The AFRICA-FINGERS program, led by Dr. Chi Udeh-Momoh and Prof. Miia Kivipelto, is a groundbreaking initiative within the World-Wide FINGERS network that aims to reduce dementia risk in Africa. This initiative has been collaboratively developed with input from key regional stakeholders and leverages expertise from WW-FINGERS, the Alzheimer’s Disease Data Initiative (ADDI) platform, Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative (DAC), ADI, the Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI) and Global Dementia Prevention Program (GloDePP); and embedded within the African Dementia Consortium (AfDC).

Focusing on Kenya and Nigeria as vanguard sites, the five-year, mixed-methods study funded by the UKRI Medical Research Council integrates culturally tailored, multidomain interventions to address region-specific dementia risk factors. It employs Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) principles, engaging local stakeholders in co-designing protocols to ensure sustainability and cultural appropriateness.

The multidimensional intervention has been meticulously crafted to ensure its seamless integration into routine healthcare practice and applicability across similar cultural contexts through comprehensive testing of acceptability, feasibility, and efficacy. It is poised to serve as a model for prevention research in LMIC settings, as well as for diasporic populations, who are often marginalised and underrepresented in high-income country research. The randomized controlled trial (RCT) targets adults aged 50–85 years at risk for dementia, using interventions in diet, physical activity, cognitive stimulation, and cardiovascular health. Advanced biospecimen analyses, imaging technologies, and ecological momentary assessments provide a comprehensive evaluation of intervention outcomes, including genetic and lifestyle factors. Unique innovations include exploring the feasibility of brain donation programs and integrating cost-effectiveness assessments to inform health system integration.

Beyond dementia prevention, AFRICA-FINGERS promotes brain health, aiming to enhance resilience, brain capital, and quality of life. The program combines cutting-edge research with community-driven approaches, and sets a precedent for dementia prevention in low- and middle-income countries, advocating for equitable, scalable strategies tailored to African populations.