The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, has announced the youth-led innovations selected for the Stage Gating Phase of the Young Africa Innovates (YAI) Programme, describing it as a major step toward unlocking inclusive, grassroots-driven innovation in Nigeria.
Following a competitive, multi-stage process, a total of 1,385 young innovators participated and were trained in innovation bootcamps across seven Nigerian states.
These bootcamps provided a platform for refining ideas, building technical skills, and promoting community-driven innovation.
Out of this number, 210 innovators have now been selected for the Stage Gating Phase of the programme, representing some of Nigeria’s most promising problem-solvers committed to transforming their communities through bold and scalable solutions.
The selected innovations cover Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Borno, Ekiti, Kaduna, Kwara, and Lagos, with each state focusing on specific development sectors such as education, healthcare, commerce, tourism, creative economy, and financial inclusion.
The programme begins with pipeline activation and bootcamps and now moves to the Stage Gating Phase. This phase will provide four months of intensive incubation, offering innovators access to expert mentors, technical support, market opportunities, 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, which runs from August to December 2025, will deliver a curated curriculum that includes one-on-one mentoring, collaborative workshops, peer learning circles, and state-level showcases.
Innovators will also receive guidance in business development, product design, MVP creation, and market testing, helping them grow their ideas and shape inclusive innovation ecosystems within their states and sectors.
The selection process followed a transparent approach, starting with assessments by bootcamp facilitators across the seven states. This was followed by an in-depth technical review by the UNDP team, and the final list was independently validated by State Steering Committees that included 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 provides an opportunity for young Nigerian innovators to expand their impact while allowing UNDP and the Mastercard Foundation to explore new models for inclusion, incubation, and innovation at scale. These young participants now have the tools, networks, and vision to create a more inclusive and opportunity-rich Nigeria.