Two young founders testing an AI app on a phone and a laptop in a bright co-working space (generated image)
WAIIS 2026 · Digital Transformation Pillar

West Africa AI Youth Innovation Challenge

For youth-led startups from across West Africa already using AI to build businesses, widen clean energy and help farmers grow more. Submit online, pitch at Bintumani, and meet the winners at WAIIS 2026 in Freetown.

Submissions 2 to 10 Nov 2026Online, then FreetownFree to enter
RegisterSee the themes
USD15,000In awards, USD 5,000 per theme
3Themes, one entry each
18 to 35Age of the lead founder
ECOWASStartups from any member state

About the challenge

Proven work, in the room where decisions are made.

Young Africans are already building AI products that power new businesses, widen clean energy access and help farmers grow more. They rarely reach the rooms where investment and policy decisions are made.

WAIIS 2026 brings ministers, financiers and development partners to Sierra Leone from 13 to 19 November. This challenge gives youth-led startups from across West Africa a place in that week on their own terms.

Founders from different member states compete on the same terms, pitch in the same room in Freetown and meet the same investors, building the cross-border links regional integration depends on. Solutions that can scale beyond one country are rewarded through the impact criterion.

1Open call, 2 to 10 NovemberExisting startups using AI for impact submit online, and judges score every eligible entry.
2Pitch day at Bintumani, 14 NovemberThe strongest three startups in each theme pitch in person before the judges and invited investors.
3Winners announced, 15 NovemberAt the youth pre-summit session, with a winner panel and a hands-on workshop.

Who can enter

For startups that already exist and already use AI.

This is not an ideas competition.

  • A working product or pilot that uses AI in a meaningful way
  • Youth-led

    The lead founder is aged 18 to 35.

  • Registered or operating in an ECOWAS member state

    With a solution that can serve Sierra Leone and the wider region.

  • One entry per startup, in one theme
  • Able to send a founder to pitch at Bintumani on 14 November

    If shortlisted.

The three themes

Pick the theme your product serves.

Each theme names one winner, who receives USD 5,000. Awards are paid within 30 days of the announcement, once identity, age and bank details are verified.

Build

AI for digital trade, payments, logistics, manufacturing and services that create jobs.

WinnerUSD5,000

Green

AI for clean and off-grid energy, energy efficiency, climate risk and environmental monitoring.

WinnerUSD5,000

Feed

AI for crop advice, pest and disease detection, market prices, agro-processing and climate risk.

WinnerUSD5,000

Build week

What building for the region looks like.

A hackathon table with laptops, sticky notes and cables
Build
A whiteboard of system diagrams and sticky notes
Design
A sensor prototype wired into a potted seedling
Prototype
Hands coding on a laptop late at night
Ship
A presenter demoing an app on a big screen to an audience
Demo

Independent judging

Both theme judges score every eligible entry.

Every eligible entry is scored online by both judges of its theme against five criteria. The top three in each theme then pitch live at Bintumani.

Impact

01

How many people across West Africa the product can reach, how much it changes for them, and whether it can scale across borders.

Quality and use of AI

02

Whether AI is central to the product and works as shown in the demo and the live pitch.

Traction and viability

03

Users, pilots, revenue or partners, and a credible path to sustain the business.

Responsible AI and inclusion

04

Data protection, fairness, and reach to women, rural users and low-connectivity settings.

Team

05

Capacity of the team to deliver and grow.

How judging runs

  1. 1

    Screening. AfCEN checks every entry for eligibility.

  2. 2

    Desk scoring. Both theme judges score each eligible entry. The chair moderates any gap of more than 15 points.

  3. 3

    Shortlist. The top three in each theme get a pitch slot at Bintumani on 14 November.

  4. 4

    Live pitch. Judges score each pitch on the same criteria. The final score is 40% desk score and 60% live pitch.

  5. 5

    Deliberation. Judges agree the winner in each theme in a closed session on 14 November.

  6. 6

    Sealed results. Results stay sealed until the announcement on 15 November. Every shortlisted founder is invited.

Invited investors join the questions on pitch day and may book follow-up meetings with any shortlisted startup. Only the judges score.

In Freetown

Two days at Bintumani.

Shortlisted startups pitch on Saturday 14 November. The winners are announced on the Sunday afternoon at the youth pre-summit session.

