Sudhir Backs Pan-African Awards with Millions in New Push for Continental Unity

By Gad Masereka

Kampala, Uganda – In a gesture that underscores his enduring commitment to Pan-African unity and excellence, Ugandan billionaire and philanthropist Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia has committed millions of shillings to support the 8th edition of the Pan-African Pyramid (PAP) Global Awards. Scheduled for August 30, 2025, at the Fairway Hotel in Kampala, the awards ceremony will also mark the 11th anniversary of PAP’s founding with a celebratory Bonfire Dinner.

The announcement was delivered by PAP Speaker and Chairman Andrew Irumba Katusabe during a press briefing in Kampala, where he lauded Sudhir’s contribution as both timely and transformational. According to Irumba, Dr. Ruparelia’s involvement elevates the awards from a symbolic event to a continent-wide call to action for African unity and progress. “Dr. Sudhir’s generosity is a beacon of hope for Africa,” Irumba stated. “His support for the PAP Awards demonstrates a profound dedication to honoring the individuals and institutions driving the continent’s forward march.”

Dr. Ruparelia, who also serves as the Honorary Consul of Nepal to Uganda, is no stranger to the ideals of Pan-Africanism. His expansive business footprint, coupled with an unwavering commitment to philanthropy, has seen him play an increasingly vocal role in supporting platforms that celebrate African identity, leadership, innovation, and cultural heritage. His sponsorship of this year’s PAP Awards is not only financial but also symbolic—he is slated to deliver the event’s keynote address and will preside as the official patron, a role reserved for figures whose influence resonates across Africa and the diaspora.

This development comes a year after Sudhir received the PAP Lifetime Achiever Award in Business Entrepreneurship, an accolade that places him in the company of past honorees such as President Yoweri Museveni and King Mswati III of Eswatini. For the PAP fraternity, his endorsement carries not just prestige but momentum, as the awards gain traction as a platform for continental reflection, pride, and strategy.

With the Ruparelia Group now estimated to be worth over $1.6 billion, according to Forbes Africa’s 2025 assessment, Sudhir’s influence extends well beyond boardrooms. His conglomerate, which spans real estate, hospitality, education, and finance, has consistently embedded community empowerment at the core of its operations. The Ruparelia Foundation, his philanthropic vehicle, has disbursed over $1 million toward education, healthcare, and social welfare programs across Uganda. From constructing schools and donating medical supplies to supporting marginalized communities, Sudhir’s approach to wealth has been consistently underscored by purpose.

“The PAP Awards are more than an event; they’re a movement,” said Irumba. “It’s a Pan-African renaissance in action—a deliberate platform to spotlight those shaping our future and to remind ourselves of who we are as a people. Dr. Sudhir’s involvement magnifies that mission.”

This year’s ceremony is expected to draw an influential cross-section of African dignitaries, cultural leaders, scholars, and activists from across the continent and its diaspora. With the theme of the awards rooted in celebration, recognition, and Pan-African discourse, organizers hope the event will serve as a springboard for future collaboration among African nations, particularly in the fields of innovation, social development, and cultural preservation.

In a region often fraught with political and economic challenges, the PAP Awards stand as a counter-narrative—a testament to resilience, identity, and vision. And with the involvement of figures like Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia, the initiative seems poised not only to grow in prominence but to help shape the conversation around African self-determination in the years to come.