A youth-led innovation organisation, iCOVE, is gaining attention for its efforts to reposition teenagers and young people as active contributors to Africa’s innovation and entrepreneurship landscape rather than future participants.
Founded by Charis Dawari-George and Kome Omugbe and registered with Nigeria’s Corporate Affairs Commission, iCOVE has expanded within its first year into a network of programmes and initiatives aimed at supporting youth-led innovation across technology, creativity and enterprise.
The organisation operates with a core administrative team of eight, all aged 17 or younger. According to figures provided by iCOVE, its activities have reached more than 15,000 people across Africa, while funding from sponsorships, donations and brand-related revenue has exceeded ₦1.2 million.
Dawari-George, who serves as chief executive officer, leads the organisation alongside team members including Emmanuel Umar, Makayla Lawal and Ini Adedokun. The group has sought to challenge perceptions around age and leadership by running projects designed and executed entirely by young people.
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iCOVE has also drawn attention for its branding and storytelling style, adopting a minimalist visual identity across its digital platforms and public events. Supporters say this approach has helped present youth-led innovation as commercially viable and globally competitive.
Its operations span several initiatives. The iCOVE Brand functions as a lifestyle and creative arm, including a perfume line and collaborative projects. Through partnerships with organisations such as MIDOMO and Chazone Academy, the group supports access to technology education, entrepreneurship training and creative skills development.
The organisation also runs the iCOVE Branch initiative in Abuja and Lagos, which serves as a community platform for local engagement and collaboration, with plans to expand to other cities and schools.
Another project, Form v1, is an artificial intelligence-powered software tool designed to help teenagers and first-time founders develop startup ideas, particularly app-based concepts, by simplifying early-stage ideation and validation.
In January 2025, iCOVE plans to launch the Tariq Lawal Innovation Challenge in partnership with Tariq Lawal, a Diana Award recipient and UNICEF and Commonwealth Youth Ambassador. The competition is aimed at helping teenagers develop and present innovation-driven ideas, with organisers saying the first edition has already attracted dozens of sign-ups.
The iCOVE Community, a membership network established this year, has grown to more than 80 active participants. The organisation says this forms part of its longer-term goal of building a continent-wide innovation network.
Looking ahead, iCOVE plans to launch the iCOVE Foundry in 2026, a venture accelerator intended to support young founders in turning early-stage ideas into viable businesses. By 2030, the organisation aims to establish a physical innovation hub, known as “The COVE”, envisioned as a centre for technology, creativity and entrepreneurship.
As its activities expand, iCOVE says it is seeking partnerships and support to scale its programmes, positioning itself as part of a broader movement to deepen youth participation in Africa’s innovation economy.
