Niger’s Likita Care wins £50,000 Africa Prize for locally repairable medical technology

Mamane Kabirou Ousseini, the founder of Niger-based Likita Care, has won the 2026 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, receiving £50,000 to develop his medical technology business.

As reported by Disrupt Africa on 2 November, the venture manufactures patient-monitoring equipment locally, addressing a practical problem: imported devices can become unusable when replacement parts and specialist repairs are difficult to obtain. The company says more than 70 units are already operating across five medical centres.

Ousseini’s next steps include commercialising the equipment in Niger and preparing for neighbouring West African markets. The prize follows an eight-month programme for 16 entrepreneurs. For Likita Care, the award provides resources to move beyond recognition and build the manufacturing, servicing and distribution capacity its customers will need.