Deadline: September 15, 2025
Applications are open for the NEF 10th Africa Energy Innovation Challenge 2025. The 10th Africa Energy Innovation Challenge AEIC organized by Nigeria Energy Forum (NEF) mobilizes early-stage young energy entrepreneurs across Africa to develop a prototype/upscale a key device/equipment for social enterprise, agri-business, fintech solutions or energy management system using local resources. The 10th AEIC links young persons to quality employment or entrepreneurship opportunities, and is focused on advancing Energy Transition, Job Creation and Youth Employment initiatives.
Proposals are invited across four innovation tracks for early-stage energy entrepreneurs from Africa, including:
- Track 1: Powering Youth Employment & Jobs Creation.
- Track 2: Energizing Agribusiness & Social Development
- Track 3: Greening Local Manufacturing & Value Addition
- Track 4: CNG for Transport & Electrified Mobility
Prizes
The finalists and winners will be selected by an independent panel of industry experts and experienced development professionals from public and private sector institutions. It is anticipated that at least one winner per track will be awarded grant prizes with up to 20 shortlisted entries offered complimentary passes to fully participate in the 2025.
Winners of the competition get the opportunity to:
- Receive cash prize grants of up to $10,000 to demonstrate or scale the proposed solution;
- Pitch their proposed prototype model at the 2025 Nigeria Energy Forum, using a poster and short video;
- Benefit from unique networking opportunities with other young professionals as well as some of the most senior decision-makers in government, international development, academia, and the private sector;
- Attend business development workshops, and receive support from a dedicated start-up incubator.
Eligibility
- Young professionals between the ages of 18 and 35 years from Africa are invited to participate in the competition across any of the four (4) innovation tracks above.
- Applications may be submitted by a team of at least three people.
- Team composition MUST reflect gender balance, (comprising at least one woman and one man).
- Teams may be formed across different schools, institutions, companies, countries etc. Individuals or teams may submit multiple applications.
Evaluation Criteria
The first round of submissions will be evaluated using the following attributes:
- Local Content: utilize local resources, demonstrate use of local expertise, alternative energy services or efficient solutions for powering agriculture, education, healthcare, industries etc.; and be significant enough to impact large numbers of people, households and/or businesses.
- Originality and creativity: present solutions that are original, creative in areas that are either underdeveloped or severely underdeveloped in research and literature.
- Commercial Viability: proposed prototype model should be realistic, practical rather than just theory, cost efficient and outline commercial arrangements that address obvious roadblocks, using a specific prototype model.
- Youth Employment: ideas must link young people to quality employment or entrepreneurship opportunity.
Application
Your proposed prototype model submission must not exceed 1- side of an A4 page and should include the following:
- Project Title – Your solution (250 words)
- Innovation Track – Expected impact (50 words)
- Short abstract (50 words)
- Design tools and method (50 words)
- Problem Statement (50 words)
- Estimated costs and timeline (50 words)
For more information, visit NEF AEIC.
