Rabat – Two Moroccan entrepreneurs have advanced to the semi-final of the 2026 Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) competition, joining 18 other entrepreneurs selected from across the continent.
Meriem Benabad, founder of retail technology company z.systems, and Nidal Tafah, founder of agritech company MIRRIAH, will represent Morocco in the semi-final, which is scheduled to take place in Nairobi on August 21 and 22.
The 20 entrepreneurs were selected from the competition’s Top 100 cohort, following a selection process that attracted more than 24,000 applications from all 54 African countries.
The semi-finalists come from 12 African countries and represent businesses operating in sectors including agriculture, financial services, technology, healthcare, education, energy and retail.
The semi-final will determine the 10 entrepreneurs who will advance to the Grand Finale, where they will compete for a share of ABH’s $1.5 million prize pool.
Benabad founded z.systems, a retail technology company focused on improving access to products and services through digital tools. The company works to support businesses and consumers in the retail and fast-moving consumer goods sector.
Tafah founded MIRRIAH, an agricultural technology company focused on developing solutions for the agriculture sector. His selection highlights the growing role of Moroccan entrepreneurs in using technology to address challenges in food production and agriculture.
Africa’s Business Heroes is an annual philanthropic program launched by the Jack Ma Foundation to identify and support entrepreneurs building businesses with an impact across Africa.
The program provides selected entrepreneurs with funding, training, and access to a network of African business leaders and investors.
The 2026 cohort was selected through several stages of evaluation, with entrepreneurs assessed on their business models, impact, and potential for growth.
For Morocco, the advancement of Benabad and Tafah places two local startups among the continent’s leading emerging businesses in the competition.
The semi-final in Nairobi will now determine whether either entrepreneur progresses to the final stage and competes for the competition’s top prizes.
The two Moroccan entrepreneurs will face founders from countries including Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, Ghana, South Africa, Uganda, Tanzania, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Rwanda and Ethiopia.
