By Mohamed J. Massaquoi
A simple question that inspired one of the biggest innovation success stories this year is why should patients have to search from pharmacy to pharmacy for prescribed medicines?
That challenge led Dr. Abdulai Osman Koroma to develop MobiCare, a digital platform that helps patients locate pharmacies where their prescribed medications are available before leaving home. On Monday, the innovation earned him the top prize at the 7th Orange Social Venture Prize (OSVP) 2026, organised by Orange Sierra Leone.
Koroma walked away with NLe200,000, defeating seven other finalists whose ideas were selected from 138 applications submitted by young innovators from across the country.
The awards ceremony, held at the Orange Digital Center in Freetown, was more than a pitch competition. It served as a showcase of how technology is increasingly being harnessed by young entrepreneurs to solve everyday problems in healthcare, agriculture and other sectors critical to national development.
Explaining the idea behind MobiCare, Dr. Koroma said the application was born out of the frustration many patients experience when they are forced to visit multiple pharmacies in search of prescribed medicines.
“With MobiCare, users can search for medicines from home and quickly identify where they are available, reducing delays and improving access to healthcare,” he said after receiving the award.
The competition has grown steadily since Orange Sierra Leone launched the initiative in 2019. This year’s edition attracted one of its strongest fields yet, with 38 projects making the shortlist before eight finalists advanced to the final stage.
Addressing participants, Orange Sierra Leone Chief Executive Officer Aïcha Touré said innovation remains one of the most powerful tools for creating jobs and driving economic growth.
“For seven consecutive years, Orange has invested in Sierra Leonean innovators, supporting ideas that have the potential to transform communities and improve lives,” she said.
Touré noted that more than 1,000 entrepreneurs have participated in the programme since its introduction, adding that innovation requires resilience and a genuine commitment to solving real-world problems.
The event also highlighted agriculture as another area attracting young innovators.
Sarjoh Aziz Kamara, the government’s deputy minister of higher education commended Orange Sierra Leone for supporting youth entrepreneurship and complementing national efforts to build a digital economy.
“The future of Sierra Leone depends on innovation and technology,” he said, urging young innovators to continue developing solutions that address the country’s development challenges.
Hannah Campbell, chief executive officer of Coco Innovations Sierra Leone, described the Orange Social Venture Prize as more than a competition.
Medical student Fatmata Mariama Koroma, founder of MiFam, received NLe120,000 to expand her agricultural innovation. She said the support would help turn her vision of strengthening food security into a scalable enterprise while encouraging more young people to see agriculture as a business opportunity.
According to her, the initiative has become an important platform that gives entrepreneurs the confidence, mentorship and visibility needed to transform promising ideas into sustainable businesses.
As the 2026 edition came to a close, the winners reflected a broader shift taking place in the country’s innovation landscape, affirming that young entrepreneurs are increasingly building practical solutions to local problems rather than waiting for them to be solved.
For Orange Sierra Leone, now in its seventh year of running the competition, the message was clear: investing in local innovation is also an investment in the country’s future.
