Nigerien innovator Mamane Kabirou Ousseini won the 2026 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation and a £50,000 award. He is the first engineer from Niger to participate in and win the prize. His platform, Likita Care, helps health workers access real-time patient data in resource-limited settings.
Other award winners
Runner-up innovations from Kenya and South Africa received £10,000 each. Pee-Cycling converts urine into fertilizer and treated water, MoyoECG supports cardiac screening, and Renal Roads provides mobile dialysis. The £5,000 One-to-Watch Award went to Ghana's Fusion Wind Turbine.
Likita Care's origins
Ousseini previously repaired medical equipment in Niger's hospitals. Imported monitoring devices often broke down without local spare parts or specialist support. He co-founded Likita Care to supply locally manufactured monitoring technology.
How the platform works
Likita Care combines connected hardware, clinical software, and local digital manufacturing. Its devices support patient, cardiac, and prenatal monitoring. A dashboard tracks multiple patients and an embedded AI module interprets vital signs in real time.
Ousseini plans to commercialize Likita Care in Niger. He also intends to prepare for expansion into neighboring West African markets. Applications for the next Africa Prize open in mid-2027.