NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 3 – A new grant initiative targeting collaborative solutions to urban challenges across Africa has been unveiled by the Million Lives Collective (MLC) and the Judith Neilson Foundation.
The African Cities Innovation Fund (ACIF) was introduced at the International Development Innovation Alliance’s Global Summit in Nairobi.
Set to open for applications in Spring 2026, the fund will offer grants of up to $75,000 to pairs of African innovators working jointly on solutions in areas such as mobility, service access, climate resilience and community wellbeing. Awardees will also receive technical assistance, coaching and partnership support.
Announcing the fund, Abi Taylor, Innovation Lead at the Judith Neilson Foundation, said Africa’s rapid urbanisation demands new collaborative approaches.
“African cities are growing at a dramatic pace, creating huge opportunity, challenge and change. Ensuring that cities are places where people can thrive calls for imagination, ambition, innovation and collaboration,” she said.
“We’re delighted to be partnering with the Million Lives Collective, enabling their members to rapidly test new partnerships and generate new ways of creating impact.”
MLC is also preparing a call for new African urban innovations in January 2026 as it builds a pipeline of scale-ready solutions.
Jite Phido, Senior Program Manager at the MLC and Results for Development, said local actors are already advancing practical improvements in cities.
“Across the continent, innovators, community organizations, entrepreneurs, artists and public sector actors are finding new ways to strengthen mobility, expand services and build economic resilience,” she said.
“Our upcoming call seeks to identify and amplify these efforts while surfacing new pathways for exponential impact.”
The fund draws on MLC’s previous work testing collaboration grants in health and women’s economic empowerment, supported by organisations including the Bayer Foundation and the Gates Foundation.
Edwin Muroki of 4Life Solutions Kenya—an alumnus of MLC’s earlier collaboration program—said partnership-driven models are essential to scaling urban solutions.
“The African Cities Innovation Fund is significant because it promotes the kind of collaboration that urban impact in Africa demands,” he said.
“Proven solutions scale faster when partnerships strengthen community trust, enable localized logistics and support continuous real-time learning.”
Innovators working on circular production, climate-resilient infrastructure, youth mobility, digital equity and community wellbeing are encouraged to register interest on the MLC website ahead of the formal application period.
