Leap Africa 2024 Social Innovators Programme for Nigerian Entrepreneurs

Published: 07 May 2024

In 2004, LEAP Africa came to the realization that while negative reports of youth restiveness and crimes were widespread in local and foreign media, the positive contributions of young Nigerians towards national transformation were unrecognized.

This understanding birthed the Annual Nigerian Youth Leadership Awards (ANYLA); which was hosted annually in Lagos, Nigeria, to celebrate the youth driving these contributions.
After about a decade, LEAP Africa realized that while Nigeria had witnessed increased youth interest in social innovation, many of them lacked the essential skills and support to establish effective and sustainable initiatives that could accelerate the transformation.Therefore, in 2013, the programme was redefined to bridge this gap into a yearlong fellowship- Social Innovators Programme and Awards (SIPA).

Applications are encouraged from entrepreneurs in the following focus areas: Quality education, healthcare, affordable and clean energy,  climate action, agriculture, technology, gender & social inclusion, and workforce development.

Leap Africa Social Innovators Programme

Application Deadline	May 29, 2024
Funding Type	Partially Funded
Type	Entrepreneurs
Sponsor	LEAP Africa
Gender	Men and Women

Benefits of Leap Africa Social Innovators Programme

The Social Innovators Programme aims to strengthen and advance youth-led innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa through capacity building, catalytic funding, and access to networks that enhance the sustainability of social entrepreneurs. 

Requirements for Leap Africa Social Innovators Programme

• Aspiring SIP fellows must be between 18 and 35
• Aspiring fellows must be African or Nigerian citizens where the funder is insistent.
• Aspiring fellows must be one of the social enterprise's primary decision-makers (Founder, ED, Co-Founder).
• Aspiring fellows’ enterprises must address quality education, healthcare, affordable and clean energy,  climate action, agriculture, technology, gender & social inclusion, and workforce development. Where aspiring fellow’s enterprise does not align with these specific impact areas, it must have a significant and measurable positive impact on communities or the environment.
• Aspiring fellows’ enterprises must have a significant and measurable positive impact on communities or the environment. 
• Aspiring fellows must articulate the intended social outcomes and demonstrate an understanding of the target beneficiaries.
• Aspiring fellows must be social entrepreneurs in the early and mid-stage of their enterprise (2-5 years), showing potential for growth and scalability and needing access to financing and capacity-building support to scale or sustain their enterprises.
• Aspiring fellows must be able to commit their time and effort to participate fully in the fellowship, as it includes 100% mandatory attendance at workshops, mentorship sessions, and other programme activities.
• Aspiring fellows enterprise is a mission-driven social enterprise, meaning that the sole objective is not just to make a profit but also to have a lasting impact on the community they serve.

Application Deadline

May 29, 2024

How to Apply

Interested and qualified? Go to LEAP Africa on leapafrica.smapply.io to apply