This article was produced with the support of British Council
When Peter Njeri was growing up, he walked miles with his siblings in search of food. When they got home, he remembers his mother crying and choking from the fire she had made to cook. Now a student at Kenyatta University, Njeri has founded MegaGas, a startup company that converts waste into clean cooking gas. He explains: “It is very important for us to look at the problems in the community. And for us to think: how can I solve this using the local people and local resources? And then be able to build a business that can grow and become an industry, creating solutions and jobs for our people.”
Crisis becomes opportunity
The World Bank estimates that only a quarter of the 420m young people entering the formal labour market in sub-Saharan Africa find jobs. Africa’s youth is expected to double to over 830m by 2050. The Innovation for African Universities (IAU) program is the British Council’s response to this challenge.
Higher Education Institutions are pivotal in unlocking the unfulfilled potential of African youth. The IAU began in 2021 with a focus on collaboration, and sub-Saharan African universities partnered with universities in the UK. It has evolved organically, and with the launch of the Innovation and Enterprise Challenge in 2026 the focus has shifted to students. Building on the foundation previously laid, student teams in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa have been invited to advance solutions to priorities within their communities.
