UNECA Continental Call for African AI Innovations 2026: Showcase Your AI Solution at the ECA Innovation Café in Ghana

The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA/ECA) Continental Call for African AI Innovations 2026 is now open, offering African innovators an opportunity to showcase practical artificial intelligence solutions addressing some of the continent’s most pressing development challenges.

The call will identify promising African-led, AI-enabled innovations for participation in the ECA Innovation Café, which will take place as part of the 15th Africa Internet Governance Forum (AfIGF 2026) from 2–5 November 2026 in Accra, Ghana.

Organised by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) through the Africa IGF Secretariat, in collaboration with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and Research ICT Africa (RIA), the initiative seeks to move discussions about artificial intelligence beyond its future potential and towards the practical solutions that African innovators are already developing and implementing.

African startups, technology companies, universities, researchers, innovation hubs, public institutions, private-sector organisations, social enterprises, individual innovators and innovation teams with functioning AI-enabled solutions are encouraged to apply.

The application deadline is 2 October 2026. While the main AfIGF opportunity page currently does not display the deadline in its body, the 2 October deadline is listed by the Ghana AI Summit opportunity directory and has also been publicised in posts associated with the Africa IGF call.

About the ECA Innovation Café at AfIGF 2026

The ECA Innovation Café is being organised under the theme:

“Bridging Policy, Innovation and Implementation through African AI-Enabled Solutions.”

It will form part of the 15th Africa Internet Governance Forum, scheduled to take place in Accra, Ghana, from 2–5 November 2026.

The broader AfIGF 2026 brings together stakeholders involved in Africa’s rapidly evolving digital ecosystem, including policymakers, regulators, researchers, academia, civil society, private-sector representatives, members of the technical community, youth leaders, international organisations and development partners.

For the Innovation Café specifically, ECA is seeking African innovators who are not simply proposing theoretical uses of artificial intelligence but are already developing practical solutions capable of addressing real development needs.

The initiative recognises that innovation is already taking place throughout Africa. Startups, universities, research institutions, technology hubs, public-sector organisations, companies and independent innovators are building technologies designed around African realities and priorities.

The ECA Innovation Café will provide a continental platform through which some of these solutions can be presented, discussed and connected with stakeholders who may help create the conditions necessary for responsible deployment, wider adoption and sustainable growth.

Why UNECA Is Calling for African AI Innovations

Artificial intelligence is becoming an increasingly important component of Africa’s digital transformation.

However, the ECA Innovation Café is intended to move the conversation beyond simply asking what artificial intelligence might eventually accomplish for the continent.

Instead, the programme will focus on a more immediate question: What are African innovators already doing with AI to solve real problems?

The initiative will therefore highlight existing African-led innovations, including:

• The solutions innovators are currently developing;
• The development problems these solutions seek to address;
• Results or potential impact demonstrated by the innovations;
• Challenges innovators encounter when developing or deploying their technologies;
• Barriers preventing promising solutions from achieving wider adoption;
• Policy and regulatory conditions affecting AI innovation;
• Support required by innovators;
• Opportunities for collaboration and investment; and
• Conditions required to scale responsible AI solutions sustainably.

This practical orientation creates an opportunity to bring technology development and policymaking closer together.

What Types of AI Innovations Are Being Sought?

Applicants should be developing practical, AI-enabled solutions addressing development challenges in Africa.

ECA highlights several areas in which African innovators are already applying technology to respond to local needs and development priorities.

1. Health

AI-enabled health innovations could help strengthen healthcare delivery, diagnostics, health information systems, disease monitoring, access to services and other areas of public health.

Innovators developing technologies that respond to healthcare challenges within African communities may therefore be relevant to the call.

2. Agriculture

Agriculture remains central to livelihoods and economic development across much of Africa.

AI-enabled solutions could contribute to areas such as agricultural productivity, information services, crop management, market access, resource management and decision-making for farmers and agricultural businesses.

3. Education

Technology and artificial intelligence can potentially help address educational challenges through digital learning, educational tools, personalised learning, improved access to information and other innovations.

Solutions demonstrating practical applications of AI within education may be considered.

4. Financial Inclusion

The call also recognises financial inclusion as an important area for innovation.

African innovators using AI to improve access to financial services or develop solutions addressing financial barriers affecting individuals, communities or businesses may have relevant innovations to submit.

5. Climate Action

Climate-related challenges require solutions that respond to environmental and economic realities across the continent.

AI-enabled innovations contributing to climate action, environmental resilience or related development priorities are among the areas highlighted by ECA.

6. Public-Service Delivery

Governments and public institutions increasingly use digital technologies to improve the way services are delivered.

Innovations that use AI to strengthen public services, improve accessibility, increase efficiency or address challenges faced by communities may therefore fit within the programme.

