Africa CDC awards top 15 youth-led health innovations under Bingwa PLUS Programme

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has named 15 youth-led health innovations as the top winners of its Bingwa PLUS Y-Health Incubator Pitch Competition, held in Abuja, Nigeria.

The announcement marks a significant milestone in the Africa CDC’s ongoing effort to empower young public health leaders across the continent.

The winning teams, all led by individuals aged 18 to 35, were selected from a competitive field of 30 finalists, who were themselves shortlisted from 50 initial applicants.

Over the past six weeks, these finalists underwent intensive self-paced training, gaining skills in leadership, project design, communication, resource mobilisation, and monitoring and evaluation.

The Bingwa PLUS initiative is a youth-focused extension of the African Union’s original Bingwa Initiative, launched in 2022.

 It aims to equip Africa’s youth with practical tools and funding to design scalable and sustainable health interventions.

Backed by GIZ–African Union and YouthHub Africa, the programme is part of Africa CDC’s strategic focus on advancing innovation through youth empowerment.

Held between May 27 and 30, the pitch competition brought together a diverse cohort of changemakers who presented their solutions to a panel of judges made up of public health experts, development partners, and industry leaders.

Each of the 15 winners will receive a seed grant ranging from EUR 1,500 to EUR 3,000 to jumpstart implementation in their communities.

In addition, they will benefit from tailored mentorship by leading figures in public health and innovation.

“This event exemplifies the power of youth-led innovation in transforming health landscapes across Africa,” said Dr. Chrys Promesse Kaniki, Africa CDC’s Senior Technical Officer for Strategic Programmes and Youth Programmes Lead.

“By investing in young leaders and their ideas, we are fostering a new generation of health innovators equipped to tackle Africa’s most urgent health challenges.”

The selected innovations will now move into an intensive implementation phase.

Africa CDC and its partners have committed to providing ongoing support, documenting success stories, and connecting the winners to technical and advocacy platforms to help scale their impact.

As Africa continues to grapple with complex health challenges—from non-communicable diseases to pandemic preparedness—initiatives like Bingwa PLUS reflect a growing recognition that young people are not just beneficiaries of health systems, but vital architects of their future.

To view the full list of winners, click here: Africa CDC Awards Top 15 Youth-Led Health Innovations Under Bingwa PLUS Programme