UNDP, Mastercard Foundation Open Young Africa Innovates 2026 Applications
Young Nigerian innovators with ideas capable of solving pressing social and economic challenges can now apply for Cohort 2 of the Young Africa Innovates (YAI) Programme.
This is an initiative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Mastercard Foundation.
The 2026–2027 programme is designed to identify promising youth-led innovations, strengthen their capacity and help promising ventures move from ideas and prototypes to viable businesses with access to markets, networks and financing opportunities.
The new cohort will expand the programme into seven states: Abia, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Katsina, Niger, Plateau and Taraba. The initiative ultimately aims to reach innovators across 13 Nigerian states and all six geopolitical zones.
What Selected Innovators Will Receive
Successful applicants will have access to a combination of entrepreneurship and innovation support, including:
- Innovation and entrepreneurship training
- Bootcamp and incubation support
- Technical mentorship and business advisory
- Product and prototype development
- Market-readiness and commercialisation support
- Access to innovation networks and strategic partnerships
- Exposure to investors and potential financing opportunities
- Financial support for selected innovators
- Opportunities to showcase their solutions nationally and internationally
The programme’s incubation phase is scheduled for November 2026 to January 2027, following the bootcamp stage in September and October.
Who Can Apply?
The opportunity is open to young Nigerians aged 18 to 35 who are resident in one of the participating Cohort 2 states.
The organisers are particularly interested in innovators from underserved communities, young women and persons with disabilities. Applicants should have a disruptive solution, prototype or working sample that addresses a community, national or development challenge.
Innovations from any sector are welcome, including agriculture, healthcare, education, climate action, manufacturing, digital technology, financial inclusion, renewable energy, creative industries and other development-focused areas.
What Is the Programme Looking For?
Beyond having an innovative idea, applicants should demonstrate a clear understanding of the problem they are trying to solve and show how their solution can become sustainable and generate meaningful social or economic impact.
The selection process considers factors such as the applicant’s age and location, the problem being addressed, their personal experience with the problem, and the feasibility and scalability of the proposed solution.
Programme Impact So Far
The new cohort builds on the results of the programme’s first cohort, which received 9,158 applications, supported 1,348 innovators through bootcamps, incubated 205 ventures and contributed to the creation of 815 work opportunities.
For Cohort 2, the programme has set ambitious targets of identifying 10,000 innovations, providing capacity support to 1,500 innovators and incubating 400 ventures across the participating states.
How to Apply
Applications for Young Africa Innovates Cohort 2 are currently open from August to September 2026.
Interested applicants can complete the application through the official Young Africa Innovates platform and review the eligibility requirements and programme information before submitting their applications.
Apply for Young Africa Innovates 2026
Programme: Young Africa Innovates Cohort 2
Organisers: UNDP and Mastercard Foundation
Eligibility: Nigerians aged 18–35
Participating states: Abia, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Katsina, Niger, Plateau and Taraba
Support: Training, incubation, mentorship, financial support, market access and commercialisation
Application period: August–September 2026
Incubation: November 2026–January 2027
