12 Challenges and Opportunities for Women and Youths in Digital Health Innovation, Creativity, and Entrepreneurship in Africa

"Even the chicken that scratches the ground all day dreams of laying golden eggs." — African proverb (freestyle remix)

If you’ve ever been to a digital health pitch competition in Nairobi, Accra, or Lagos, you’ll notice something refreshing—young people and women are no longer waiting for permission. They're building apps, launching startups, running clinics from Telegram bots, and turning healthcare pain points into billion-shilling dreams.

But don’t let the energy fool you—the hustle is harder when your name ends with “a” or your age starts with “2”.

Let’s break down 12 challenges and juicy opportunities facing Africa’s women and youth in the world of digital health innovation and entrepreneurship.

CHALLENGES (Because Nobody Sends You Transport Money)

1. Funding Inequality That Deserves a Side Eye

Less than 3% of venture capital in Africa goes to female-led startups (Briter Bridges, 2021). And when it comes to youth founders? “Come back when you’re older” is the polite version. Investors say "traction" when they mean "experience"—but how will the youth gain it if no one funds their first big idea?

2. Tech Bros and Gender Bias

Let’s be honest—many digital health forums still look like a university engineering class: all men. Women healthpreneurs get questioned on tech skills, leadership ability, and sometimes—who owns their business. Misogyny didn’t disappear; it just got a start-up visa.

3. Digital Skills Gap

While urban youth in Cairo or Johannesburg are fluent in Figma, rural youth may not even have access to stable electricity, let alone UX design tutorials. This digital divide is sharper than a Nairobi boda rider in traffic.

4. Unfriendly Policies

Regulatory red tape in many African countries favours the big boys—NGOs, telcos, and established hospitals. Meanwhile, startups struggle to register, get permits, or comply with obscure digital health laws written before ChatGPT was born.

5. Cultural Stigma and Gender Roles

“You’re too young to be CEO.” “You should focus on marriage.” “Tech isn’t for women.” Sound familiar? In many communities, young women face social expectations that clash with entrepreneurship dreams.

6. Lack of Mentorship

Finding a good mentor in African healthtech is like hunting for affordable rent in Sandton—possible, but rare. Many trailblazing women and youth are operating in isolation, making avoidable mistakes.

OPPORTUNITIES (Because We Move Regardless)

7. Digital Health Is the Ultimate Equaliser

In the world of apps and APIs, no one knows if you're 22 or 52. Many African youth are building health startups straight from university dorms. Platforms like Flutterwave, mPharma, and Zipline are proof that youth-led innovation can scale (World Economic Forum, 2022).

8. Women Are Redefining Health Leadership

Meet Temie Giwa-Tubosun, founder of LifeBank in Nigeria. Or Dr. Catherine Nyongesa, founder of Texas Cancer Centre in Nairobi. Women are not just joining the digital health revolution—they're leading it with flair, empathy, and strategy.

9. Supportive Communities Are Growing

From She Leads Africa to iHub Nairobi, MEST Ghana, and Women Who Build Africa, the ecosystem is catching up. These communities offer funding, mentorship, training, and networking. Yes, there’s still room for improvement—but the seeds are planted.

10. Global Grants and Challenges Love African Youth and Women

UNICEF’s Venture Fund, Google for Startups Accelerator Africa, and Women in Tech Africa are throwing dollars (well, sometimes euros) at innovative African health ideas—especially those solving real-world problems like maternal mortality or mental health.

11. Mobile and Social Media as Business Tools

WhatsApp therapy groups. Instagram health influencers. TikTok pharmacists. African youth are turning their phones into clinics, marketing teams, and e-pharmacies. It’s disruptive. It’s grassroots. It’s genius.

12. Rise of Afrocentric Health Innovation

Young Africans are fusing ancestral knowledge with tech. Think AI-powered diagnosis tools trained on African symptoms. Think telehealth apps in Swahili, Yoruba, Zulu, and Arabic. When we build for ourselves, we build better.

Final Thoughts: We’re Not Asking to Be Included. We’re Building Anyway.

"If they won't let you sit at the table, bring your own chair. If there's no table—build one with the wood they used to block your path." — New-school African proverb

African women and youth aren’t just participants in digital health—they're architects of the future. Yes, the barriers are real. But so is the brilliance. So is the courage. So is the opportunity.

We don’t just need more funding. We need more faith in youth-led, women-powered solutions. Because trust me, if you invest in a young African woman innovator in healthcare, you’re not just empowering her—you’re curing a continent.

References

Briter Bridges. (2021). Gender dynamics in Africa’s startup ecosystem: A 2021 snapshot. https://briterbridges.com/gender-dynamics-in-africas-startup-ecosystem

World Economic Forum. (2022). 5 African startups using tech to improve healthcare access. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/09/african-healthcare-startups-tech/

She Leads Africa. (2024). Empowering women in African entrepreneurship. https://sheleadsafrica.org

Women Who Build Africa. (2023). Connecting women building scalable businesses in Africa. https://www.wwba.africa

UNICEF Innovation Fund. (2024). Investing in open-source tech by women and youth. https://www.unicef.org/innovation/venturefund