ECOWAS Awards $50,000 to Top Young Innovators as FARI 2025 Closes in Cotonou. By Raymond Enoch
The vibrant city of Cotonou played host to the second edition of the African Forum for Research and Innovation (FARI 2025), held from May 5 to 9, marking a landmark moment in West Africa’s pursuit of youth-led innovation and entrepreneurship. The forum, organized as part of ECOWAS’s 50th anniversary celebrations, concluded on a high note with the announcement of $50,000 in grants awarded to the top three start-ups whose solutions stood out among a competitive pool of young innovators across the region.
With the theme “African Youth, Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Building a Sustainable Future”, FARI 2025 brought together a cross-section of policymakers, scientists, innovators, and youth from ECOWAS member states to engage in exhibitions, panel discussions, and strategic conversations centered on science, technology, and innovation (STI) as catalysts for sustainable development.
ECOWAS President Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, in his closing address, praised the quality of ideas showcased at the forum and reiterated the commission’s commitment to nurturing young talent across the continent. “FARI embodies the spirit of learning, collaboration, knowledge-sharing and innovation—values that are fundamental to the progress and sustainable development of our beloved continent,” he stated.
The spotlight of the closing ceremony was the innovation prize awards. The Ivorian start-up EAZY CHAIN clinched the first prize of $25,000 for developing a solution to streamline and reduce the costs of maritime transport in West Africa. Ghana’s CODE CLUB ACADEMY received the $15,000 second prize for its mobility innovation designed to assist people with visual impairments. The third prize of $10,000 went to Benin’s FESAM for its development of an instant cervical cancer screening kit for women.
Representing the President of Benin, H.E. Patrice Talon, at the ceremony, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research H.E. Eléonore Yayi Ladekan highlighted the importance of empowering African-led scientific solutions. “Science and technology shaped in Africa by Africans can meet local needs, while competing on the world stage,” she emphasized. “I hope that the commitments made, and the recommendations formulated will be translated into concrete action.”
The forum’s scientific committee, chaired by Professor Saliou Touré, former Ivorian Minister of Education, recommended further integration of innovation-focused competitions and knowledge-sharing platforms across ECOWAS member states. The committee also stressed the need to bolster entrepreneurial skills, expand access to funding, and promote inclusive participation of women and youth with disabilities.
FARI 2025 also served as a showcase for ECOWAS’s continued support to scientific infrastructure, highlighted by Dr. Touray’s visit to the Applied Microbiology and Pharmacology of Natural Substances Research Unit (URMAPha) at the University of Abomey-Calavi. The laboratory had previously benefited from a $200,000 ECOWAS grant under the African Research and Innovation Programme (ARIP), aimed at supporting excellence in research across the sub-region.
As the curtain falls on FARI 2025, the momentum generated points to a growing regional commitment to harness innovation as a cornerstone for development, job creation, and resilience among West Africa’s youth—now making up over 60% of the region’s population.
