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Johnson & Johnson Launches Africa Innovation Challenge 2.0

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Johnson & Johnson has launched the Champions of Science Africa Innovation Challenge 2.0, the second continent-wide competition calling on African innovators to submit ideas for innovative technologies, products and solutions that have the potential to create positive impact for African communities.

The challenge focuses on identifying scalable and sustainable solutions to six major health and environmental problems for Africa’s population.

“The growing number of innovation hubs throughout Africa is sparking a new generation of entrepreneurs who are innovating and finding new solutions for issues facing their communities,” said Josh Ghaim, Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. and member of the Johnson & Johnson Research & Development Management Committee, who is launching the challenge at the Africa Women Innovation & Entrepreneurship Forum in Cape Town.

“Our goal with the second Africa Innovation Challenge is to expand our support for the region’s entrepreneurs by pushing the boundaries of creative solutions to meet several areas of urgent need.

With six new solution categories, Africa Innovation Challenge 2.0 represents an extraordinary opportunity for the region’s growing community of innovators to showcase new ideas with the potential for broad societal impact,” added Ghaim.

“At Johnson & Johnson, we believe a great idea can come from anyone, anywhere, and we work with entrepreneurs around the world to relentlessly pursue innovations that advance and enhance the health of everyone, everywhere,” said Seema Kumar, Vice President, Innovation, Global Public Health and Science Policy Communication, Johnson & Johnson and member of the Johnson & Johnson Research & Development Management Committee, who is simultaneously launching the challenge today at the Women Leaders in Global Health Conference in London.

“This is an exciting time to be part of Africa’s rapidly advancing innovation ecosystem, which recognizes that people and patients across the continent are waiting for urgent solutions.

The Africa Innovation Challenge provides an important platform to support emerging entrepreneurs and help accelerate the development of unique, sustainable health care and environmental solutions.”

The Africa Innovation Challenge 2.0 is designed to address the critical unmet needs of the continent and local communities in Africa while providing support to Africa-based entrepreneurs in creating innovative health care products and services.

Among the selection criteria, entries must demonstrate the potential for scale from proof of concept stage to long-term sustainability. Challenge participants with the best solutions will receive up to US$50,000 in funding and mentorship from the global network of scientists, engineers and business managers within the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies to bring new solutions forward.

“We are thrilled to be collaborating once again on the Africa Innovation Challenge,” said Thierry Zomahoun, President and CEO of the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) and Founder and Chairman of the Next Einstein Forum (NEF).

“Earlier this year, at our biennial Next Einstein Forum event, we had the pleasure of hearing from the first challenge winners.

“The incredible success of their businesses provides wonderful examples of leadership and entrepreneurialism and is a testament to the amazing young talent across Africa. We look forward to the winners of Africa Innovation Challenge 2.0.”

“The Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies comprises of one of the world’s largest health care companies and is drawing on over 85 years of engagement in Africa in over 25 countries, and we are proud to support Africa’s rapidly advancing innovation ecosystem,” said Alma Scott, Vice President, Operations and Partnerships, Global Public Health, Johnson & Johnson.

“We’ve learned over time that solving last-mile challenges through local empowerment offers the greatest potential impact in the fight against public health challenges, and that it can also help fuel the local economy and catalyze infrastructure investments.”


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Yahoo Mail Halts Free Storage Service, Caps at 20GB

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Yahoo Mail has announced a major shift in its storage policy, slashing the free email storage cap to 20GB and rolling out a new subscription model starting at $1.99 per month for 100GB.

The change, which takes effect immediately, marks a significant downgrade for many long-time users who have grown accustomed to Yahoo’s previously generous storage offering.

In a notice sent to users on Tuesday, the company urged account holders to review their current storage usage and consider paid upgrade options to avoid disruptions.

“Once you reach the 20GB limit, you will no longer be able to send or receive emails unless you either delete existing messages or upgrade your account,” the notice warned.

While access to inboxes will remain intact for now, users will be forced to clean up their accounts or move to a paid tier to maintain full functionality.

Yahoo has unveiled two new storage plans which are 100GB for $1.99/month and 1TB for $9.99/month.

For those seeking a more premium experience, Yahoo is also offering Yahoo Mail Plus, which includes 200GB of storage, an ad-free interface, and additional features. However, users opting for the 100GB and 1TB tiers will still be served ads, a move likely to frustrate those paying for expanded capacity.

To ease the transition, Yahoo is rolling out new tools to help users manage their inboxes more efficiently. These include real-time storage tracking, a usage dashboard, sorting options for large emails, and an attachment manager to help clear out space-consuming files.

Despite the enhancements, the abrupt downgrade has sparked concerns among users, particularly those with email archives spanning more than a decade. Critics argue the change could pressure many into paying for what was previously free, without a proportionate upgrade in value, especially considering ads remain in place for all but the premium Plus tier.

Yahoo’s new model brings it closer to competitors like Gmail, which offers 15GB of free storage shared across Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos. Google’s paid plans also begin at $1.99/month for 100GB, but offer additional benefits such as photo backups and expanded cloud services. Gmail also provides a cleaner experience, with minimal ads even on its free plan.

