Inside Africa’s 2024 engineering innovation showcase

• Four innovators from Kenya, Côte d’Ivoire, and Uganda, selected from a shortlist of 16, vie for the £50,000 (over $62,000) Africa Prize.
• Their innovations encompass recycling in construction, AI tools for healthcare and farming, and reengineered waste collection, addressing crucial societal needs.
• The three runners-up will each receive £15,000 (over $18,000), while a £5,000 (over $6,000) prize titled ‘One to Watch’ will be awarded to the most promising business among the shortlist.
• Since 2014, the Africa Prize has empowered nearly 150 entrepreneurs across 23 African countries, creating over 28,000 jobs and positively impacting more than 10 million people with their innovative products and services.

The Royal Academy of Engineering is set to host the final showdown of the 10th Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, the continent’s premier engineering accolade, on June 13, 2024, in Nairobi, Kenya. Out of an initial pool of 16 visionary innovators crafting sustainable, scalable engineering solutions across Africa, four standout finalists have been chosen to showcase their groundbreaking innovations before a panel of judges and a global audience, both live and online. Registration for this event is currently open.

In 2024, these four finalists have introduced pioneering solutions, ranging from an eco-friendly roofing material crafted from recycled plastic to a cutting-edge healthcare platform granting direct access to vital medical information via WhatsApp.

Among them is also a location-based mobile application linking users with independent agents for on-demand waste collection and disposal, as well as a solar-powered tool employing AI and machine learning-enhanced cameras to detect and identify agricultural pests and diseases.

Notably, these innovations directly tackle the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, addressing critical issues such as eradicating hunger, enhancing healthcare accessibility, fostering sustainable urban development, reducing inequalities, and combating climate change.

Hailing from diverse backgrounds, finalists Kevin Maina and Esther Kimani represent Kenya, a country that has contributed significantly to the Africa Prize since 2014, including producing a previous winner, Norah Magero. Rory Assandey hails from Côte d’Ivoire, following in the footsteps of 2020 and 2021 laureates Charlette N’Guessan and Noël N’guessan. Martin Tumusiime represents Uganda, a nation boasting 19 previous Prize alumni, including two former champions, most recently Anatoli Kirigwajjo in 2023.

This year’s ultimate victor will walk away with a grand prize of £50,000, while the remaining three finalists will each receive £15,000. Notably, this prize sum has been doubled in celebration of the Africa Prize’s landmark tenth anniversary. Additionally, all shortlisted innovators will be granted one minute each to present their groundbreaking ideas, with an audience poll determining the recipient of the £5,000 ‘One to Watch’ award.

This prestigious prize, dedicated to the memory of the late Martin Bruce, a Ghanaian alumnus of the Africa Prize and co-founder of Young at Heart, recognizes a standout member of the shortlist identified by the audience as a promising future innovator.

These awards mark a significant component of the Royal Academy of Engineering’s commitment to investing over £1 million in African innovators through grants, prizes, and accelerator program placements during the Africa Prize’s momentous tenth anniversary year.

The selection of the 2024 Africa Prize finalists follows an exhaustive process, involving a shortlist of innovators dedicated to applying engineering expertise to address pressing community challenges. This selection was preceded by an intensive eight-month training and mentoring initiative, wherein experts provided tailored, one-on-one support aimed at accelerating and fortifying the business ventures of each shortlisted candidate.

Training modules encompassed diverse areas such as business planning, scaling strategies, recruitment, intellectual property protection, sector-specific engineering guidance, effective communication, financing avenues, and commercialization tactics.

2024 Finalists for the 10th Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation

1. Early Crop Pest and Disease Detection Device, Esther Kimani, Kenya

Esther Kimani’s groundbreaking innovation is a solar-powered tool equipped with AI and machine learning-enabled cameras. This cutting-edge device swiftly detects and identifies agricultural pests and diseases, offering a game-changing solution for smallholder farmers.

By reducing crop losses by up to 30 per cent and increasing yields by as much as 40 per cent, Kimani’s invention significantly improves agricultural productivity. Notably, the device provides real-time alerts within five seconds of detecting an infestation, offering tailored intervention suggestions. Furthermore, it alerts government agricultural officers to the presence of diseases or pests, facilitating broader agricultural management efforts.

What’s more, this innovative solution is affordable, leasing for just $3 per month, making it a cost-effective alternative to traditional detection methods such as drones or agricultural inspectors. Additionally, it provides valuable data for policymakers through an agricultural live-tracking data dashboard.

2. Eco Tiles, Kevin Maina, Kenya

Kevin Maina’s Eco Tiles offer an environmentally friendly roofing solution crafted from recycled plastic. These tiles, stronger and lighter than traditional clay or concrete tiles, not only combat plastic pollution but also address the issue of high building costs. Maina and his team collaborate with 500 informal waste collectors to source plastics, including high-density polymers and lighter polyethylene.

The innovative manufacturing process involves a custom-made extrusion machine that blends different plastics at varying temperatures, eliminating energy-intensive processes like kiln-burning and reducing carbon emissions. Enhanced with UV stabilisation chemicals and construction sand, these tiles boast improved durability and sturdiness. With a production rate of 1,500 tiles daily, each tile is pressed in just a minute. To date, half a million Eco Tiles have been utilized in the construction of 348 houses, showcasing their tangible impact.

