A new group of African innovators is stepping forward with practical solutions that are expected to improve everyday life across the continent. The 2026 Africa Big Bets Fellows, supported by The Rockefeller Foundation, are working on projects that focus on energy access, healthcare, food security, climate resilience and financial inclusion. Their work is rooted in local communities, but designed to scale and influence broader systems.
From Ghana to Tanzania, the ten selected fellows are addressing long-standing challenges with solutions that are both simple and effective. Their projects are expected to reduce inequality, create jobs and improve access to essential services, especially in underserved communities.
Driving real impact through local solutions
Stanley Anigbogu, Founder and CEO of Lighted Impact Foundation, is tackling energy poverty in Nigeria through his work. His project introduces solar-powered community hubs built from recycled electronic waste. These hubs provide electricity for charging devices while also offering climate education. Growing up in Onitsha, where power outages were common, he built a solution that turns waste into opportunity. His work has already reached over 26,000 people and he continues to push a model that reduces dependence on fossil fuels while creating jobs for young people. He has also earned global recognition, including the UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour, the Commonwealth Young Person of the Year and fellowships from Echoing Green and 776.
Osei Kwadwo Boateng, Executive Director of OKB Hope Foundation, is focused on improving healthcare access in rural Ghana. Through solar-powered Hope Health Vans, his initiative delivers medical services directly to communities that lack clinics. These mobile units provide diagnostics, treatment and follow-up care through digital platforms. He believes strongly that where a person lives should not determine their chances of survival, and his work has already reached more than 16,000 people across over 100 communities. Osei is also a 2023 CNN Hero, 2024 Praxis Fellow and 2025 Global Citizen Grand Prize Winner.
Smart Israel, Founder and CEO of Smartel, is addressing food insecurity in fragile environments in Nigeria. Through Farm In A Box, he is introducing solar-powered hydroponic systems that allow communities to grow food without soil and with minimal water. His approach is helping displaced and climate-affected communities reduce reliance on food aid. By combining technology with community ownership, he is creating a pathway to self-reliance and stability. Smart is a recipient of the 2025 United Nations SDG Action Award for Creativity, the UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour Award and The Diana Award, and serves as a Ban Ki-moon Youth Agri-Champion. He is also a SIGMA Fellow and Top 5 Global Climate Innovator.
Careen Joel, Co-Founder of Wote Margin Tanzania – No Taka Hub, is using data and technology to support safer climate migration in Tanzania. Her project uses drones, mapping tools and artificial intelligence to provide real-time insights on environmental changes. These insights help communities and local leaders make informed decisions about movement and resource use. She is also training youth and women to understand and use this data, ensuring that solutions are locally driven. Her awards include the United Nations Peace Action Award (2025) and United Nations Migration Innovation Award (2024).
Nthanda Manduwi, Founder and CEO of Kwathu Kollective, is building the future of agriculture in Malawi. Her initiative combines smart farming technologies, simulation tools and hands-on training. Farmers and young innovators can test decisions digitally before applying them in real life. This approach improves productivity while strengthening food systems. Her work connects technology with practical farming, creating a new model for agricultural development. In 2026, she is establishing the headquarters of Q2 Systems in Detroit, as a Detroit Tech Fellow.
Building systems that last
Richard Matey, Executive Director of Green Africa Youth Organization, is working to transform waste management in Accra. His project converts organic waste into useful products using black soldier fly technology. By doing this, he is helping reduce landfill waste while creating new income opportunities. He is also working closely with policymakers to strengthen systems that support a circular economy. His broader work focuses on empowering young people to take part in climate action and green entrepreneurship. He has also launched initiatives, including the African Youth Negotiators Fellowship, that strengthen climate literacy, youth advocacy and negotiation capacity to help young Africans drive climate policy into action.
Nina Mbah, Co-Founder and Impact Producer at African Climate Stories, is taking a different approach by using media to drive clean energy adoption in Nigeria. Through a reality show series, she highlights real stories of people using renewable energy. By making these stories relatable, she is helping communities understand how clean energy can improve daily life. Her work combines storytelling with behavior science to increase awareness and encourage change. Nina is a World Bank-Max Thabiso Edkins Climate Ambassador, an UNLEASH SDGs Innovation Talent, and a Guest Lecturer at the International Screen Institute’s Sustainability Management Programme in Vienna.
Rosinah Mbenya, Country Coordinator at PELUM Kenya, is strengthening food systems in Kenya by linking school feeding programmes with local farmers. Her project promotes sourcing food from smallholder farmers using regenerative practices. This ensures that children receive nutritious meals while farmers gain stable markets. She has spent over 15 years advocating for agroecology and continues to push for policies that support sustainable agriculture. She is a World Board Member of IFOAM – Organics International and a Frontline Leader with the Global Alliance for the Future of Food, contributing to global food systems transformation.
Adédèjì Ọlọ́wẹ̀, Founder and Trustee of Open Technology Foundation (Open Banking Nigeria), is working to expand financial inclusion in Nigeria through Open Banking Nigeria. His initiative aims to make financial data accessible, with user consent, so that more people can access credit and better financial services. He has spent nearly two decades shaping digital banking systems and believes that open finance can unlock opportunities for millions who are currently excluded from the formal financial system. e is the founder of Lendsqr, building the world’s most advanced lending software ecosystem and serving lenders across multiple countries. He is also chairman of Paystack, one of Africa’s biggest fintech exits, acquired by Stripe.
Sydelle Willow Smith, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Sunshine Cinema, is creating access to information and opportunity through solar-powered mobile cinemas in Southern Africa. Her initiative trains young people to run mobile cinemas that bring films and important public information to underserved communities. These platforms also create income opportunities and support African filmmakers. By combining storytelling with renewable energy, she is building a new kind of community infrastructure. Sydelle is a Senior Atlantic Fellow for Racial Equity and holds a master’s in African Studies from the University of Oxford.
Backing and future outlook
The Africa Big Bets Fellows programme is backed by The Rockefeller Foundation’s Convening and Networks team, with support from its Africa Regional Office. The initiative builds on similar programmes in other regions and focuses on supporting leaders who are deeply connected to the communities they serve.
Over the next five months, the fellows will take part in learning sessions, peer exchange and global networking. This support is designed to help them scale their ideas and strengthen their impact. The goal is clear: to turn local solutions into lasting systems that can respond to some of Africa’s biggest challenges.
What stands out across all ten fellows is a shared belief that solutions do not need to come from outside. They are building from within, using local knowledge, practical tools and community involvement. If successfully scaled, these projects have the potential to reshape how essential services are delivered across the continent.
