LocationsThese innovators were selected from thousands of youth-led applications across Nigeria for their bold, community-driven ideas. Over 70% are women and 10% are persons with disabilities, a strong statement that innovation belongs to everyone, everywhere.
210 Young Innovators Selected for the Stage Gating Phase of the Young Africa Innovates Programme
September 15, 2025
The selected innovations span seven Nigerian states: Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Borno, Ekiti, Kaduna, Kwara, and Lagos
UNDP Nigeria/ Rejoice Emmanuel
Abuja, Nigeria – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, is proud to announce the youth-led innovations selected for the Stage Gating Phase of the Young Africa Innovates (YAI) Programme, marking a significant step toward unlocking inclusive, grassroots-driven innovation in Nigeria.
Following a highly competitive, multi-stage process, 1,385 young innovators participated and were trained in innovation bootcamps organized across seven states in Nigeria. These bootcamps served as a platform for refining ideas, building technical skills and fostering community-driven innovation. From this pool of bright minds, 210 innovators have now been selected for the Stage Gating Phase of the Young Africa Innovates Programme representing some of Nigeria’s most promising problem-solvers, committed to transforming their communities through bold, relevant, and scalable solutions.
The selected innovations span seven Nigerian states: Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Borno, Ekiti, Kaduna, Kwara, and Lagos with each state focused on a specific development sector, including education, healthcare, commerce, tourism, creative economy, and financial inclusion. The programme is structured in phases: beginning with pipeline activation and bootcamps, followed by the Stage Gating Phase. The Stage Gating phase will provide four months of intensive incubation, connecting these innovators with expert mentors, technical support, market access, peer learning and financial support, to test, refine and scale their innovations within local ecosystems.
“At the Mastercard Foundation, we believe young people are the key to transforming Africa’s future,” said Rosy Fynn, Country Director, Mastercard Foundation Nigeria. “The Young Africa Innovates Programme was designed with the understanding that innovation is not the preserve of a few. It exists everywhere from big cities to remote rural communities and often, it is those who live closest to the problem who are best positioned to solve it. These selected innovators have demonstrated not just the creativity, but the courage and resilience it takes to design solutions that serve others. They are redefining what it means to lead, to serve and to build in Africa today. We are honored to walk alongside them as they bring their ideas to life.”
The Stage Gating Phase runs from August to December 2025 and will feature a curated curriculum delivered through a mix of one-on-one mentoring, collaborative workshops, community-led peer learning circles and state-level showcases. Innovators will receive tailored technical guidance in business development, product design, MVP creation, and market testing empowering them to not only grow their ideas, but to shape inclusive ecosystems of innovation in their states and sectors.
The selection process was anchored in transparency, merit and local ownership. It began with assessments by bootcamp facilitators across seven states, followed by an in-depth technical review by the UNDP team. The final list was independently validated by the State Steering Committees, comprised of local ecosystem actors, government representatives and development partners.
“This announcement is more than a milestone; it’s a signal to the world that Nigeria’s youth are not waiting for change, they are building it,” said Elsie G. Attafuah, Resident Representative, UNDP Nigeria. “What makes the Young Africa Innovates Programme so powerful is its commitment to reach atypical innovators, those who are often excluded from the mainstream innovation ecosystem due to geography, gender, socio-economic status, or education level. With support from Mastercard Foundation, we have co-designed a model that doesn’t just identify talent, it nurtures it in context. These selected innovators are crafting bold solutions, driven by lived experience and community connection. They represent a new generation of builders whose work will shape the future of development across the continent.”
This next phase offers an opportunity for young Nigerian innovators to deepen their impact, while also allowing UNDP and the Mastercard Foundation to test new models for inclusion, incubation, and innovation at scale. As these young people enter the final stretch of their journey, they carry with them the tools, networks, and vision to build a more inclusive, resilient, and opportunity-rich Nigeria.
Note to Editors:
About the Young Africa Innovates Programme
The Young Africa Innovates Programme is a bold partnership between the Mastercard Foundation and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), designed to empower youth-led innovation and drive inclusive socio-economic development across Nigeria. The programme aims to identify, incubate, and scale innovative solutions by young Nigerians particularly those from historically marginalized backgrounds. The Programme is rooted in the belief that real innovation comes from within communities and that every young person, regardless of background, deserves a chance to create, lead, and drive change.
About the Mastercard Foundation
The Mastercard Foundation is a registered Canadian charity and one of the largest foundations in the world. It works with visionary organizations to advance education and financial inclusion to enable young people in Africa and Indigenous youth in Canada to access dignified and fulfilling work. Its Young Africa Works strategy aims to enable 30 million young people to access dignified and fulfilling work by 2030, while its EleV strategy will support 100,000 Indigenous youth in Canada to complete their education and transition to meaningful work aligned with their traditions, values, and aspirations.
Established in 2006 through the generosity of Mastercard when it became a public company, the Foundation is an independent organization. Its policies, operations, and program decisions are determined by its Board of Directors and Leadership team. For more information on the Foundation, please visit www.mastercardfdn.org.
Media Contact:
UNDP
Christabel Chanda - Ginsberg
Public Engagement, Outreach & Partnerships Lead,
Tel: +234 904 935 4441
Rejoice Emmanuel
Communications Innovation and Multimedia Analyst
Tel: +234 8094 944 102
rejoice.emmanuel@undp.org
Mastercard Foundation
Wura Tunde-Anjous
Head, Country Communications Nigeria
Mastercard Foundation
Tel: +234 8145163239
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