Meta Unveils $20,000 Llama Impact Grant for AI Innovators in Sub-Saharan Africa

Meta, in collaboration with Data Science Africa, has announced the Llama Impact Grant, an initiative aimed at supporting startups and researchers in Sub-Saharan Africa. The grant, part of Meta’s global Llama Impact Grants program, seeks to fund projects that leverage Llama, Meta’s open-source large language model, to develop innovative solutions tailored to the region’s unique challenges.

With artificial intelligence (AI) playing a transformative role in sectors like healthcare, agriculture, and scientific research, Meta is calling for proposals from individuals and organizations across Sub-Saharan Africa to develop AI-driven solutions using Llama.

According to Meta’s statement, proposals will be assessed based on the following criteria:

• A clear and compelling use case for Llama

• A well-defined path to impact with a large potential user base

• The expertise and composition of the team

• Ethical considerations in product development

• A realistic budget and timeline

The winning proposal will receive a $20,000 grant to bring their project to life. Interested applicants must submit their proposals via the online application portal before the deadline on April 18, 2025.

Meta’s Vision for AI in Africa

Speaking on the initiative, Balkissa Ide Siddo, Meta’s Public Policy Director for Sub-Saharan Africa, emphasized the transformative power of AI and its potential to accelerate innovation and productivity.

“We’re still in the early days, but AI is likely to fundamentally change every aspect of our lives—spurring innovation, turbo-charging growth, and driving an explosion in learning and productivity,” she said.

“At the forefront of this transformation are open-source AI models, like Meta’s Llama, which are available for free for organizations to use, modify, and build on. Through this grant program, we hope to support and scale AI-driven solutions across Africa that address the continent’s unique social and economic challenges, empowering innovators to drive meaningful impact,” she added.

The Llama Impact Grant for Sub-Saharan Africa is part of Meta’s broader global initiative, which launched in October 2023.