dr Madu is widely recognized as a foundational architect of modern supply chain practice in Nigeria and across Africa,” Mlalazi said.
Kenyan academic Dr Erastus Kiswili Nyile took second place in the category. He is a lecturer at Murang’a University of Technology and has worked on research involving circular economy frameworks, green manufacturing and sustainable procurement.
ASCON also cited his receipt of the 2025 Kenya Institute of Supplies Management Spurs Award for Best Supply Chain Research Paper of the Year.
Leadership award
Kenneth Matiba, chief executive officer of the Kenya Institute of Supplies Management (KISM), was named SCM CEO/DG of the Year: Africa.
Matiba has served as KISM’s chief executive since 2024 and is responsible for the institute’s operations and professional mandate.
ASCON credited him with efforts to strengthen professional accountability and ethical procurement standards, as well as with expanding KISM’s professional programmes through digital systems and partnerships involving government, academia and industry.
“By fostering strong cross-sector partnerships across government, academia, and industry, Matiba has established a highly compliant and resilient network of supply chain professionals, delivering a proven blueprint for cross-border alignment and executive leadership across Africa,” Mlalazi said.
Matiba was the sole recipient in the category.
Governance and public procurement
Ghana’s Basil Ahiable won the SCM Governance Champion: Public Trust & Integrity Award.
Ahiable is a former president of the Ghana Institute of Procurement and Supply and former board chairman of Ghana’s Public Procurement Authority. ASCON said his work has focused on procurement standards, institutional accountability and public sector governance.
“By advocating for responsible resource stewardship and establishing robust professional standards, Ahiable directly embodies the award’s mission to drive transparency, integrity, and value for money throughout African supply chain systems,” Mlalazi said.
Rwanda’s Richard Migambi was second in the category. ASCON cited his work in electronic government procurement and said he had contributed to the development of digital procurement systems in more than 12 African countries.
“Migambi merits this recognition for nearly two decades of pioneering national e-GP initiatives across more than 12 African nations, shifting vulnerable paper-based procurement systems into traceable digital ecosystems,” Mlalazi said.
Regional trade and procurement
Isac Smith, chief director at the Western Cape Provincial Treasury in South Africa, won the AfCFTA SCM Architect: Market Integration Award.
The category focuses on supply chain systems and infrastructure supporting cross-border trade and regional market integration.
ASCON said Smith was recognised for work involving public sector procurement frameworks, asset governance and supply chain transparency.
“Smith’s award celebrates his extensive work in modernizing public sector procurement frameworks,” Mlalazi said.
Supply chain executive
Zimbabwe’s Dr Clever Ruswa received the SCM Executive of the Year: Africa Award.
Ruswa is chief executive of Zimbabwe’s Procurement Regulatory Authority and a former president of the African Public Procurement Network. ASCON credited him with work on public procurement reform, including Zimbabwe’s electronic government procurement system and guidelines on sustainable and inclusive procurement.
“Dr Ruswa transformed public procurement into a strategic engine for national and continental development by orchestrating Zimbabwe’s national digital transformation,” Mlalazi said.
Ghana’s Dr Eric Ekow T. Ghansah took second place.
Ghansah is deputy chief executive for Technical Services at Ghana’s Public Procurement Authority and board chairman of Assinman Community Bank. ASCON said he had worked on procurement transformation, supplier sustainability, workflow improvements and category strategies.
“Ghansah has been pivotal in leading organisational procurement transformations from operational functions to strategic sourcing by defining policies, streamlining workflows, driving supplier sustainability, and establishing long-term category strategies across spending areas,” Mlalazi said.
Professional development
Eswatini’s Vusumutiwendvodza Matsebula won the SCM Professional of the Year: Africa Award.
ASCON said Matsebula had contributed to procurement, logistics and inventory management while also mentoring younger supply chain professionals and promoting cooperation across borders.
“Matsebula demonstrates a strong commitment to professional upliftment through the active mentorship of young professionals, cultivating the next generation of supply chain leaders across Africa,” Mlalazi said.
Kenya’s Rev Celestine Djane was second in the category. She is a former executive secretary of the Ghana Institute of Procurement and Supply and later served as its vice-president, according to the supplied material.
“Djane demonstrates an unwavering dedication to advancing professional procurement standards, mentoring supply chain practitioners, driving transformative institutional growth, and embodying exemplary leadership rooted in integrity, professional excellence, and community service,” Mlalazi said.
Mlalazi said the awards were intended to highlight the growing strategic role of supply chain management in African organisations and economies.
“these awards demonstrate the calibre of supply chain leadership across Africa and the increasingly strategic role the profession plays in shaping organisations and economies. By recognising these achievements, we hope to encourage more professionals to take their place in the boardroom and contribute to the continent’s future,” he said.
