The 2026 Africa Supply Chain Excellence Awards have recognised organisations whose work is improving how goods, services and essential supplies move across Africa. With a record 106 entries, this year’s awards show how businesses are using technology, innovation, collaboration and better systems to respond to major supply chain challenges.
Held on 19 August, the awards brought together supply chain professionals from across the continent. The 11 categories recognised solutions based not only on the sector or function involved, but also on the scale of the challenge, the quality of the solution and the measurable impact achieved.
Innovation Improving Supply Chain Performance
In End-to-End Supply Chain Excellence, Digistics received a Platinum Award for combining green transport solutions with voice-directed warehouse technology, its Warehouse Management System and electronic proof of delivery. The approach has improved inventory accuracy, productivity and traceability while giving customers greater visibility. Transport modelling and route optimisation have also reduced unnecessary travel and fuel consumption while improving fleet use.
ABF Sugar received a Platinum Award in Innovation and Change Management for a programme that has transformed outbound logistics across Malawi, Zambia, Tanzania and South Africa. Investments in warehouse infrastructure, materials handling equipment, hardstands, canopies, warehouse management systems and transport management systems have improved safety, visibility and productivity.
Technology also featured strongly. eFama won the Technology Information Systems and Related Fields category and received the new Garry Marshall Award for Supply Chain Excellence. Through its digital marketplace, farmers can connect directly with commercial buyers, helping improve incomes, reduce waste and create more predictable demand.
The new award was renamed in 2026 in memory of the late Garry Marshall, the former ASCEA head judge and a respected supply chain and logistics pioneer, mentor and leader who passed away in August.
In International Trade, DP World received a Platinum Award for its work at the Port of Dakar in Senegal. Improvements in port efficiency, digitalisation and stakeholder collaboration have strengthened Senegal’s position as a regional trade gateway. An assessment found that trade enabled through the operations contributed an average annual equivalent of 3.8% of Senegal’s GDP, 3.1% of national employment and 3.5% of national tax revenues.
For Inventory Warehousing and Distribution Management, Inhance Supply Chain Solutions and Tiger Brands received Platinum for an integrated Supply Chain Control Tower that has improved planning, logistics, warehousing and customer service.
Ethiopian Pharmaceutical Supply Service (EPSS) received Gold in Procurement and Supply Management for transforming the procurement of essential medicines through legislative reform, digital innovation, strategic sourcing and stronger cooperation with local manufacturers.
Skills, Collaboration and Sustainability Remain Key
The awards also highlighted the wider role of supply chains in building safer, more sustainable and resilient economies.
DHL Supply Chain and Beapo were joint Gold Award winners in Training and Talent Management. DHL’s “Geared for Growth” programme is positioning learning and talent development as a driver of organisational performance, while Beapo brought industry stakeholders together to address South Africa’s shortage of qualified Lifting Machinery Inspectors and strengthen crane safety.
In Transport – All Modes and Intermodal, RNR app and Avemel Logistics shared first place with Gold Awards. RNR uses operational data and predictive analytics to help operators identify recurring problems and improve maintenance planning, while Avemel combines logistics services, specialist transport expertise and technology to strengthen freight movement across Southern Africa.
Inhance Supply Chain Solutions and SPAR won Gold in Supply Chain Co-ordination and Collaboration for the SPAR2U online grocery fulfilment solution.
In Humanitarian and Health Supply Chain Management, Heart for Africa received a Platinum Award for Project Canaan. The initiative addresses child nutrition in rural communities where refrigeration and transport infrastructure are limited. Its work includes extending the stable shelf life of boiled eggs and creating a sustainable distribution model to deliver protein to vulnerable children.
Environmental work was recognised in Preservation of the Environment, where Nebula Group, in partnership with Clothes to Good, Pick n Pay and Heart for Africa all received Gold Awards. Nebula Group and Clothes to Good have diverted more than 224,000 textile and footwear items, weighing over 55 tonnes, from landfill, turning them into educational resources, assistive products and other goods while supporting inclusive jobs and micro-enterprises. Pick n Pay was recognised for the energy-efficient operations at its Eastport Distribution Centre, while Heart for Africa was recognised for Project Canaan’s closed-loop agricultural supply chain in water-scarce Eswatini.
The awards were supported by Headline Sponsor Newlyn Group, Forte Supply Chain Solutions, BidAir Cargo, DP World, RFA and SAAFF.
Rajendra Balmakhun, CEO of Newlyn Group, said the winners represent “the very best of what Africa’s supply-chain sector can achieve.” He stressed that the achievements were not simply about new ideas, but about turning those ideas into results.
As Balmakhun put it, “innovation matters, but ultimately it is execution that moves economies forward.” He also pointed to the wider economic value of improving supply chains, noting that “every bottleneck removed, every connection improved and every supply chain made more efficient strengthens our ability to trade, compete and grow.”
For the organisations recognised at ASCEA 2026, the awards therefore represent more than industry recognition. Their projects demonstrate how better logistics, stronger technology, skills development, sustainability and collaboration can improve business performance while contributing to stronger and more competitive African economies.
