SFDP Health Innovation Challenge 2026 for Students and Young Professionals ( Up To $300 Grant)

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Applications are open for SFDP Health Innovation Challenge 2026. The Society for Disease Prevention (SFDP) has officially opened applications for the SFDP Health Innovation Challenge 2026, inviting young people across Nigeria to turn practical public health ideas into real community action.

At its heart, this initiative speaks directly to students and young professionals who see problems around them and want to be part of the solution. With three winning teams set to receive a $300 implementation grant, alongside mentorship, visibility, and structured support, the challenge offers more than funding—it offers a starting point. And before anyone can win, the real question becomes: what kind of impact does SFDP want to see?

The SFDP Health Innovation Challenge is intentionally designed as a small-scale implementation program, not just another idea contest. It prioritizes action, learning, and genuine community engagement—making sure participants don’t just think through solutions, but actually test them.

Much like practical guides that help people understand everyday processes. This challenge emphasizes clarity, real-world application, and outcomes that communities can feel. It’s about doing the work, learning from it, and improving health where it matters most.

The SFDP Health Innovation Challenge supports early-stage, community-level public health ideas developed by students and young professionals. It is a small-scale implementation challenge focused on action, learning, and community engagement around real public health problems in Nigeria. Selected teams will receive seed funding and support to implement their ideas within a short timeframe and demonstrate measurable impact.

SFDP Health Innovation Challenge Focus Area

Teams may submit proposals in one or more of the following focus areas: (Proposals outside these areas may be considered if clearly feasible and impactful.)

Infectious Disease Prevention
Projects addressing malaria, Lassa fever, tuberculosis, hepatitis, and similar threats—especially through community prevention, early detection, awareness campaigns, and environmental risk reduction.
Health Education and Digital Health
Solutions that improve access to health information or services through education platforms, screening and referral tools, digital follow-up systems, or community-wide information campaigns.
Equity-Focused Public Health Interventions
Ideas aimed at populations disproportionately affected by health inequities, including vaccine hesitancy, WASH initiatives, maternal and child health, youth mental health peer support, antimicrobial resistance awareness, and community surveillance.

While these areas guide submissions, SFDP remains open to ideas outside them—provided they are feasible and show clear public health impact. This flexible, impact-driven approach reflects the mindset promoted by leadership and development initiatives.

Benefits

Three outstanding teams will each receive:

A $300 implementation grant
Official SFDP recognition and visibility
Mentorship and structured project documentation support

Even teams that don’t finish in the top three still gain something valuable—hands-on experience, exposure, and the chance to remain engaged with SFDP’s broader public health initiatives. This kind of practical learning mirrors opportunities offered through programs.

Eligibility Criteria for SFDP Health Innovation Challenge

The challenge is open to teams of students and young professionals committed to public health action.

Students
- Undergraduate or graduate students in any field of study
Young Professionals
- Ages 18-30 working in healthcare, tech, or related fields
Teams composition
- Teams of up to 3-5 members with diverse backgrounds. At least one team member must have a health-related background or work.
Nigeria
- Open to individuals based in the 36 states and the FCT

Application Timelines

The challenge follows a clear and structured timeline to keep teams focused and accountable:

December 28, 2025 – Call for one-page proposals opens
January 18, 2026 (23:59 GMT+1) – Proposal submission deadline
January 19 – January 25, 2026 – Screening and shortlisting of top 10 teams
January 26 – February 8, 2026 – Video pitch submission (30–60 seconds)
February 9 – February 15, 2026 – Public voting period
February 16, 2026 – Announcement of top three winning teams
February 17 – February 22, 2026 – Prize disbursement and project launch
For teams that make it through, the rewards go well beyond the announcement day.

How To Apply for SFDP Health Innovation Challenge

Click Here To Apply
You will be required to upload a one-page proposal of your project idea, as well as a combined PDF of the CVs of your team members. Only one submission per team is allowed.

Click Here for more details

Application Deadline: January 18, 2026 (23:59 GMT+1)