Pitch day

Sat 14 Nov

Bintumani International Conference Centre

Nine startups, three in each theme, in fixed 15-minute slots: 7 minutes to pitch and 8 minutes of questions from judges and investors. Each startup is told its slot when the shortlist is announced on 12 November.

  1. 09:00 to 09:30

    Arrival and briefing for judges and investorsJudges, investors, AfCEN

  2. 09:30 to 10:15

    Build: three pitchesShortlisted founders, judges, investors

  3. 10:15 to 11:00

    Green: three pitchesShortlisted founders, judges, investors

  4. 11:00 to 11:15

    Break

  5. 11:15 to 12:00

    Feed: three pitchesShortlisted founders, judges, investors

  6. 12:00 to 13:00

    Lunch and investor one-to-onesFounders and investors

  7. 13:00 to 14:00

    Closed judges’ deliberation, results sealedJudges and chair

Youth pre-summit session

Sun 15 Nov, afternoon

Bintumani International Conference Centre

About two hours, about 80 to 100 people in the room. The exact slot is confirmed with the WAIIS Secretariat.

  1. 10 min

    Welcome, and why this room mattersAfCEN

  2. 20 min

    Why these themes matter: digital priorities for the region, with best-practice use casesMoCTI

  3. 60 min

    Build Around It workshopFacilitator

  4. 15 min

    Winners announced: the winner in each theme, with cheques, plaques and photosFacilitator, with table hosts

  5. 10 min

    Winner panel: what makes their startups uniqueFacilitator and winners

  6. 5 min

    Photos and closeAfCEN

The Build Around It workshop

Mixed tables of six to eight (founders from different countries, hub managers, investors and officials) each draw a barrier card: capital, data and compute, rules and regulation, markets and public buyers, or power and connectivity. In 10 minutes a table maps who the barrier hits and why it persists; in 25 it designs a workaround on a one-page canvas; then it pitches in 90 seconds and the room votes by QR code. The canvases become a Youth Innovation Workaround Playbook, shared after the Summit with every participant, partner and ECOWAS ministry.

What you submit

Eight things, all online.

Entries are accepted in English and French.

  1. 01

    Startup profile. Name, country, founding year, team and the theme you are entering.

  2. 02

    Proof of registration. Or evidence that the startup is operating.

  3. 03

    Pitch deck. No more than 10 slides.

  4. 04

    How you are funded today. Commercial revenue, grants or bootstrapping.

  5. 05

    Demo video. No more than 3 minutes, showing the product working.

  6. 06

    How the product uses AI. A short note, including how it handles data responsibly.

  7. 07

    Traction or impact. Users, pilots, revenue or partners.

  8. 08

    Proof of the lead founder’s age. A national ID or passport.

Key dates

From call to Bintumani.

  1. Mon 2 Nov

    Call released, FAQ liveNext

  2. Wed 4 Nov

    Online information session for applicants

  3. Tue 10 Nov

    Submissions close

  4. 11 to 12 Nov

    Eligibility screening and desk scoring

  5. Thu 12 Nov

    Shortlist announced and pitch slots scheduled

  6. Sat 14 Nov

    Pitch day at Bintumani before judges and investors

  7. Sun 15 Nov

    Winners announced at the youth pre-summit session

Questions

What people ask before they enter.

Can I enter with an idea?

No. The challenge is for startups with a working product or pilot that already uses AI.

Does my startup have to be in Sierra Leone?

No. It can be registered or operating in any ECOWAS member state, with a solution that can serve Sierra Leone and the wider region.

Can we enter more than one theme?

No. One entry per startup, in one theme.

Do I have to travel to Freetown?

Only if shortlisted: shortlisted startups send a founder to pitch in person at Bintumani on 14 November.

Can I enter in French?

Yes. Entries are accepted in English and French. The call, FAQ and submission guide are published in English, French and Portuguese.

Is there an information session?

Yes, online on Wednesday 4 November, for anyone thinking of entering.

How many startups are shortlisted?

Nine: the top three in each theme, told on 12 November with their pitch slot at Bintumani on 14 November.

When are awards paid?

Within 30 days of the announcement, once the winner’s identity, age and bank details are verified. Three months later, each winner sends a one-page note on how the funds were used.

Bring your startup to WAIIS 2026.

Register, enter one theme, and submit before 10 Nov.

Register