YOTA Youth Innovation Challenge for Young Africans 2022

Youth Innovation Challenge

The Challenge is aimed at developing a catalytic solution to the pandemic in the United States. This is a project undertaken under the Africa Youth Partnership to promote and support the recovery of COVID-19.

Young innovators are being supported to drive change and contribute to the rehabilitation of the nation from a recent pandemic by promoting innovative grassroots projects.

It is designed to reduce the negative impact of the pandemic on youth while improving the creative and in-demand ideas of youth innovators in addressing the impact on their communities.

Youth Innovation Challenge

  • Type: Entrepreneurs
  • Organisation: Youth Opportunity & Transformation in Africa (YOTA)
  • Course to study: Not specified
  • Gender: Men and Women
  • Application Deadline: August 5, 2022

YOTA Youth Innovation Challenge 2022 for Young African Businesses and Business Ideas (up to $5,000)

The Challenge seeks to develop and support transformative youth-led responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Africa Youth Partnership to Advocate an Equitable Recovery from the COVID-19 Pandemic’s initiatives include the Challenge.

Through grassroots inventions and social action, YOTA (Youth Opportunity & Transformation in Africa) is assisting young innovators in bringing about change and aiding post-pandemic recovery efforts.

In addition to enhancing the concepts, inventiveness, and creativity of young innovators working to solve the repercussions of the global health crisis, this will lessen the negative effects of the epidemic on young people and their communities.

To present their ideas and suggested solutions for solving the numerous issues the COVID-19 pandemic has presented to the continent, they are seeking the most creative young innovators from Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, and Nigeria.

In order to foster inclusive and equitable post-pandemic recovery activities, they seek to support youth innovation.

The Youth Innovation Challenge’s theme spans a variety of industries, so long as there is a clear link to the possibility for post-pandemic recovery.

They are particularly interested in youth-led responses to problems in one or more of the following themes:

  • Agriculture and Fisheries
  • Biodiversity
  • Digitalisation, AI, and Emerging Technologies
  • Education and Skills
  • Employment
  • Energy and Industry
  • Finance, Trade, and International Investment
  • Gender
  • Governance and Politics
  • Health and Wellbeing, including Vaccines
  • Housing and Infrastructure Development
  • Local and Regional Development
  • Migration
  • Mobility and Transport
  • Tourism

African Youth Opportunity & Transformation (YOTA)


African youth development policy, practice, and research are being led by the ECOSOC-accredited NGO Youth Opportunity & Transformation in Africa (YOTA).

Their goal is to provide young people in Africa with the economic and social chances they need to better their lives.

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Aim and Benefits of YOTA Youth Innovation Challenge

Participants of the Youth Innovation Challenge stand the chance of receiving a mix of support to enable them to implement their solutions, including:

  • Up to $5,000 USD of funding per project.
  • Business development advice from top experts in the field of innovation and human-centered design.
  • Access to carefully curated tools and resources to support the full cycle of youth-led innovation and human-centered design.
  • Opportunity to become part of a growing community of young African innovators for ongoing learning, sharing, and networking.
  • Opportunity to be supported to showcase solutions across various international multi-stakeholder platforms, processes, and convenings before the end of 2022.

Eligibility for YOTA Youth Innovation Challenge 2022

Open to:

  • An individual young person between the age of 18 and 35; or an informal group of young people, or a local youth- or women-led organization or company (both non-profit or for-profit are welcome); female candidates or teams with predominantly female members are particularly encouraged to apply.
  • Nationals of Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, and Nigeria who are resident in their countries or based in the diaspora.
  • Persons who are passionate about using their skills to design innovative solutions to promote addressing the many socio-economic challenges posed to your country by the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Truly innovative and impactful ideas or solutions that have the potential to change lives in a sustainable way.

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Interview date, Process and Venue for Youth Innovation Challenge

Judging Criteria

  • Fit to scope– Solution contributes to COVID-19 recovery efforts with a potential to disrupt
  • Business model â€“ Solution clearly demonstrates a viable business model and scope for revenue generation
  • Sustainability â€“ Solution is financially and operationally viable beyond the initial investment
  • Feasibility â€“ Solution is viable and in the right direction
  • Value â€“ Solution has a strong value proposition
  • Creativity â€“ Solution is clearly an innovative approach to addressing the target challenge
  • Human centered â€“ Solution is based on feedback from end users in order to solve a real problem for the community
  • Scalability â€“ Solution can be easily scaled up and replicated beyond the initial scope

Note: The First Round submissions deadline is July 29, 2022. Announcement of shortlisted submissions will be made on August 12, 2022.

How to Apply For The Youth Innovation Challenge

Interested and qualified? Go to Youth Opportunity & Transformation in Africa (YOTA) on innovation2022.africanyouthpartnership.org to apply.