By: the Industry, for the Industry

Now in their fifth year, these awards celebrate the critical role that supply chains play in driving business growth, resilience and competitiveness, as well as in advancing environmental stewardship and humanitarian programmes. With the past few years exposing the vulnerabilities in supply networks and highlighting Africa’s potential to become a powerful link in global supply chains, this event has never been more important, the organisers state.

“Supply chains are the backbone of economic growth. They do much more than simply get goods from A to B. They are key to businesses’ growth and success; to strong, healthy communities; a more resilient continent; and to protecting and preserving the planet. These awards are about celebrating organisations that are setting new standards for supply chain management in Africa,” says ASCEA director Liesl De Wet. “Entering allows businesses to demonstrate their commitment to excellence and inspire others in the industry.”

Entries are invited from organisations of all sizes, across all sectors in Africa, demonstrating excellence in supply chain management.

Participating in the awards provides businesses with more than just recognition. It offers a platform to benchmark operations against industry best practices and gain visibility with peers, clients and industry leaders. The Africa Supply Chain Excellence Awards feature categories that honour accomplishments in all the components of supply chain management, including manufacturing, distribution, procurement, transport and warehousing. With climate risk and circularity moving rapidly up the supply chain agenda, the awards feature a category for outstanding achievements in sustainable supply chain practices. Entries are also invited for success stories in humanitarian and health supply chain management, technology adoption and workforce development.

All ASCEA submissions are thoroughly evaluated by a panel of experienced judges drawn from diverse sectors of the supply chain industry, including logistics, manufacturing, retail and academia. Each entry undergoes a rigorous assessment process with clear criteria, ensuring transparency, fairness and recognition of true excellence.

De Wet notes that valuable insights from the esteemed judges are further benefits that organisations gain from entering the Africa Supply Chain Excellence Awards. “The judges are more than a panel of adjudicators. They act as mentors, guiding and supporting entrants to ensure every submission is the strongest and most impactful it can be. This year’s judges collectively boast more than 200 years of experience.”

Reflecting the growing importance of the awards, they have the backing of leading organisations that have come on board as sponsors this year, including Newlyn, Forte Supply Chain Solutions, BidAir Cargo and Standard Bank. Sponsorship opportunities are still available.

ASCEA’s event partners for the 2026 programme are The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), Logis-T Africa, Road Freight Association (RFA), SAPICS, Southern African Institute for Industrial Engineering (SAIIE), South African Express Parcel Association (SAEPA), Smart Procurement World, Supply Chain First, Supply Chain Now, Upavon Management and the Transport Forum.