Yahoo Mail’s new 20GB limit applies exclusively to email storage, a slight advantage for users who don’t rely heavily on broader cloud services. But the real test will be how users respond to the newly imposed constraints and whether the value proposition is strong enough to convert them into paying subscribers.

 


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CAC to Delist 100,000 Dormant Firms After 90-Day Compliance Window

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Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in Nigeria has announced a significant move to strike off approximately 100,000 dormant companies from its register due to their failure to file annual returns for over a decade.

This initiative, aimed at cleaning up the nation’s business registry, was confirmed in a statement released by the CAC on Tuesday, 29 July 2025. The commission has granted these companies a 90-day grace period to submit all outstanding annual returns or face permanent removal from the database.

The CAC’s action is grounded in Section 692 (3) (4) of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) No. 3 of 2020, which empowers the commission to delist defunct or inactive companies.

The statement, published on the CAC’s official website, urges affected companies to file their overdue returns and notify the commission via email at activation@cac.gov.ng to avoid being struck off.

The commission has also made it clear that it is illegal to conduct business under the name of a delisted company, as such entities are considered dissolved.

Registrar General Garba Abubakar previously noted that nearly 90% of registered companies in Nigeria are dormant, highlighting the scale of non-compliance. This crackdown is part of a broader effort to enhance transparency and ensure a robust business environment in Nigeria.

The CAC has advised stakeholders to verify the status of companies before engaging in transactions, warning that dealing with a dissolved company could lead to legal repercussions. Only a Federal High Court order can reinstate a delisted company, underscoring the gravity of the process.

The list of affected companies, numbering around 100,000, has been published on the CAC’s website, allowing businesses to check their status. Companies that have already filed complete annual returns but find themselves listed have been instructed to provide evidence of compliance by emailing compliance@cac.gov.ng within the 90-day window.

This initiative follows earlier warnings from the CAC, including a December 2024 announcement to delist 91,843 companies and a subsequent removal of 80,429 companies in November 2024, which included notable names like Innoson “Vinod” International Limited and Jolly Food Industries Ltd.

The 90-day grace period, starting from 29 July 2025, offers a final opportunity for these companies to regularise their status.

The CAC’s decisive action signals a commitment to fostering accountability and compliance within Nigeria’s corporate landscape, raising important questions about the operational challenges facing thousands of registered businesses.

As the deadline approaches, the commission’s efforts are expected to reshape the country’s business ecosystem, ensuring only active and compliant entities remain on the register.


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InfraCredit, AMDA Sign Partnership to Unlock Local Financing for Africa’s Mini-grid Sector

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InfraCredit, a specialised infrastructure credit guarantee institution, has entered into a strategic partnership with the Africa Minigrid Developers Association (AMDA) to boost access to long-term local currency financing for mini-grid and distributed renewable energy (DRE) projects across Africa.

The agreement aims to strengthen market development and address long-standing financing barriers in the mini-grid sector, especially in Nigeria and other underserved African markets.

The collaboration is aligned with InfraCredit’s Clean Energy Funding Programme (CEFP), which offers credit enhancement, due diligence support, and technical assistance to renewable energy developers.

“With an estimated 86 million Nigerians, alongside hundreds of millions across Africa—still living without electricity, bridging this energy access gap demands a pipeline of investment-ready, well-prepared projects that can unlock scalable capital and accelerate financial close,” said Chinua Azubike, CEO of InfraCredit.

“This partnership creates a practical pathway to scale the impact of our Clean Energy Funding Programme by equipping more developers to structure commercially viable mini-grid and DRE projects that qualify for long-term local currency finance,” Azubike added.

Through the agreement, both InfraCredit and AMDA will work together to facilitate technical assistance, share toolkits, and deploy credit modelling frameworks, including InfraCredit’s Distributed Renewable Energy Lending Toolkit (DRELT) and DRE Credit Rating Model. These tools aim to enhance the bankability of projects and improve developers’ ability to secure patient capital in local currency.

AMDA, which represents mini-grid developers operating in over 20 African countries, brings deep sector expertise and a strong network of DRE operators to the partnership.

According to Lamide Niyi-Afuye, CEO of AMDA, the collaboration addresses one of the most persistent challenges in the sector.

“We are pleased to collaborate with InfraCredit to address one of the most persistent barriers in the minigrid sector, access to affordable, long-term local currency finance,” said Niyi-Afuye.

“By aligning AMDA’s advocacy and technical support efforts with InfraCredit’s proven models and tools, we aim to accelerate the deployment of resilient, decentralised energy solutions that deliver tangible socioeconomic benefits in Africa. We view this partnership as a blueprint that will be used beyond borders, paving the way for broader regional impact,” he added.

The partnership will also support the development of transaction-ready pipelines, capacity-building initiatives, and investor-developer forums aimed at improving market transparency and accelerating the roll-out of commercially viable mini-grids.

By facilitating access to domestic blended finance and strengthening project preparation, the partnership hopes to unlock greater private sector participation, mobilise local capital, and expand clean energy access across unserved and underserved communities in Africa.


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