African Cities Innovation Fund launched to accelerate locally led urban solutions

Nairobi this week became the launch site for a new initiative aimed at strengthening African-led approaches to the continent’s rapidly evolving urban landscape.

The Million Lives Collective (MLC), in partnership with the Judith Neilson Foundation, announced the African Cities Innovation Fund (ACIF), a flexible grant program supporting collaborative solutions for Africa’s growing cities.

Set to open for applications in early 2026, the fund will provide up to US$75,000 to pairs of African innovators designing and piloting new ideas to improve urban life.

The goal is to help accelerate innovations already emerging in cities and surface new pathways for scaling community-driven solutions.

Across the continent, innovators and community groups are experimenting with approaches that rethink mobility, expand access to services, and build more resilient local economies.

According to Jite Phido, Senior Program Manager at the Million Lives Collective, the call for proposals will spotlight these efforts while identifying new opportunities for impact. It will, she noted, “identify and amplify this work, while surfacing new pathways for impact.”

Targeting Scalable Urban Innovations

The African Cities Innovation Fund is built around the belief that urban challenges, from congestion to climate risks, are best addressed through collaboration.

Applicants must therefore apply in pairs, combining strengths across sectors, communities, or technical expertise.

The fund will prioritize solutions in five thematic areas:

• Circular production: Innovations that create economic value, support sustainable livelihoods, and repurpose waste.
• Climate-resilient services and infrastructure: Ideas that reduce emissions and help cities adapt to heat, flooding, food insecurity, and water scarcity.
• Youth employment and mobility: Initiatives that expand access to decent jobs, skills, and transport systems, especially for women, girls, young people, refugees, and persons with disabilities.
• Digital equity: Solutions that increase access to digital tools, services, and global markets in urban areas.
• Safe and healthy spaces: Approaches that create socially secure, inclusive, and joyful environments while promoting community cohesion.

In addition to grant funding, successful applicants will join the Million Lives Collective network, gaining visibility, peer learning, and technical support to strengthen and scale their solutions.

Unveiled at the IDIA Global Summit

The ACIF was introduced at the International Development Innovation Alliance (IDIA) Global Summit in Nairobi, a global gathering of innovators and funders.

Abi Taylor, Innovation Director at the Judith Neilson Foundation, presented the fund, emphasizing that it will allow innovators the freedom to test new partnerships and explore scaling pathways. Ensuring that African cities remain places where people can thrive, she said, “calls for imagination, ambition, innovation, and collaboration.”

A photo shared by the organizers captured Taylor presenting the initiative to delegates, marking a significant step in strengthening African-led urban innovation ecosystems.

Shaping Thriving Urban Futures

With Africa poised to experience some of the fastest urban growth in the world, the need for context-specific, scalable solutions has never been greater.

The African Cities Innovation Fund aims to respond to this moment by offering flexible financing and ecosystem support to innovators developing practical ideas for more inclusive, climate-resilient, and economically vibrant cities.

African innovators interested in applying or forming collaborations are encouraged to express early interest before the 2026 application window opens.

More information on eligibility and timelines will be announced in the coming months.

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