Youth Scholarship

Fully-funded opportunities for young Nigerians aged 18–29 to attend the Youth Pre-Conference and lead the family planning conversation.

Ahead of the main conference, the Youth Pre-Conference is opening two fully-funded opportunities for young Nigerians aged 18–29 to lead the family planning conversation.

50 Fully-Funded Places

Youth Scholarship Programme

A fully-funded scholarship for 50 young Nigerians, covering return transport to Abuja, accommodation, daily per diem, and full access to the Youth Pre-Conference and main conference.

Application deadline30 September 2026
EligibilityNigerian citizens, 18–29 years
₦1,800,000 Prize Pool

FP Youth Hackathon & Investment Challenge

Pitch youth-led innovations solving the last mile in contraceptive access and SRH service delivery, for a chance at cash prizes, mentorship, and investment linkages.

Concept note deadline15 October 2026
Team sizeIndividuals or teams of up to 3

Both opportunities are open to young Nigerians aged 18–29. Complete the official online application form to apply for either one.

Youth Scholarship Programme

About the Scholarship

The Youth Subcommittee of the 9th NFPC is pleased to announce a fully-funded scholarship programme for 50 young Nigerians to attend the Youth Pre-Conference and main conference proceedings. This scholarship is designed to ensure that passionate, knowledgeable and committed young people from across Nigeria have the opportunity to participate, contribute and amplify the voices of adolescents and youth in shaping Nigeria's family planning future.

The Scholarship Covers

  • Return transportation to Abuja
  • Accommodation for the duration of the conference
  • Daily per diem allowance
  • Full access to the Youth Pre-Conference and main conference sessions

Eligibility Criteria

  • Be a Nigerian citizen between 18–29 years at the time of the conference
  • Be currently affiliated with a civil society organisation (CSO) or enrolled in a higher institution of learning
  • Have a demonstrated interest or experience in family planning, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), or related fields
  • Be available to attend the full duration of the Youth Pre-Conference (1st December 2026) and main conference (2nd–4th December 2026)
  • Not be in receipt of any other full funding support to attend the same conference

Priority Consideration

  • Young women and adolescent girls
  • Young people living with HIV
  • Young persons with disabilities
  • Applicants from underrepresented communities, including rural areas and humanitarian-affected settings
  • Applicants whose abstracts have been accepted for presentation at the 9th NFPC

Selection Process

All applications are reviewed by the Youth Subcommittee Selection Panel using a standardised scoring framework. Shortlisted applicants may be contacted for additional information. All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by 19th October 2026. The selection process is guided by the following principles:

  • Merit and demonstrated commitment to family planning and SRHR
  • Geographic diversity across Nigeria's six geopolitical zones
  • Gender equity and inclusion of marginalised youth populations
  • Priority for applicants with accepted conference abstracts

What You'll Need to Apply

The online application form will ask for the following:

1
Personal InformationFull name, age, gender, state of origin and state of residence, name and type of affiliated organisation, and contact details (phone and email).
2
Motivation StatementMaximum 300 words on why you want to attend the Youth Pre-Conference and what drives your passion for family planning and reproductive health.
3
FP/SRHR ExperienceMaximum 300 words describing your experience in family planning, SRHR, or related work — advocacy, community work, research, or programming. Be specific about your role and contributions.
4
Intended Benefits and Knowledge UseMaximum 300 words on how you intend to use the knowledge, connections, and experience gained if selected, and how it will benefit your organisation or community.
5
Abstract ReferenceIf you have submitted an abstract to the 9th NFPC, provide your abstract reference number and title.

Key Dates

  1. 1 September 2026Scholarship application opens
  2. 30 September 2026Application deadline
  3. 19 October 2026Notification of successful applicants
  4. 1 December 2026Youth Pre-Conference
  5. 2 – 4 December 2026Main Conference

Terms & Conditions

  • Scholarship awards are non-transferable and non-negotiable
  • Successful applicants are expected to attend all sessions of the Youth Pre-Conference and all days of the main conference
  • Successful applicants will be required to serve as youth rapporteurs, work in the youth pavilion, or contribute to the Youth Declaration process
  • Successful applicants must submit a brief post-conference report on their experience and how they have shared or applied their learnings within two weeks of the conference
  • Any applicant found to have provided false information will be disqualified immediately
FP Youth Hackathon & Investment Challenge

Solving the Last Mile

"Solving the Last Mile: Youth Innovations for Contraceptive Access and SRH Service Delivery in Nigeria"

Nigeria's family planning future depends on solving one of its most persistent challenges: getting contraceptives and sexual and reproductive health services to the people who need them most. With a modern contraceptive prevalence rate of just 15% among married women, commodity stockouts endemic in public health facilities, and millions of women and girls in rural, humanitarian-affected, and underserved communities unable to access basic SRH services, the last mile remains Nigeria's most critical family planning frontier. The FP Youth Hackathon and Investment Challenge is designed to surface, strengthen, and invest in youth-led solutions that can be scaled nationally to close this gap.

