It’s Time For Africa

Joshua Chimakula Ngoma is a serial social entrepreneur, entrepreneur development specialist, engineer, project specialist, and dedicated family man.

Born on 17 August 1960, he was inspired by his father, an ex-soldier turned entrepreneur, and began his own business journey at age 8 after his father’s death. With ventures in vegetable sales, photography, and import-export by age 18, Joshua’s early life set the stage for his remarkable future.

His academic pursuits took him from Zambia to England, earning a Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Mining Engineering from the Camborne School of Mines, followed by a Master of Engineering in Project Management from the University of Pretoria, South Africa.

Joshua’s extensive three-decade career in mining in key positions in Zambia and South Africa laid a foundation for his leadership skills. In the late 90’s he joined a group of emerging mining entrepreneurs that formed Eyesizwe Mining, which played a pivotal role in the formation of Exxaro Resources. His entrepreneurial acumen flourished in 2007 when he became the founding CEO of Tranter Holdings, a venture he co-owned with former colleagues from Eyesizwe Mining. Under his leadership, Tranter Holdings grew rapidly, expanding to over 300 employees with four subsidiaries and a presence in three countries by 2009. The company’s success in mineral exploration and engineering manufacturing cemented his reputation as a dynamic entrepreneur.

After retiring from mining in 2012, Joshua’s passion for entrepreneurship led him to ‘refire’ a year later, founding Enterprising Africa Regional Network (Pty) Ltd (EARN) in 2013. EARN, which started operations on 1 September 2014, focuses on nurturing young African entrepreneurs, particularly in agriculture and food sectors. His commitment to EARN underscores his dedication to leveraging Africa’s youthful population for continental growth and global impact.

Beyond his business ventures, Joshua has served on a number of engineering professional bodies and voluntary associations. Outside the engineering field, he served on the Evian Group@IMD in Lausanne, Switzerland – an international coalition of corporate, government, and opinion leaders, committed to fostering an open, inclusive, equitable, and sustainable global market economy.

A dedicated family man, married to Susan Nyirenda since 1991, and father to Daliso and Natasha, Joshua infuses strong family values and the ethos of giving back into all aspects of his life. His belief in the power of knowledge and generosity manifests in his support for the education of extended family members and his commitment to lifelong learning.

Joshua’s journey is a testament to the power of vision, entrepreneurship, and education in creating a positive global impact, making him a renowned social entrepreneur and mentor.