3. La Ruche Health, Rory Assandey, Côte d’Ivoire

Rory Assandey’s La Ruche Health revolutionizes healthcare accessibility through its innovative platform connecting communities to vital health information, advice, and services. At the heart of this initiative is “Kiko,” an AI chatbot tool available on WhatsApp and mobile apps. Additionally, a digital backend solution streamlines documentation, billing, and data sharing for practitioners.

Recognizing the fragmented healthcare network in Côte d’Ivoire, La Ruche Health addresses accessibility barriers, particularly for the 43 per cent of the population with limited literacy skills. Kiko serves as the patient’s initial point of contact, offering personalized screening and facilitating appointments with qualified healthcare professionals. By May 2024, the AI has facilitated over 150,000 user interactions and 189 in-home and teleconsultation appointments, processing over $18,000 in medical billings, underscoring its effectiveness and scalability.

4. Yo-Waste, Martin Tumusiime, Uganda

Martin Tumusiime’s Yo-Waste tackles Uganda’s waste crisis with a location-based mobile application connecting homes and businesses to independent agents for efficient on-demand rubbish collection and disposal. This innovative technology utilizes routing and scheduling algorithms to optimize waste collection routes, thereby reducing costs and improving efficiency.

Furthermore, GPS location technology pinpoints collection points, overcoming the challenge of informal residential areas lacking official addresses. Currently serving over 1,500 customers, including homes, businesses, and waste collection agents, Yo-Waste aims to reach 20,000 users by 2026. With only 40 per cent of waste disposed of properly in Africa, Yo-Waste’s innovative approach plays a crucial role in combating environmental pollution and health hazards associated with open dumpsites.

Interested parties, including local supporters, industry peers, engineering and entrepreneurial enthusiasts, innovation hubs, investors, and media, are invited to register for free attendance at the Africa Prize final, either in person or online. You can register by following this link. Additionally, an online exhibition featuring the Africa Prize 2024 shortlist is available for viewing here.

The final event will take place at the Mövenpick Hotel & Residences in Nairobi. Approximately 100 Africa Prize alumni from 20 countries will join in to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the Africa Prize.

This year’s panel of judges includes:

• Malcolm Brinded CBE FREng (Chair of judges), former President of the Energy Institute and Chair of EngineeringUK
• Dr Ibilola Amao, Founder and Principal Consultant of Lonadek Global Services
• Rebecca Enonchong FREng, Founder and CEO of AppsTech
• Dr John Lazar CBE FREng, Co-founder and General Partner of Enza Capital, and Raspberry Pi Foundation
• Sewu-Steve Tawia, Co-founder and Managing Partner of Jaza Rift Ventures
• Guest Judge: Sheena Raikundalia, Chief Growth Officer of Kuza One (Kuza Biashara)

Reflecting on the impact of the Africa Prize, Dr John Lazar CBE FREng stated, “The Royal Academy of Engineering has supported almost 150 entrepreneurs across 23 African countries, fostering a community that has generated over 28,000 jobs and positively impacted more than ten million individuals over the past decade.

In 2024, the Academy is investing over £1 million in our alumni through grants, prizes, and accelerator program awards to ensure the continued success of their innovations.”

Dr Lazar also highlighted the difficulty in selecting finalists from a record number of applications, emphasizing the exceptional quality of this year’s shortlist. The four outstanding finalists—Esther Kimani, Kevin Maina, Rory Assandey, and Martin Tumusiime—exemplify engineering excellence in Africa and are poised to inspire the next generation of changemakers.

Innovators are eligible for the ‘One to Watch’ award, valued at £5,000

Moreover, the remaining shortlisted innovators are eligible for the ‘One to Watch’ award, valued at £5,000. Attendees of the Africa Prize final will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite innovation from the following shortlist:

• Beba-Beggie by Charles Oduk (Kenya)
• Biomass Briquettes by Ludo Ntshiwa (Botswana)
• Kiri EV by Christopher Maara (Kenya)
• Kuza Freezer by Purity Gakuo (Kenya)
• MakSol Cooker by Paul Soddo (Uganda)
• MAVUNOLAB Solar Dryer by Dr Evodius Rutta (Tanzania)
• Microfuse Stick Computer by Ivan Karugaba (Uganda)
• Myco-Substitutes by Abubakari Zarouk Imoro (Ghana)
• PenKeep by Adaeze Akpagbula (Nigeria)
• Second-Life Batteries by Léandre Berwa (Rwanda)
• The Kitchen Box by Tunde Adeyemi (Nigeria)

Each of these innovations represents a remarkable contribution to sustainable development and technological advancement on the African continent.

View a full set of photographs here.

The Africa Prize runs annually and is designed to bring together individual innovators changing their communities, to form a network that can transform a continent. The 2025 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation will be open for entries on 13 June 2024. Individuals and small teams living and working in sub-Saharan Africa with a scalable engineering innovation to solve a local challenge are invited to enter. Visit the ‘How to Apply’ guide on the Africa Prize website.

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