Google is awarding $6 million to innovative non-profit organisations in Africa. Here's how to be a part of it.

The $6 million earmarked for the competition will be divided equally among Google’s markets in Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa.
Google.org is committing $20 million over the next five years to non-profits that are working to improve lives across Africa.

On Wednesday, May 23, 2018, Google announced the launch of the 2018 Africa Impact Challenge. The competition will be aimed at finding the most innovative not-for-profit organisations in Africa that are using technology to solve societal problems.

The Google Africa Impact Challenge is built on the back of Google CEO, Sundar Pichai’s announcement when he visited Nigeria in July 2017. Pichai said, “Our charitable arm, Google.org, is committing $20 million over the next five years to nonprofits that are working to improve lives across Africa.

“We also want to invite nonprofits from across the continent to share their ideas for how they could impact their community and beyond. So we’re launching a Google.org Impact Challenge in Africa in 2018 to award $5 million in grants.”

The $6 million earmarked for this competition will be divided equally among Google’s markets in Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa ($2 million each). The winners of the competition will not just have access to the grants, but will also receive training and mentorship from Google.

12 winners will be selected in each country. The top four will receive $250,000: three of them will be selected by a panel of judges and one will be selected through public voting. The eight runners-up will receive $125,000 each. The winners will be announced during an award ceremony that will hold during the week of November 26, 2018 in Lagos, Nairobi and Johannesburg.

The judges

In Nigeria, the winners will be decided by a panel of judges that includes:

John Momoh
Leo Stan Ekeh
Parminder Vir
MI Abaga
Oluseyi Oyebisi
Mo Abudu
Kanu Nwankwo
Eghosa Omoigui
Juliet Ehimuan-Chiazor

How to be a part of the 2018 Google Africa Impact Challenge

Applications will close on Wednesday, July 4, 2018 and review will commence on the 5th. Public voting will open on November 5 and run for three weeks until the 25th. The final event will hold on the week of November 26.