The Problem Statement

How might young Nigerians design innovative, scalable and sustainable solutions to improve the last mile distribution of contraceptives and delivery of sexual and reproductive health services to underserved communities across Nigeria?

Your Solution May Address

  • Supply chain and logistics innovations
  • Digital and technology-driven distribution models
  • Community-based service delivery approaches
  • Demand generation and behaviour change solutions
  • Financing mechanisms for last mile service delivery
  • Data and tracking systems for commodity management
  • Partnerships between formal and informal sector actors

Who Should Apply

Community mobilisers, tech innovators, logistics thinkers, data enthusiasts, and grassroots advocates. Both existing innovations already being implemented and new ideas at concept stage are welcome — your solution does not have to be perfect, it has to be real, relevant, and driven by a genuine understanding of the problem.

  • Be a Nigerian citizen between 18–29 years at the time of the conference
  • Be a registered participant of the 9th Nigeria Family Planning Conference
  • Apply as an individual or a team of no more than 3 members
  • Ensure all team members are registered conference participants
  • Submit only one entry per individual or team

Challenge Format

Phase 1

Registration & Concept Submission

Opens 15 September · Closes 15 October 2026

Teams register online and submit a concept note of no more than 2 pages covering the specific last mile problem they are addressing, their proposed solution, how it works and who it serves, evidence of impact or feasibility, and what they would do with investment or support if selected.

Phase 2

Shortlisting

10 November 2026

The Youth Subcommittee Technical Review Panel reviews all submissions and selects 7 finalist teams. All applicants are notified. Finalists receive confirmation of selection, a preparation brief for developing their full pitch, and access to a virtual pre-conference mentoring session with one of the judges.

Phase 3

Hackathon Morning

2 December 2026, 11:00 AM

Finalist teams take part in an intensive 3-hour hackathon session, assigned a dedicated mentor/coach to refine their solution, strengthen their pitch, and prepare their presentation, with a facilitated peer feedback session between finalist teams. Final pitch decks/materials are due by 12:00 PM.

Phase 4

Investment Pitch Session

3 December 2026, 2:00 PM · Youth Pavilion

Each finalist team presents for 15 minutes (10 minutes to present, 5 minutes for questions) in the afternoon session of the Youth Pavilion, open to all Youth Pre-Conference participants. The audience vote contributes 10% of the final score. Winners are announced at the closing ceremony on 4th December.

What to Submit

Applications must include a concept note of no more than 2 pages covering the following:

1
The ProblemWhat specific last mile challenge are you addressing? Who is affected and where? Use data or evidence where possible.
2
Your SolutionWhat is your proposed innovation or approach? Is it an existing initiative or a new concept? How does it work?
3
Who It ServesWho are the primary beneficiaries of your solution? How does it reach underserved or hard-to-reach populations?
4
Evidence and FeasibilityIf your solution already exists, what evidence of impact do you have? If it is a new concept, why do you believe it is feasible?
5
Investment PlanIf selected and supported, what would you do with the investment? What would change or grow as a result?

Prizes & Support Package

1st Place₦1,000,000

6-month mentorship from a senior FP professional, a featured presentation slot at the main conference plenary, a media feature in conference proceedings and communications, and linkage to incubation and acceleration support.

2nd Place₦500,000

3-month mentorship support, a media feature in conference proceedings, and linkage to relevant implementing partners.

3rd Place₦300,000

A media feature in conference proceedings, and linkage to relevant implementing partners and networks.

Finalists (4th–7th)Certificate of Recognition

A media feature in conference proceedings, and linkage to relevant networks and partners.

Total Prize Pool: ₦1,800,000

Key Dates

  1. 15 September 2026Challenge opens
  2. 15 October 2026Concept note submission deadline
  3. 10 November 2026Finalist notification
  4. 1 week before conferenceVirtual mentoring session for finalists
  5. 2 December 2026, 11:00 AMHackathon morning
  6. 3 December 2026, 2:00 PMInvestment pitch session (Youth Pavilion)
  7. 4 December 2026Winner announcement — Closing Ceremony

Terms & Conditions

  • All intellectual property remains with the applicant or team
  • By applying, teams consent to their solution being featured in conference communications, proceedings, and media coverage
  • The Youth Subcommittee reserves the right to disqualify any application found to contain plagiarised or misrepresented content
  • Prize disbursement is subject to the team providing valid bank account details and completing a brief post-challenge impact report within 30 days of the conference
  • The judging panel's decision is final