Following the call for application in June 2024, sixteen (16) engineering innovators from seven African countries including Uganda have been shortlisted for the 2025 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, by the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAE), dedicated to fostering engineering innovation —with a mission to stimulate, celebrate, and reward innovation and entrepreneurship across sub-Saharan Africa.
“We are thrilled to see another round of 16 amazing innovators dedicating their lives to addressing important problems in their local communities through engineering,” said Rebecca Enonchong, CEO of AppsTech and Africa Prize judge in a press statement. “Their innovations showcase the power of local innovation, adapting existing technologies to create context-specific solutions that directly respond to the unique needs and challenges of their regions.”
Ms. Enonchong also noted that this year, they observed a trend in the themes chosen for their innovations —with a significant focus on neonatal healthcare, food security, and upcycling. “These all represent critical priorities within today’s innovation landscape,” she said. “I am delighted to welcome these entrepreneurs to the Africa Prize community and look forward to following their journey as they develop their engineering solutions over the next few months.”
The 16 shortlisted candidates from seven (7) out of the thirty (30) African countries that submitted their applications were selected for their innovative solutions designed to solve environmental, educational, and health challenges to transform their communities.
Innovations include life-saving maternal and neonatal devices allowing at-risk pregnant mothers and their babies to reach health facilities safely from remote areas, transformative smart agritech, upcycling, and hybrid green energy solutions, and groundbreaking AI tools to support greater inclusivity for the hearing impaired.
Innovative materials such as new packaging technology inspired by human skin are used for electricity-free cold storage, clean cooking gas, and furniture are made from waste plastic, and disposable plates are from agricultural waste (maize husks).
Two Ugandan engineering innovators, Nura Izath and Vivian Arinaitwe, made it to the list for their innovative solutions to neonatal healthcare: Izath developed Autothermo, a wearable bracelet for newborns that tracks temperature, fever, and respiratory problems, transmitting real-time data to caregivers through emoji-based alert system, while Arinaitwe created Neo Nest, a warming and monitoring device that provides medical professionals with instant updates on critical health metrics of infants to combat neonatal mortality. Both inventions emphasize real-time communication and proactive care, underscoring their potential to transform newborn health outcomes in resource-limited settings.
The fourteen (14) others are from Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania, Togo
- Frank Owusu from Ghana developed Aquamet, a device that monitors the quality of water in local fisheries sending real-time notifications to the farmers’ phone to ensure higher yields.
- Peter Njeri from Kenya created clean cooking community kitchens that use a new, alternative clean cooking gas made from plastic waste.
- Carol Ofafa from Kenya created E-Safiri, which is championing the adoption of electric mobility by expanding charging stations and battery swapping points nationwide, harnessing both renewable and grid energy.
- Edgar Edmund Tarimo from Tanzania developed Eco Plastic Wood, converting discarded plastic waste into high-quality lumber and furniture.
- Rui Bauhofer from Mozambique created Eco-Plates, disposable plates made from recycled maize husks that are fully bio-degradable and infused with seeds that will germinate and grow once discarded.
- Sam Kodo from Togo developed FarmBot, an autonomous robot that can monitor crop health and plant growth whilst detecting any pests and gathering soil data, all shared with farmers in real-time.
- Editha Mshiu from Tanzania created FreshPack, a cold storage solution that was inspired by human skin and is made from phase change materials, ensuring that produce can be stored and kept fresh for longer without the need for electricity.
- James Nyamai from Kenya designed Hybrid Solar Dryers, which are agricultural dryers powered by biofuels as well as solar for all weather conditions to reduce losses during the rainy season.
- Paschal Kija from Tanzania created Mkanda Salama, a massaging device designed to be worn around the abdomen to manage post-partum haemorrhaging and reduce maternal death rates.
- Chinelo Okafor from Nigeria developed a Play and Learn Web App, an AI-powered device that enhances digital skills and develops individual pathways for each user to improve digital training.
- Margaret Wanjiku from Kenya developed a Smart Hive Device and Precision Pollination Technology, an AI-powered device that monitors key features within a beehive to combat bee colony collapse and boost crop yields.
- Shabo Andrew from Tanzania designed Smart Luku, a smart meter that allows individual tenants to measure and pay for their electricity within a shared residence, with the option to share their electricity with other tenants.
- Ahmed Maruf from Nigeria developed a sustainable agro-tech solution, an upscaling solution for scrap metal transformed into affordable agricultural and industrial machinery.
- Elly Savatia from Kenya created TERP 360, an AI-powered device that translates words into sign language in real-time through an app offering greater inclusivity for deaf people.
The shortlisted innovators will benefit from a comprehensive package of support designed to accelerate their businesses —this includes an eight-month training program that covers key business skills, comprising financial management and market analysis to help the innovators turn their ideas into market-ready ideas. Involvement in the competition includes access to expert business, technical, and sector-specific engineering mentoring and connecting the shortlisted candidates to the Academy’s extensive network of engineers and business leaders across the United Kingdom (UK) and Africa.
During their training program, the Prize’s panel of judges will select four finalists to move through to the final event, which will be held in Senegal in October this year. The winner of the Africa Prize will receive £25,000 (approx. UGX118.9 million), with three runners-up awarded £10,000 (approx. UGX47.6 million) each. The audience at the award ceremony will also vote on the winner of the ‘One-to-Watch’ award for the most impactful pitch, who will receive £5,000 (approx. UGX23.8 million).
All shortlisted candidates will become part of the Africa Prize Alumni of over 150 innovators, which offers access to exclusive opportunities for funding, development, and support.
Notably, Uganda has managed to have two (2) overall winners in the competition. Anatoli Kirigwajjo (in 2023), founder of YUNGA, a local rescue network providing low-cost security by connecting neighbors with the police, and Brian Gitta (in 2018), founder of Matibabu, a device that tests for malaria quickly, accurately, and without having to draw blood.
See also: Anatoli Kirigwajjo emerges as the overall winner in the 2023 Africa Prize For Engineering
Since its inception in 2014, the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation has supported 149 businesses from 22 African countries with invaluable training, mentoring, and communication resources, employing over 28,000 people and benefitting more than 10 million people through the innovative products and services developed.
Neo Hutiri, winner of the Africa Prize in 2019 and the Africa Prize Alumni Medal in 2024 for his innovation, Pelebox, said, “Being part of the Africa Prize was a game changer for me. Before the Prize, I struggled to get an audience with key decision-makers in the National Department of Health in South Africa. Just two weeks after the announcement, the media coverage opened doors, leading to a pivotal meeting with the Head of Access to Medicine.” He added “Today, Pelebox is in over 100 healthcare facilities across South Africa, Botswana, and Namibia—proof of the Prize’s lasting impact. I’m excited to see how this year’s shortlist will benefit from this incredible platform.”
The Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation also boasts a thriving alumni network, with 71% of alumni generating revenue. Collectively, these alumni have secured US$39 million (approx. UGX142.9 billion) in grants and equity funding.
RAE will start accepting applications for Cycle 12 of the Africa Prize in early July, and close in mid-September this year. The program will use a two-stage application process for the first time to streamline the process for both applicants and reviewers. Applicants should apply within this initial period to have a chance of being considered for the 2026 shortlist.