7. Trade

Artificial intelligence can also be applied to challenges associated with trade, commerce and economic participation.

The Innovation Café provides scope for innovators developing solutions capable of supporting Africa’s trade and broader development priorities.

8. Small-Business Development

Small and growing businesses are critical components of African economies.

AI-enabled technologies that help entrepreneurs and small businesses improve operations, access opportunities, overcome market barriers or strengthen their competitiveness may also fall within the areas targeted by the initiative.

These areas are examples rather than an indication that every eligible innovation must fit narrowly within one particular sector. The central requirement is that applicants demonstrate a practical AI-enabled solution responding to an African development challenge.

The Connection to the Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2063

The ECA Innovation Café is also intended to highlight African-led AI solutions contributing to broader continental and international development objectives.

In particular, selected solutions should demonstrate relevance to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

This places the programme within a broader conversation about how technology can contribute to sustainable development rather than being developed independently of social, economic and public-policy priorities.

The emphasis is therefore not simply on technological sophistication.

Applicants should be able to demonstrate how their innovation addresses a meaningful challenge or has credible potential to generate development impact.

Two Major Components of the ECA Innovation Café

Selected innovators will participate in an initiative built around two complementary components: the Innovation-to-Policy Exchange and the Innovation Exhibition.

1. Innovation-to-Policy Exchange

The Innovation-to-Policy Exchange will provide selected innovators with an opportunity to present their solutions and interact directly with important stakeholders.

This is particularly significant because technological solutions do not operate in isolation. Their ability to scale can depend on policies, regulations, investment, partnerships, infrastructure and wider institutional support.

Through the exchange, innovators will have an opportunity to engage with stakeholders such as:

• Policymakers;
• Development partners;
• Investors;
• Researchers;
• Private-sector representatives;
• Technical experts; and
• Other actors involved in Africa’s innovation and digital-development ecosystem.

The exchange is intended to help bridge the gap between developing an innovation and creating the conditions required for that innovation to be implemented, adopted and scaled.

2. Innovation Exhibition

The second component is the Innovation Exhibition.

Selected innovations will be showcased during AfIGF 2026, giving participating innovators a platform to demonstrate their solutions within a major continental forum focused on digital governance and development.

The exhibition can provide visibility for technologies that are already moving beyond the idea stage and demonstrate how African innovators are using artificial intelligence to respond to practical challenges.

An Opportunity to Connect Innovation With Policy

One of the defining features of the ECA Innovation Café is its focus on the relationship between innovation, policy and implementation.

A promising technological solution may still face substantial barriers before it can reach the communities, institutions or markets that could benefit from it.

Those barriers can include regulatory challenges, insufficient funding, infrastructure constraints, limited institutional partnerships, difficulties entering new markets or a lack of opportunities to engage directly with decision-makers.

The Innovation Café seeks to create a space where these issues can be discussed alongside the technology itself.

By bringing innovators into direct contact with policymakers, investors, development organisations, researchers, companies and technical stakeholders, the initiative can help generate a more practical discussion around what African AI innovators need to deploy their technologies responsibly and scale them sustainably.

Who Can Apply for the UNECA Continental Call for African AI Innovations?

The opportunity is open to a broad range of innovators and organisations working within Africa’s technology, research, public-policy and development ecosystems.

Eligible applicants include:

1. African startups and technology companies developing AI-enabled products, platforms or services;
2. Universities and research institutions developing practical AI applications or translating research into usable solutions;
3. Innovation hubs and laboratories supporting or developing technology-based solutions;
4. Private-sector organisations working on AI-enabled approaches to development challenges;
5. Public institutions and public-sector innovation teams developing technology to improve services or respond to public needs;
6. Social enterprises combining technology and social impact;
7. Individual innovators developing eligible solutions; and
8. Innovation teams working collaboratively on AI-enabled technologies.

This broad eligibility reflects the reality that significant technological innovation can emerge from many different environments, not only established technology companies.

What Stage Should Your Innovation Have Reached?

An important eligibility condition is that applicants should have progressed beyond an idea alone.

Applicants are expected to demonstrate one of the following:

• A functioning prototype;
• A pilot; or
• A deployed solution.

In addition, the innovation should be supported by either evidence of development impact or a credible potential to generate meaningful impact.

This means applicants should be prepared to demonstrate not only what their technology does, but also why the solution matters and how it could contribute to addressing an identifiable development challenge.

What Could Strengthen an Application?

Based on the published requirements and objectives of the Innovation Café, applicants should ensure that their submission clearly explains the practical nature of their innovation.

