About

The Young Africa Innovates (YAI) Cohort 2 programme, implemented by UNDP Nigeria, seeks a qualified implementing partner to strengthen entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystems across Abia, Plateau, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River States, Nigeria. The selected partner will design and deliver a comprehensive entrepreneurship support programme that includes candidate outreach and screening, bootcamp training, incubation support, mentorship coordination, and ecosystem-building activities. The initiative aims to support 750 innovators and entrepreneurs through capacity-building interventions and incubate 200 selected innovators across the four target states.

The programme will support activities such as the development of state-specific inception reports, residential bootcamps, creation of training and operational manuals, establishment of co-creation hubs, mentorship deployment, integrity and diversity assessments, and provision of innovation-enabling resources, including cloud credits and access to laboratory equipment. Particular attention will be given to promoting inclusion through dedicated support services for women innovators and persons with disabilities. The implementing partner will also coordinate and administer the engagement of up to twenty mentors over an eight-month implementation period, under the technical oversight of UNDP. The available funding includes NGN 76,500,000 allocated as a reimbursable budget line for facilitator payments and participant travel stipends, which must be managed and reported separately from the partner’s professional and administrative costs.

Eligibility

Applicants must be legally registered firms with a minimum of five years of organizational experience in entrepreneurship development, innovation ecosystem support, impact investing, or related fields. Eligible organizations must demonstrate proven experience in managing development programmes at the state level, designing and implementing incubation or accelerator programmes, and providing capacity-building support to entrepreneurs, innovators, and social enterprises.

Applicants should have a strong operational presence in the target states of Abia, Plateau, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River, supported by a qualified core team of technical experts capable of delivering programme activities. Evaluation will consider the applicant’s demonstrated track record in implementing comparable projects, expertise in entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem development, capacity to manage multi-state programmes, availability of relevant personnel, and ability to effectively deliver the programme objectives under UNDP’s oversight.

Post Date: September 13, 2026