Government of Japan-UNITAR’s Empowering Youth and Women Programme 2026 for Sub-Saharan African Innovators
UNITAR (United Nations Institute for Training and Research) with support from the Government of Japan
Quick Facts
A word from Eli, founder of Rise Africa Scholars
MSc Information Security — Unicaf Scholar
While you wait for a fully funded opportunity, don’t put your education on hold. I completed my MSc through Unicaf — studying online from Nairobi while working full-time. The tuition discount made it genuinely affordable, and the degree is from an accredited UK university.
If you’re serious about advancing your career now, I’d encourage you to explore it. I only recommend what I’ve used myself.
About This Scholarship
A multi-phase capacity development programme designed to strengthen the capacity of African youth and women to transform innovative ideas into scalable, partnership-ready, and investment-oriented initiatives aligned with national and regional development priorities. Implemented under the framework of TICAD9, the programme combines structured mentorship, applied learning, ecosystem exposure, and international engagement opportunities to develop entrepreneurial and leadership competencies.
What This Scholarship Covers
- Foundational training in entrepreneurship and innovation
- AI and digital transformation
- Leadership and systems thinking
- Mentorship
- Ecosystem exposure
- International engagement opportunities
- Partnership development support
Who Can Apply
- 1 Age 18-35 years
- 2 From Anglophone Sub-Saharan African countries: Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, or Zimbabwe
- 3 Aspiring or early-stage entrepreneur, SME founder, professional, researcher, social entrepreneur, or ecosystem builder
- 4 Demonstrate innovation and problem-solving capacity
- 5 Show leadership potential and commitment to community or economic development
- 6 Have clear project or business ideas with implementation potential
- 7 Be open to collaboration and partnership development
- 8 Show commitment to learning, mentorship, and long-term engagement
- 9 Demonstrate potential for scalability, sustainability, and measurable impact