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A youth-focused innovation organisation, iCOVE, has announced its intention to launch the Tariq Lawal Innovation Challenge in January 2026. It is partnering with UNICEF and the Commonwealth Youth Ambassador Tariq Lawal, to promote youth-led innovation throughout Africa.
The contest aims to help teenagers generate, construct, and deliver ingenious ideas, offering them an early exposure to innovation, entrepreneurship, and problem-solving. The organisers noted that the first edition had already garnered more than 60 registrations. This is impressive as its happened even before the official launch, indicating an increasing interest in innovation platforms focused on youth.
Established by Charis Dawari-George and Kome Omugbe, iCOVE aims to establish itself as a fresh player in Africa’s innovation landscape. The organisation holds the conviction that teenagers and young people are not just the future of innovation, but also active participants in the present.
Registered with Nigeria’s Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), iCOVE has evolved into a rapidly growing ecosystem of brands, programs, products, and communities. It is focused on enabling young Africans to create solutions for current and future challenges.
Excelling as a Teen-led Organisation
Within a year of operations, iCOVE has allegedly engaged over 15,000 individuals, secured over ₦1.2 million in sponsorships. Also, it has received several donations and gained momentum in various African nations. Notably, the organisation is managed by a central team of eight. Also, every administrative member in the organization is 17 years old or younger. This makes it one of the youngest-led innovation organisations in the region.
Leading the organisation is Charis Dawari-George, the founder and Chief Executive Officer, who has become a notable youth leader. He is famous for championing the notion that age is not a hindrance from making great achievements.
Apart from its programs, iCOVE has attracted interest for its unique visual identity, characterised by a minimalist and cinematic style in branding and storytelling. The organisation claims that this aesthetic is intentional, designed to present youth-led innovation as bold, high-quality, and globally significant.
iCOVE’s efforts cover various domains. Its lifestyle and creative division, iCOVE Brand, features a fragrance line and collaborations aimed at youth. Also, it has teamed up with organisations like MIDOMO and Chazone Academy to enhance access to technology and entrepreneurship education.
Products and Releases from iCOVE
One of iCOVE’s notable products is the iCOVE Branch, currently operational in Abuja and Lagos. It serves as a community hub for local partnerships and youth engagement, with plans for broader expansion. Youth are also motivated to create branches in their schools or communities.
Also, another key product from iCOVE is the Form v1, is an AI-driven software created for teenagers. It helps them to launch startup concepts, especially app-related projects, by streamlining the ideation and production stages.
Also, the iCOVE Community, comprising over 80 active members, is viewed as a crucial step toward the organisation’s goal of becoming Africa’s largest innovation community by 2028. In the future, iCOVE intends to introduce the iCOVE Foundry in 2026. It will be designed as a formal accelerator designed to help emerging entrepreneurs in transforming their early-stage concepts into viable enterprises.
The organisation also organises events and media initiatives centred on innovation, such as The iCOVE Event, a showcase of innovations taking place in 2026. Also, the organization offers a documentary series that features the stories of young entrepreneurs. Additionally, there are digital art fundraising efforts and innovative workshops.
Also, iCOVE has partnered with entities including Avetium Consult, Chazone Academy, and Tech Ignite Africa, where it was said to be the sole teenage startup at the Tech Experience event.
Focusing on the Future
Tthe organisation has presented an ambitious plan to establish The COVE by 2030. It is intented to be tangible hub for innovation, tourism, and empowerment that it refers to as Africa’s Silicon Valley.
Also, iCOVE, with the motto “The next generation builds what’s next,” is actively looking for sponsors, partners and volunteers. It is seeking for young innovators to participate in its mission of shaping Africa’s future through youth-driven innovation.
