Youth-Led iCOVE Emerges As Fast-Rising Innovation Hub Redefining Africa’s Future

A youth-led innovation organisation, iCOVE, is fast redefining how innovation, entrepreneurship and creativity are perceived in Africa, positioning teenagers and young people not as future leaders but as present-day drivers of change.

Founded by Charis Dawari-George and Kome Omugbe and officially registered with Nigeria’s Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), iCOVE has, in less than one year, grown into a dynamic ecosystem of brands, programs, products and communities empowering young Africans to build innovative solutions across sectors.

Despite being run by a lean team of eight — with all administrative members aged 17 or younger — the organisation has reached over 15,000 people across Africa, raised more than ₦1.2 million through sponsorships, donations and brand revenue, and built notable continental traction.

At the centre of iCOVE’s operations is its Chief Executive Officer, Charis Dawari-George, who has emerged as a prominent youth leader challenging long-held assumptions about age, leadership and execution. Working alongside key team members including Emmanuel Umar, Makayla Lawal and Ini Adedokun, the organisation continues to scale as a coordinated, impact-driven collective.

Beyond its programs, iCOVE has gained recognition for its distinctive visual identity and storytelling approach, adopting a minimalistic and cinematic branding style across its social media platforms, websites and events. This design-led narrative, observers say, has helped position youth-led innovation as bold, premium and globally competitive.

iCOVE operates several core initiatives, including the iCOVE Brand, a lifestyle and creative arm that features a perfume line and youth-centric collaborations. Through partnerships with organisations such as MIDOMO and Chazone Academy, the brand supports access to technology education, entrepreneurship training and creative development.

The organisation also runs the iCOVE Branch initiative, currently active in Abuja and Lagos, which serves as a community extension platform for local youth engagement and collaboration, with plans for expansion into other cities and school communities.

Another flagship initiative is Form v1, an AI-powered software built specifically for teenagers and young people, designed to help first-time founders launch startup ideas — particularly app-based ventures — within seconds by simplifying ideation, validation and development processes.

In January 2025, iCOVE is set to launch the Tariq Lawal Innovation Challenge in collaboration with Diana Award recipient and UNICEF and Commonwealth Youth Ambassador, Tariq Lawal. The competition aims to help teenagers create, build and showcase impactful ideas. The inaugural edition has already attracted over 60 sign-ups, underscoring growing interest in youth-centred innovation platforms.

The iCOVE Community, another major pillar of the organisation, has grown to over 80 active members within its first few months. The network represents an early step towards iCOVE’s long-term ambition of becoming Africa’s largest innovation community by 2028.

Looking ahead, the organisation plans to launch the iCOVE Foundry in 2026, a venture and business accelerator focused on helping young founders transform early-stage ideas into sustainable companies through mentorship, resources and structured support.

iCOVE has also invested in ecosystem building through events and media initiatives, including The iCOVE Event — an Apple-inspired innovation showcase held in November — the iCHAMBER documentary series profiling outstanding founders, and a Digital Art Fundraiser and Workshop held in March.

Strategic partnerships with organisations such as Avetium Consult, Chazone Academy and Tech Ignite Africa — where iCOVE is noted as the only teenage-led startup at Tech Experience — have further strengthened its reach and credibility.

By 2030, iCOVE aims to establish “The COVE,” a physical innovation, tourism and empowerment hub envisioned as Africa’s Silicon Valley, designed to serve as a centre for technology, creativity, entrepreneurship and global collaboration.

As it continues to expand, iCOVE is calling on sponsors, partners, volunteers and innovative young people to join its mission.

With its motto, “The next generation builds what’s next,” the organisation says it is not merely imagining Africa’s innovation future but actively building it.