From 26th to 28th August 2025, the Hyatt Regency in Westlands, Nairobi, became the hub of African health innovation as AfyaFest 2025 unfolded. This flagship event of the Africa Health Collaborative (AHC)—hosted by Amref Health Africa and Amref International University (AMIU) in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation—brought together young innovators, health entrepreneurs, higher education institutions, private and public sector leaders, and global partners from across eight countries.
With the theme “Leveraging Health Innovation and Entrepreneurship to Improve Access to Primary Healthcare for All,” the three-day convening spotlighted bold, scalable solutions designed to transform Africa’s health landscape.
The Big Picture: Why AfyaFest Matters
Africa continues to face pressing health challenges in areas such as:
- Maternal & Child Health (RMNCAH)
- Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) & Mental Health
- Climate & Health
- Global Health Security
AfyaFest 2025 created a platform for youth to validate their business models, network with investors and incubators, and forge collaborations that can accelerate solutions for the continent’s healthcare systems.
The festival was not just about showcasing ideas; it emphasized community-centered design, job creation, cultural relevance, and systems integration—ensuring that health innovations work for Africa, by Africa.
Highlights from the 3-Day Festival
Day 1 – A Call to Rise as Job Creators
AfyaFest 2025 opened with powerful plenary sessions that underscored the role of African youth as job creators. Speakers emphasized that universities must equip students not just with academic knowledge, but also with skills to adapt across sectors, innovate globally, and build enterprises that uplift communities.
The tone was clear: Africa’s next generation of health leaders must be entrepreneurial, adaptable, and globally connected.
Day 2 – Investor-Readiness & Scaling Health Startups
The second day highlighted Africa’s resilience in health innovation. Mr. Sewu-Steve Tawia delivered a keynote underscoring how regional innovation networks, spanning Anglophone and Francophone Africa, are strengthening the continent’s capacity to scale health solutions.
Masterclass sessions on investor-readiness revealed a crucial insight: to scale health innovations, entrepreneurs need both capital and compassion.
Participants also explored how startups are tackling NCDs and mental health through fitness tech, mobile counseling apps, and wellness platforms—evidence of Africa’s growing digital health ecosystem.
Day 3 – Showcasing the Future of African Health
The final day was a celebration of African ingenuity. Exhibition booths buzzed with energy as youth-led teams presented their solutions. The high-energy pitching sessions reminded everyone that the future of health in Africa is being written by its young people.
From wearable maternal health monitors to digital mental health platforms, the ideas on display weren’t waiting for change—they were building it.
The event concluded with awards recognizing the most promising solutions, setting the stage for scale-up across the continent.
The AfyaFest Experience
Across the three days, participants engaged in:
- Solution showcases & pitches
- Masterclasses & technical workshops
- Panel discussions with sector leaders
- Networking and collaboration spaces
These activities fostered an ecosystem where students, entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers could connect, exchange knowledge, and co-create solutions that respond to Africa’s health priorities.
AMIU’s Role in Shaping Africa’s Health Future
As co-hosts of AfyaFest 2025, Amref International University (AMIU) reaffirmed its commitment to equipping young people with the skills, networks, and entrepreneurial mindset to drive transformative change in healthcare.
By engaging students in team-led solutions, innovation showcases, and cross-continental networking, AMIU continues to place youth at the heart of Africa’s primary healthcare transformation.
Partners Who Made It Possible
AfyaFest 2025 was powered by a strong network of African and global institutions under the Africa Health Collaborative, including:
- Addis Ababa University (AAU)
- African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS)
- African Leadership University (ALU)
- Amref International University (AMIU)/Amref Health Africa
- Ashesi University
- Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST)
- Mastercard Foundation
- Moi University
- University of Cape Town (UCT)
- University of Toronto (U of T)
- Africa Health Collaborative Secretariat
Looking Ahead
AfyaFest 2025 demonstrated that when African youth, universities, entrepreneurs, and partners come together, healthcare transformation becomes possible.
For AMIU, the journey continues—building platforms where knowledge, innovation, and entrepreneurship converge to improve access to primary healthcare for all.
Official Hashtags:
#AfyaFest2025 | #AfricaHealthCollaborative | #AMIU4PHC | #YouthForInnovation
