The Consumer Advocacy and Empowerment Foundation (CADEF), in partnership with Jacob’s Ladder Africa (JLA), had announced the graduation of the inaugural cohort of the greenlabs Incubation Program on Friday, October 10, 2025.
This milestone event celebrates the culmination of nine transformative months where young African innovators moved from bold ideas to market-ready, climate-smart solutions.
The greenlabs program is a vital Pan-African initiative committed to nurturing the continent’s next generation of green innovators and entrepreneurial leaders.
Running concurrently in both Nigeria and Kenya, the program underscores a shared, continental commitment to driving green innovation while accelerating Africa’s just transition to a low-carbon, circular economy.
Nine Months of Impact: Where Ideas Become Enterprises
The journey for the Lagos Cohort 1 innovators began with a highly competitive selection process, sifting through applications from passionate young Nigerians determined to pioneer change.
Following an intensive Renewable Energy Innovation Challenge, the most promising ideas advanced further into the incubation phase.
For ten months, these entrepreneurs were immersed in a rigorous curriculum of capacity-building workshops, technical mentorship, knowledge transfer and business coaching.
They didn’t just learn; they piloted plus refined their ideas turning and scaling them into viable ventures with real-world impact.
The graduating cohort is unveiling solutions that are already redefining sustainability in their communities.
Standout enterprises include ventures that are turning organic waste into clean, renewable energy, deploying low-cost solar-powered irrigation systems to boost food security for smallholder farmers, and establishing innovative recycling and upcycling models that generate income while significantly reducing environmental footprints.
Empowering the Pioneers of Africa’s Green Economy
Prof. Chiso Ndukwe-Okafor, executive director of CADEF, highlighted the program’s fundamental belief in youth empowerment.
“The greenlabs program is proof that sustainability starts with empowerment. This first cohort hasn’t just developed innovative ideas; they’ve created viable, scalable enterprises. They are not merely responding to Africa’s climate challenges, they are building the profitable, long-term solutions our continent desperately needs. This is the future of African enterprise.”
The graduation is a celebration of the innovators’ resilience and CADEF’s robust partnership with Jacob’s Ladder Africa.
Together, they are fostering a growing network of African changemakers equipped to tackle the continent’s most pressing environmental and economic challenges through innovation.
Karen Chelangat, chief innovation officer at Jacob’s Ladder Africa, spoke to the broader vision for the program’s future expansion:
“Our mission is to ensure African youth are the architects of the green economy, not just its beneficiaries. The success of Cohort 1 fuels our commitment to further scale this impact. Cohort 2 will strengthen this movement, building the essential green jobs, green skills, and green enterprises that will drive inclusive and resilient growth across the continent.”
Call for Cohort 2 Applications
Building on this success, CADEF is now opening the call for applications for the greenlabs Incubation Program Cohort 2.
The next phase promises expanded cross-country collaborations, strategic partnerships, and even greater opportunities for aspiring green entrepreneurs to design and deploy sustainable solutions within their communities.
Young Nigerians passionate about sustainability, entrepreneurship, and innovation are strongly encouraged to apply and join a vibrant ecosystem of change leaders building Africa’s green future.
To learn more and apply for the greenlabs Incubation Program Cohort 2, visit here.
