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Cohort 2 · 2026–2027

Six new states. One Young Africa Innovates Programme.

A UNDP and Mastercard Foundation partnership identifying, incubating and scaling youth-led innovations across Nigeria — now open to innovators aged 18–35 in seven Cohort 2 states.

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Cohort 1 delivered

9,158
applications received
1,348
solutions bootcamped
205
ventures incubated
815
work opportunities created
A partnership between
Mastercard FoundationUnited Nations Development Programme
A Young Africa Innovates participant at work during a programme session

Programme targets · 2023–2027 · 13 states, all six geopolitical zones

10,000

innovations identified

1,500

innovators capacity-supported

400

ventures incubated

No one is left behind. The programme targets 80% participation by women and 10% by persons with disabilities, ages 18–35.

About Cohort 2

A bigger cohort, built on what already works.

Seven Cohort 2 states

Cohort 2 (2026–2027) runs in Abia, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Katsina, Niger, Plateau and Taraba. Six are new; Akwa Ibom continues from Cohort 1, taking the programme to thirteen states across all six geopolitical zones.

Built on what worked

Cohort 1 drew 9,158 applications, took 1,348 solutions through Bootcamp, incubated 205 ventures and created 815 work opportunities for young Nigerians.

One pathway, five pillars

Every innovator moves along the same pathway — from Ecosystem Activation through Bootcamp and Incubation to Market Access.

How it works

From idea to market, in five pillars.

One journey, five stages. Keep scrolling to trace the path an innovation takes through the programme.

  1. Ecosystem Activation

    State-level engagement maps the local innovation landscape and rallies partners around young innovators.

  2. Pipeline Activation

    A state-wide call for applications surfaces youth-led solutions from every community.

  3. Bootcamp

    Intensive in-state training sharpens the problem, the business model and the pitch.

  4. Incubation

    Selected ventures get hands-on support, mentorship and resources to build for real customers.

  5. Market Access

    Graduating ventures connect to markets, capital and partners to scale beyond their state.

Participating states

Thirteen states. Six geopolitical zones.

Choose a state to see its status. Cohort 2 applicants must be resident in one of the seven Cohort 2 states.

Six states are new to Cohort 2. Akwa Ibom took part in Cohort 1 and continues into Cohort 2, so the programme has run in thirteen states in all.

  • Cohort 2 · 2026–2027
  • Cohort 1 · 2023–2025
  • Not participating

Cohort 2 states

  • Abia
  • Akwa Ibom
  • Cross River
  • Katsina
  • Niger
  • Plateau
  • Taraba

Cohort 1 states

  • Akwa Ibom
  • Anambra
  • Borno
  • Ekiti
  • Kaduna
  • Kwara
  • Lagos
Rivers, not participating Katsina, a Cohort 2 state Sokoto, not participating Zamfara, not participating Yobe, not participating Kebbi, not participating Adamawa, not participating Borno, a Cohort 1 state Akwa Ibom, a Cohort 2 state Abia, a Cohort 2 state Imo, not participating Bayelsa, not participating Benue, not participating Cross River, a Cohort 2 state Taraba, a Cohort 2 state Kwara, a Cohort 1 state Lagos, a Cohort 1 state Niger, a Cohort 2 state Federal Capital Territory, not participating Ogun, not participating Ondo, not participating Ekiti, a Cohort 1 state Osun, not participating Oyo, not participating Anambra, a Cohort 1 state Bauchi, not participating Gombe, not participating Delta, not participating Edo, not participating Enugu, not participating Ebonyi, not participating Kaduna, a Cohort 1 state Kogi, not participating Plateau, a Cohort 2 state Nassarawa, not participating Jigawa, not participating Kano, not participating

Eligibility

Who can apply

Requirement 01

Aged 18–35

You must be from 18 and not older than 35 years old at the time of application.

Requirement 02

Resident of a Cohort 2 state

Abia, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Katsina, Niger, Plateau or Taraba.

Requirement 03

Any sector

The programme is sector-agnostic — solutions from every field are welcome.

Reviewers also weigh:

  • Job creation prospect
  • Lived experience of the problem
  • For-profit model
  • Proof of concept
  • Scalability
  • Co-creation readiness
  • Community Impact

Read the full eligibility criteria →

Application timeline

Three steps to Cohort 2.

  1. You are here

    Call for Applications

    August – September 2026. Submit your innovation online — the earlier the better.

  2. Bootcamp

    September – October 2026. Shortlisted innovators train in-state to sharpen the problem, the model and the pitch.

  3. Incubation

    November 2026 – January 2027. Selected ventures receive hands-on support to build for real customers and markets.

Cohort 1 · 2023–2025

The first cohort delivered.

Across six states, Cohort 1 turned a nationwide call into hundreds of working ventures and hundreds more livelihoods.

Explore the Cohort 1 archive →

9,158

applications received

1,348

solutions bootcamped

205

ventures incubated

815

work opportunities created

Ready to shape the future.

Applications for Cohort 2 are open August – September 2026. If you are 18–35 and resident in a Cohort 2 state, this is your call.

Start my application