A strong application should make it easy to understand:

• The specific development challenge being addressed;
• Why that challenge matters within an African context;
• How artificial intelligence is incorporated into the solution;
• Who the intended users or beneficiaries are;
• The current stage of the technology;
• Whether a functioning prototype, pilot or deployed product currently exists;
• Any results or evidence generated so far;
• The actual or potential development impact;
• Challenges affecting implementation or scale;
• Why engagement with policymakers and other stakeholders would be valuable; and
• How the innovation could potentially achieve wider adoption.

Applicants should rely on verifiable evidence wherever possible rather than making broad claims about potential impact.

Why the ECA Innovation Café Matters for African Innovators

Africa’s AI ecosystem is expanding across universities, research organisations, startups, public institutions, innovation hubs and businesses.

Yet developing a promising technology is only one part of creating lasting impact.

Innovators may also need supportive public policy, investment, institutional partnerships, market access, technical networks and opportunities to demonstrate their solutions to decision-makers.

The Innovation Café is designed to bring these different parts of the ecosystem together.

Rather than treating innovation and policymaking as separate conversations, the initiative seeks to create direct interaction between those building technologies and those influencing the environments in which those technologies will operate.

About the Africa Internet Governance Forum 2026

The 15th Africa Internet Governance Forum (AfIGF 2026) will take place in Accra, Ghana, from 2–5 November 2026.

The Forum’s overarching theme is:

“Advancing Africa’s Digital Future Through Innovation, Inclusion, and Trust.”

AfIGF 2026 will bring together a diverse range of participants, including policymakers, regulators, civil society, academia, technical experts, private-sector stakeholders, youth leaders, parliamentarians, members of the judiciary and international organisations.

The Forum is expected to address major issues affecting Africa’s digital future, including artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, digital inclusion, cybersecurity, digital trust, human rights, online safety, digital public infrastructure, climate change and technology, and digital sovereignty.

The ECA Innovation Café therefore places selected innovators within a wider continental conversation about how Africa can develop an innovative, inclusive and trusted digital ecosystem.

ECA Innovation Café 2026 Event Details

Applicants should note the following key information:

• Event: ECA Innovation Café at the 15th Africa Internet Governance Forum (AfIGF 2026)
• Theme: Bridging Policy, Innovation and Implementation through African AI-Enabled Solutions
• Dates: 2–5 November 2026
• Location: Accra, Ghana
• Organiser: United Nations Economic Commission for Africa through the Africa IGF Secretariat
• Collaborating organisations: International Telecommunication Union and Research ICT Africa
• Application deadline: 2 October 2026

How to Apply for the UNECA Continental Call for African AI Innovations 2026

Eligible African innovators and organisations interested in participating should submit their application through the official application form provided for the ECA Innovation Café.

Applicants should prepare sufficient information about their AI-enabled innovation, its stage of development and the development challenge it addresses.

Most importantly, applicants should be able to demonstrate that they have a functioning prototype, pilot or deployed solution, rather than an idea that has not yet reached a demonstrable stage. They should also provide evidence of development impact or demonstrate credible potential for meaningful impact.

Applications can be submitted through the official application form:

Application Form: https://forms.gle/aRdJT7Renr1fNECk7

Further information about the opportunity is available through the Africa Internet Governance Forum:

Official Opportunity Page: https://igf.africa/ecainnovationcafe/

For enquiries about the ECA Innovation Café, applicants can contact:

Email: sorene@un.org

Application Deadline

The deadline to apply for the ECA Innovation Café at AfIGF 2026 is 2 October 2026.

Interested innovators are encouraged to prepare their submissions early enough to clearly explain their solution, demonstrate its current stage of development and provide credible evidence supporting its potential or existing development impact.

Conclusion

The UNECA Continental Call for African AI Innovations 2026 provides an important platform for innovators who are already translating artificial intelligence into practical solutions for Africa’s development challenges.

Through the ECA Innovation Café at the 15th Africa Internet Governance Forum, selected innovators will have an opportunity to move beyond simply presenting technology and participate in a broader conversation involving policy, implementation, responsible adoption and sustainable scale.

Whether an AI-enabled solution is addressing healthcare, agriculture, education, financial inclusion, climate action, public services, trade, small-business development or another significant African development challenge, the initiative offers a platform for demonstrating how home-grown innovation can contribute to Africa’s digital and sustainable-development ambitions.

For startups, universities, researchers, innovation hubs, companies, public institutions, social enterprises and independent innovators with a functioning prototype, pilot or deployed AI-enabled solution, this continental call represents an opportunity to bring practical African innovation into direct dialogue with policymakers, investors, development partners, researchers and the wider technical community.

Applications should be submitted by 2 October 2026, ahead of the ECA Innovation Café and AfIGF 2026 taking place from 2–5 November 2026 in Accra, Ghana.

Visit the OFY website for more Competition Opportunities.