Vote Now

Contact Us

About AES 2026 Awards

Who We Are

Igniting Potential, Rewarding Impact

The African Employability Summit (AES) Awards serve as the pinnacle recognition scheme embedded within the AES 2026 event. The awards celebrate and spotlight visionaries, forward-thinking employers, TVET institutions, tech innovators, development partners, youth programs, influencers, and youth, among others, who are actively building practical pathways into the modern workforce and championing meaningful change.

From honoring corporate entities that champion youth job placements to recognizing social enterprises driving agile skills development, the AES Awards benchmark excellence in human capital development across Africa — organised by African Employability Summit (AES). Our mission: honoring inclusive initiatives that make hidden talent visible.

The 2026 edition features 16 award categories across four pillars — Institutional & Training Excellence, Employer & Private Sector Leadership, Youth Trailblazers & Innovators, and Policy, Partnership & Ecosystem Enablers — decided through public online voting ahead of the AES 2026 Awards Gala on Oct 2, 2026 at Nairobi. Vote for your favourite nominee via our secure platform from Aug 15–Sep 20, 2026.

Meet the Nominees →
Meet the Nominees
Aug 15–Sep 20 Public Voting 2026
Oct 2, 2026 Conference & Awards 2026
KES 10+ Vote from Just
The Process

How It Works

From shortlisting to the AES 2026 Awards Gala.

1
Shortlisting

Nominees were shortlisted across AES 2026's 16 award categories, recognizing the people and organizations building Africa's employability pipeline.

2
Public Voting

The public votes for their favourite nominee in each category from Aug 15–Sep 20, 2026. Vote bundles start from just KES 10.

3
Conference & Awards

The awarding will take place at the AES 2026 Awards Gala on Oct 2, 2026 at Nairobi.

View All Nominees
Our Values

What AES 2026 Awards Stands For

Impact

We recognize employers, institutions, and partners who build practical, measurable pathways into the modern workforce for African youth.

Innovation

We celebrate TVET institutions, tech innovators, and skills programs using cutting-edge approaches to work-readiness and curriculum design.

Excellence

We honor visionaries and organizations benchmarking excellence in human capital development across Africa.

Inclusivity

We honor inclusive initiatives that make hidden talent visible — championing youth, women, and marginalized communities.

Vote for Your Favourite Nominee

Voting is open Aug 15–Sep 20, 2026. Vote bundles start from just KES 10. Every vote counts towards recognizing this year's AES honorees.

Vote Now →
Talk to us