The African Union has launched a continental competition inviting young African creatives to design the official visual identity for its Theme of the Year 2027, according to MSME Africa. The contest is open to citizens of AU member states between the ages of 18 and 24, and the winning design will represent the union throughout 2027. Entries close on 23 October 2026 at 11:59 PM East Africa Time.
Why it matters
The competition hands young Africans a rare chance to shape how a major continental institution presents itself on the world stage. The chosen logo will not sit in a drawer; it will appear across African Union materials for an entire year, tied to a theme that touches aviation, technology and regional unity.
For the designers themselves, the payoff goes beyond prize money. MSME Africa reports that the top three entrants will receive certificates, visibility through AU platforms and training opportunities. The overall winner is expected to attend an AU Summit where the logo will be formally unveiled, and will work with the union to refine the concept for official use.
The contest also signals where the AU wants to direct attention in 2027: toward connectivity and the technologies reshaping how African countries trade, travel and communicate with one another.
What the 2027 theme is asking for
The full title of the theme is "AU at the Dawn of its 25th Anniversary: Leveraging the Full Potential of SAATM and New Technologies for Continental Integration." It marks a quarter-century since the African Union's founding and places two forces at its centre — the Single African Air Transport Market, known as SAATM, and emerging technologies.
Applicants are being asked to build a visual concept around four pillars, per MSME Africa: the African Union at 25, continental integration and African unity, SAATM and connectivity, and African-led innovation in new technology. The guidelines point designers toward ideas of open African skies, movement, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, inclusion and shared prosperity.
The AU has also set out what it does not want. National flags, political symbols, cultural stereotypes, stock imagery and obvious pairings of aircraft with tech icons are all discouraged. The aim is a mark that reads as continental rather than national, and as considered rather than literal.
Submission requirements and rules
This is an individual contest. Team and joint entries are not permitted, and each person may submit only one design. No formal creative qualification is needed — students, designers, artists, digital creatives and innovators are all eligible. Members of the evaluation process, AU staff, contractors and their immediate families cannot take part.
The required package is substantial. Entrants must supply a primary logo with and without the campaign title, in colour, black-and-white and reversed versions, along with a basic colour palette and typography direction. They also need mock-ups showing the logo on a digital card, an event backdrop and a publication cover, plus a preview image in PNG or JPEG at a minimum width of 3,000 pixels.
A concept and motivation note of no more than 500 words must explain the symbolism, colours and visual elements behind the design and how it connects to the 2027 theme. Applicants must also provide proof of nationality and age, a completed application form, and a signed declaration covering originality, intellectual property and artificial intelligence.
That last declaration carries weight. The AU has explicitly barred generative AI from the competition. Logos created, altered or substantially enhanced with generative tools will be rejected, though standard graphic-design software is allowed as long as its AI features are left unused. The union may ask for sketches or other evidence of the design process and will run originality and technical checks.
Prizes and how entries will be scored
Cash prizes go to the top three: USD 5,000 for first place, USD 2,000 for second and USD 1,000 for third, MSME Africa reports.
Judging is weighted across seven criteria. Relevance to the full 2027 theme carries the most influence at 25 percent, followed by alignment with AU values, Agenda 2063 and Pan-African identity at 20 percent, and creativity, originality and visual impact at 20 percent. Simplicity, clarity and recognisability account for 15 percent; adaptability and technical execution for 10 percent; accessibility, cultural sensitivity and multilingual usability for 5 percent; and the quality of the concept note for the remaining 5 percent.
The process runs through administrative screening, technical evaluation, shortlist verification and final adjudication.
What to watch
Anyone intending to enter should read the official guidelines first, gather the full design package and submit through the African Union's entry portal well before the deadline. MSME Africa advises applicants to keep the automated acknowledgement they receive after submitting as proof of entry. With the window closing on 23 October 2026, the next milestone to watch is the shortlist and eventual unveiling of the winning identity at an AU Summit.
