Jane Mosebi, MD of ForgeAhead, the organiser of the awards, said that the African winners show that ICT is alive and kicking on the continent, and that she foresees that more and more African countries, companies and projects will be part of the awards in years to come.

The number of African finalists included in the awards this year has increased from only one last year, to four, which seems to corroborate Mosebis predictions that the number of contestants from across the continent is increasing, and that significant contributions to ICT across the continent is not exclusive to SA.

The overall winners, chosen from the winners of the 14 categories, were both non-South African. The ICT leader award went to Deelchand Jeeha, Mauritian minister of IT and Telecommunications, who also won the award for top minister with an ICT portfolio.

The Top ICT company award was won by Senegal's Manobi, which also scooped the most innovative company award.

Other winners include:

Individual awards

- Youth Innovation Ernest Morolong from Explore Connections;

- Top ICT Educator Victor Phiri from Toronto Primary School in Limpopo;

- Top Private Sector CIO Vic Lumby from Old Mutual;

- Top Public Sector CIO Vusi Magaguloa, former Department of Public Enterprises CIO now CIO of the State IT Agency (Sita);

- Top Black Individual Maanda Manyatshe CEO of the South African Post Office;

- Top Black Woman Sarmashni Naidu from Sage Computer Technologies.

Organisational awards

- Civil Society category Kwa-Dukuza Resource Centre;

- Top ICT Workplace Provider e.com institute;

- Most Progressive ICT Company South African Post Office;

- Top Government Department The Ministry of Health of the Seychelles;

- Top Black ICT Company Mthombo IT Services (M-IT);

- Top Black ICT SMME Nambiti Technologies.