Wonga awarded with Africa Tech: Technology Company of the Year Award at the 2026 Africa Tech Week Awards for exemplary use of technology. Wonga has successfully modernized the lending process, significantly improved customer outcomes and demonstrated responsible, scalable growth. The company is recognized for its consistently brilliant approach, presenting the loan process in an easy, efficient and user-friendly manner, a stark contrast to the traditionally difficult processes of the past. This innovation has been a driving force that has forced South African banks to enhance their service and offerings, ultimately resulting in a net positive outcome for consumers. Wonga's impressive operating metrics and financial strength underline its leadership in the sector.
Cape Town International Convention Center hosts the 8th annual ceremony Africa Tech Week Awards 2026 Organized by Topco Media to celebrate the 2026 winners on 13 May. The evening was hosted by the honored guests allen committeeA South African comedian and actor, as master of ceremonies.
Africa Tech Week Awards Designed to recognize and reward technological excellence, digital transformation and innovation across the African continent.
Rather than simply celebrating technology for its own sake, the awards focus on how digital tools are being used to propel African countries and enterprises into the future, address critical local challenges and drive economic growth.
Digital Transformation & Tech Company of the Year Awards; Highlights enterprises that have successfully migrated legacy operations to highly profitable, cloud-native, or interconnected digital platforms.
Tech Impact and GreenTech and Circular Economy Awards; Celebrated “Tech for Good” initiatives that tackle community challenges (healthcare, education, poverty reduction) or optimize resource management (reducing carbon footprint and recycling old hardware).
Africa Tech Week Awards redefine continental success. This proves that Africa's Digital Decade is not just about adopting technology, it is about engineering the platforms, ethical AI frameworks and secure infrastructure needed to make the continent completely self-reliant.
Ralph Fletcher, CEO of Topco Media, expressed the importance of recognition and what it does for both an individual and company alike.
“When a founder wins tonight – when a woman in tech stands on this stage – when a startup from this continent is named best in class – it doesn't just celebrate what's been done. It changes what the next person believes they can do.”
A word from our two judges, Mushfikoh Samodian and Neville Cousins, emphasized how important a platform like the Africa Tech Week Awards is for entrepreneurs, tech visionaries and enthusiasts and the most powerful thing we can do is create that environment. It also reminds us that Africa is not short of talent, resilience and ideas. “This is a platform where we can connect and young entrepreneurs can tell us how they are going to change the world and put South Africa on the map.”
“The future of technology in Africa is not something we should wait for. It is already being created by the young minds, entrepreneurs and visionaries who are leading the way here today as we will see with these awards.”
Minister of Communications and Digital Technology Solly Malatsi delivered the keynote address where he emphasized that the awards serve as an important mechanism for the development of the continent. He said events like this matter because it brings together innovators, funders, policy makers and regulators. “It reminds us that Africa is not only participating in the global digital economy, but we are increasingly helping to shape it.”
Award winners include:
- Africa Tech: Start-up Awards – Winner: Swiftwei
- Africa Tech: Fintech Awards – Winner: Weaver Fintech Limited
- Africa Tech: Tech Impact Award – Winner: Youth Employment Service
- Africa Tech: Digital Transformation Awards – Winner: Xlink
- Africa Tech: Public Sector Digital Innovator Award sponsored by the City of Cape Town – Winner: Free State Health Department
- Africa Tech: Security Technology Company Awards – Winner: BitVenture Consulting Group
- Africa Tech: Greentech and Circular Economy Awards – Winner: East Africa
- Africa Tech: EdTech Awards – Winner: Engineer
- Africa Tech: Women in Tech Awards – Winner: Kume Luwani – Waxowave
- Africa Tech: HealthTech Awards – Winner: Neural Labs Africa
- Africa Tech: Tech Founder Award – Winner: Micheline Maharaj – SB Card Pty Ltd
- Africa Tech: Leader of the Year Award – Winner: Tertius Zitzke – 4site Holdings
- Africa Tech: AI Innovation, Maturity and Collaboration Awards sponsored by Telkom – Winner: Dentsu
- Africa Tech: Technology Company of the Year Awards – Winner: Wonga
Our Tech Icon winners are:
- Mint Group
- Innovator Trust
- Digemy
- jumo
- Bash
- Liquid Intelligent Technologies
- Zendamark
- odin education
- salary solution
- Woolworths
Other award winners include our highly commended recipient: :
- Africa Tech: Digital Transformation Awards – boxfusion
- Africa Tech: Public Sector Digital Innovator Award sponsored by the City of Cape Town – South African Local Government Association (SALGA)
- Africa Tech: AI Innovation, Maturity and Collaboration Awards sponsored by Telkom – Edaive Group
The awards honored over 80 finalists and over 300 attendees, spanning from small businesses to JSE-listed companies, across 14 categories. It showcased a wide range of female leadership in mining and logistics and technology, public service and social impact.
We express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone, including all of our dedicated category sponsors Telkom And city of cape townFor her significant support of the advancement of women in leadership and business.
Special thanks also to our valued partners including Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa (IITPSA), geeks4learning (Strategic Partner), sunday world (media partner), Tech Africa News (Strategic Media Partner), UVU Africa, BPESA and GSOA (Strategic Partners) whose alignment led to this prestigious event.
To see the incredible individual and organizational category finalists, as well as the esteemed panel of judges who dedicated their time and expertise to select very deserving winners, you can watch the official Africa Tech Week Awards 2026 Souvenir Programme: https://issuu.com/topcommedia/docs/atw_awards_souvenir_programme_2026?fr=xKAE9_zMzMw
For more information about our other prizes and how to enter, please contact Quarnita az.oc.ocpot@tamuj.atinrauq
Join us in celebrating, recognizing and promoting the digital transformation of companies across Africa. Learn more here: https://africatechweek.co.za/awards/