Safaricom strengthens support for Kenyan Youth through Young Lions Cannes Initiative

Youth through Young Lions Cannes Initiative Safaricom has reaffirmed its commitment to nurturing Kenya’s creative talent through its continued partnership with the Kenya Young Lions Competition.

The platform identifies and prepares young professionals to compete on the global stage at the prestigious Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in France.

Now in its second edition featuring Kenyan participation, the Young Lions Competition brings together creatives aged 30 and below to develop innovative campaigns under intense time pressure across the Film, Digital and Design categories.

This year, 42 participants were shortlisted from hundreds of portfolio submissions, with six eventual winners set to represent Kenya at the global competition in Cannes this June.

Emuron Alemu, the official representative of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in Kenya, said the competition is designed to expose Kenyan creatives to the highest level of global creative standards.

“This is the world’s gold standard of creativity — the Oscars, Grammys and Olympics of advertising and marketing combined,” Alemu said.

“We had hundreds of entries submitted by teams, reviewed by a jury of senior industry experts who shortlisted the very best across the three categories. From there, we will crown three winning teams who will go on to compete internationally.”

Safaricom, the competition’s title sponsor for the second consecutive year, plays a critical role in making the opportunity accessible by financing travel, accommodation and key logistics for the winners.

Zizwe Awuor, Safaricom’s Marketing Director, said the partnership reflects the company’s long-term commitment to growing Kenya’s creative economy.

“We believe Kenyan creatives have some of the best ideas in the world,” Awuor said.

“For us, this is about providing a platform that takes talent from wherever they are and putting it on the global stage. Consistency is how you make real impact.”

He added that the competition briefs are based on real-world brand challenges, allowing Safaricom to tap into fresh creative thinking while empowering young professionals.

“Creativity starts with a powerful idea,” Awuor said.

“Digital tools and AI can support execution, but the human touch remains unmatched.”

Beyond Safaricom’s sponsorship, industry partners including Tusker, MB96 and Belva have joined efforts to ensure the competition runs successfully, highlighting growing private sector investment in creative talent development.

Organisers say lessons from last year’s inaugural edition have strengthened this year’s competition, including earlier planning to ensure smoother logistics for international travel.

“We are confident in the caliber of creativity in this country,” Alemu said.

“Our young people are not just participating — they are ready to compete and win globally.”