Lafọgidó Orànmíyàn Initiative

Africa’s next renaissance.

Our mission is to discover Africa’s most exceptional young minds, fund them without conditions, and give them the time, freedom and community to build what the continent needs most: energy, health and food.

Meet the Fellows →Our work ↓
Trusted partners
University of OregonGoogle CloudKiru
Core areas of innovation

Three foundations for a continent.

Every LÒRI Fellow works on energy, health or food, because nothing else Africa builds stands without them. Select an area to see its flagship project.

The LÒRI Fellows

Original minds, fully backed.

Each Fellow receives a grant, the freedom to think, and a community of peers to build what Africa needs.

News & Publications

Recent milestones.

Appointments, inventions and research from across the LÒRI community.

  1. University of Oregon
    2026/09LÒRI partners with the University of Oregon’s Global Studies Institute on future training and scholarship opportunities
  2. University of Oregon
    2026/08LÒRI expands to Northern Nigeria to reach vulnerable populations, bringing fellowships awarded to 34
  3. University of Oregon
    2026The fourth LÒRI cohort is announced, led by David Opateyibo, the first African to design and build a locally manufactured drone in Nigeria
  4. University of Oregon
    2026/04The third LÒRI cohort is announced, led by Lois Adamu
  5. University of Oregon
    2026/03Partnership with Harvard Professor Jacob Kehinde Olupona’s Ife Institute of Advanced Studies (IIAS)
  6. University of Oregon
    2026/01The second LÒRI cohort is announced, led by Boluwatife Asake Adeniji
  7. University of Oregon
    2025₦3M to Prince Adeyemi Ademiluyi of the Lafọgidó Heritage Foundation to support youth in Osun State
  8. University of Oregon
    2025/11LÒRI Fellow Dr. Charles Isah Saidu published at a 2025 IEEE conference
  9. University of Oregon
    2025/07LÒRI featured in TechCabal
  10. University of Oregon
    2025/01The first six LÒRI Fellows are announced, led by Benedict Okpala
  11. University of Oregon
    2024Dr. Ifedayo Adeyefa, great-grandson of the Ooni of Ife, launches LÒRI