YOTA is pleased to announce the shortlist of innovations received in the Youth Innovation Challenge. More than 1,300 submissions were received from young innovators in The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, and Nigeria who embraced the opportunity of the Challenge to pitch their ideas and projects. These innovative ideas are seeking to alleviate the negative consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on young people and their communities.
From agriculture to tourism, young innovators have proposed projects to drive change and contribute to post-pandemic recovery efforts through grassroots innovations. In Nigeria, a project is seeking to create a process that will simply vaccination expansion and uptake. In Liberia, a proposed solution is seeking to help hospitals, schools, and municipalities to reduce the cost of waste disposal and health hazards in times of a pandemic. A Ghanaian start-up also seeks to prevent the long-term exposure to air pollution attributed to cooking with unhealthy and polluting cooking methods which increases vulnerability to experiencing the most severe COVID-19 outcomes.
The Executive Director of YOTA, Emmanuel Edudzie, stressed that “just by the sheer number of submissions received from only four countries, Africa’s youth have clearly demonstrated a big appetite for leading the way in addressing common problems through youth-led innovation and social action in times of COVID; what is needed is to provide the support they need to bring these contributions to life”.
In reviewing the submissions, the judging team paid careful attention to the advertised criteria, and ensured to give special preferences to young women innovators. Below is the shortlist of the Youth Innovation Challenge:
| NAME | COUNTRY | SECTOR | ORGANISATION/TEAM/INDIVIDUAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alagie Ndow | The Gambia | Agriculture and Fisheries, Education and Skills, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Local and Regional Development | Inspiring Young Stars Charity, The Gambia |
| Fatoumatta L Kassama | The Gambia | Education and Skills, Employment, Gender, Health and Wellbeing, including Vaccines, Innovation and Entrepreneurship | Girls Pride |
| Alifo Dzigbordi Patience | Ghana | Energy and Industry | Econexus Ventures Limited |
| Esther Owusu Nkwantabisah | Ghana | Innovation and Entrepreneurship | Abukay Cuisine |
| Ayeni Charles Adida | Nigeria | Digitalization, AI, and Emerging Technologies, Mobility and Transport | Team Deleva |
| Mayowa Lawrence Ekundayo | Nigeria | Agriculture and Fisheries, Innovation and Entrepreneurship | Individual |
| Edem Awusi | Ghana | Employment, Finance, Trade, and International Investment, Innovation and Entrepreneurship | Individual |
| John Tobias Kwodiah | Ghana | Energy and Industry, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Local and Regional Development | Individual |
| Cajetan Songwae | Ghana | Agriculture and Fisheries, Employment, Gender, Health and Wellbeing, including Vaccines, Local and Regional Development | Team Light Farms and Innovations |
| Rebecca Korankye | Ghana | Agriculture and Fisheries | Individual |
| J. Musa Sheriff | Liberia | Innovation and Entrepreneurship | iHealth Liberia Inc. |
| Edward S. Miaway | Liberia | Agriculture and Fisheries | Individual |
| Nelson Papi Kolliesuah | Liberia | Energy and Industry | Team Eco Energy |
| Obasi Okechukwu Kingsley | Nigeria | Digitalization, AI, and Emerging Technologies, Health and Wellbeing, including Vaccines | |
| Joshua U. Okorie | Nigeria | Agriculture and Fisheries | Individual |
| Mayowa Olajide Akinleye | Nigeria | Education and Skills | Team Motivar |
| Adewunmi Akingbola | Nigeria | Health and Wellbeing, including Vaccines | Antigen HQ |
| Christopher Chidiebere Michael | Nigeria | Digitalization, AI, and Emerging Technologies, Finance, Trade, and International Investment, Innovation and Entrepreneurship | CloudPadi Inc |
| Christianah adigbo Owoeye | Nigeria | Biodiversity, Employment, Energy and Industry, Gender, Innovation and Entrepreneurship | Trash Monger Limited |
| Lydia Fadahunsi | Nigeria | Agriculture and Fisheries | Dedicated Vessels Limited |
| Ismail Ajagbe | Nigeria | Digitalization, AI, and Emerging Technologies, Health and Wellbeing, including Vaccines, Innovation and Entrepreneurship | Measura Health |
| Emenike Kyrian | Nigeria | Education and Skills | Individual |
| Isaac Olaoluwa Oyedokun | Nigeria | Digitalization, AI, and Emerging Technologies, Employment, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Mobility and Transport | Trekk Transport Services Limited |
| Tosin Oluwagbemi-Jacob | Nigeria | Gender, Health and Wellbeing, including Vaccines, Innovation and Entrepreneurship | Individual |
Over the coming month, these young innovators will be supported to further develop their ideas and strengthen their business models. They will then resubmit their refined ideas before a second-round deadline.
YOTA will announce funding for top submissions in late September 2022.
