If you are between 18 and 35, live in one of seven Nigerian states, and have an idea you have already started working on, the Young Africa Innovates YAI Programme Cohort 2 is the most comprehensive free innovation support programme open to you right now. Backed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Mastercard Foundation, it is not just training. It is a structured, year-long journey from application to market, with real mentorship, catalytic funding, and access to investors built into every stage. Applications are currently open and the window closes within September 2026.
What the Programme Is
The Young Africa Innovates Programme is a flagship UNDP and Mastercard Foundation initiative running from 2023 to 2027 across 13 Nigerian states, designed to identify, incubate, and scale youth-led innovations addressing real socio-economic problems across the country. Cohort 1 ran across seven states including Lagos, Anambra, Kaduna, Borno, Ekiti, Kwara, and Akwa Ibom. Cohort 2 expands the programme to seven new states while keeping Akwa Ibom active, bringing the total reach of the programme to 13 states across all six geopolitical zones by the end of 2027.
What separates YAI from most youth innovation programmes is the depth of commitment to the innovators it selects. This is not a weekend bootcamp or a certificate programme. It is a structured pipeline that takes a selected innovator from idea validation all the way through prototyping, incubation, and market access, with support at every stage.
The Seven States for Cohort 2
The Young Africa Innovates YAI Programme Cohort 2 is running across the following states:
- Abia
- Akwa Ibom
- Cross River
- Katsina
- Niger
- Plateau
- Taraba
If you do not currently live in one of these seven states, you are not eligible for this cohort. There are no exceptions to the residency requirement, and your application will be assessed based on the state and Local Government Area where you actually live, not where you were born or where your business may be registered.
Sectors Covered
The programme is sector-agnostic. No list of allowed or excluded fields exists. Reviewers have confirmed the programme is strategically aligned with state-specific value chains across the seven participating states, including agro-processing, light manufacturing, mining, renewable energy, livestock, leather, tourism, and the creative economy. But if your innovation falls outside these areas and solves a real problem in your community, you can still apply. The idea and the problem it addresses matter more than the sector it sits in.
What Selected Innovators Receive
Getting selected into the Young Africa Innovates YAI Programme Cohort 2 means entering a five-stage support structure that runs for approximately a year. Here is what each stage looks like from the inside:
Stage 1: Apply (Pipeline Activation)
You submit your application describing yourself, your idea, and the problem it addresses. The programme is looking for people who understand the problem they are solving, have some personal connection or experience with it, and have already begun turning their idea into something tangible.
Stage 2: Selection (Stage Gating)
Reviewers assess every application on four criteria: whether your idea addresses a real problem, whether your solution is credible, whether your experience of the problem is genuine, and whether the solution has the potential to grow and become commercially viable. If you pass this stage, the programme contacts you directly.
Stage 3: Learn (Bootcamp)
Selected innovators attend structured bootcamps in their state from September to October 2026. This covers entrepreneurship training, innovation methodology, mentoring sessions, and peer learning with other innovators in the cohort.
Stage 4: Build (Incubation)
From November 2026 to January 2027, innovators enter the incubation phase. This is where the real product development work happens, with hands-on technical support, mentorship, and access to catalytic funding to test and refine solutions in real market conditions.
Stage 5: Grow (Market Access)
The final stage focuses on connecting innovators to customers, buyers, investors, and ecosystem partners. This is where the programme bridges the gap between a working solution and a sustainable, revenue-generating business.
Who the Programme Prioritises
Within the broader eligibility, the Young Africa Innovates Programme deliberately prioritises young people from marginalised communities, young women, persons with disabilities, and first-time entrepreneurs who have never received formal business support before. This is a structural priority, not a preference. The programme was built on the insight that the most capable innovators in Nigeria are often the ones who have the least access to support, and YAI is specifically designed to change that.
Eligibility in Full
Three things determine whether you can apply:
Your age must be between 18 and 35 at the time of application. You must currently live in one of the seven Cohort 2 states listed above. You must have an idea that solves a real problem and have started turning it into something people can actually use.
You do not need a registered business to apply. Most applicants in previous cohorts did not have one. What you need to have ready before starting your application is your name and phone number, a WhatsApp number if you have one, your state and Local Government Area, basic personal information, information about your idea, and a photo or video of your solution taken on your phone. The application saves your progress as you go, so you can stop and return to it without losing what you have already filled in.
How to Apply
The application is submitted directly through the official YAI website. If you need help completing the form, the programme team is reachable by phone or WhatsApp and will walk you through it.
Application Link: https://youngafricainnovates.ng/apply/consent
Deadline: Currently Ongoing. The official application window runs through September 2026. Given that the bootcamp begins in September, the window is likely to close before the end of the month. Apply now rather than waiting.
Email: [email protected]
Phone and WhatsApp (call any of these numbers):
+234 816 947 1572
+234 816 974 6601
+234 816 955 0318
+234 816 950 3707
The Young Africa Innovates YAI Programme Cohort 2 is one of the few programmes in Nigeria that meets innovators where they are, whether that is in Katsina, Taraba, or Abia, regardless of whether they have a registered business or a polished pitch deck. If you have an idea, you have started working on it, and you live in one of the seven participating states, the only thing between you and this opportunity is your application.
For more verified opportunities like this, updated monthly, visit: https://utibeetim.com/list-of-latest-opportunities-for-the-month/
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!