The European Union (EU), Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) have launched the second cohort of the Investing in Young Businesses in Africa – Women Entrepreneurship for Africa (IYBA-WE4A) Programme. This initiative builds on the success of the first cohort, which supported 751 African women-led green businesses with USD $3.99 million in funding, and now aims to empower over 1,000 women entrepreneurs across critical green sectors.
Applications for the second cohort opened on 6 October 2025 and will close on 25 January 2026. Successful applicants will receive USD $5,000 in seed capital, along with tailored business management training, a customised green curriculum, mentorship, and lifetime access to a digital platform that fosters sustained growth and investment readiness. The programme targets sectors including sustainable agriculture, the blue economy, renewable energy, circular economy, eco-tourism, construction, and logistics.
Participants will benefit from comprehensive support including non-refundable seed funding to scale their businesses, specialised business management training, mentorship, and access to a platform for continued networking and investment opportunities. They will also gain from masterclasses led by industry experts on topics such as finance, resilience, digital growth, leadership, and business expansion.
Through this initiative, the EU, OACPS, BMZ, GIZ, and TEF reaffirm their commitment to gender-focused economic empowerment and sustainable development. The programme aims to reduce Africa’s environmental impact while advancing the EU Gender Action Plan (GAP III) and promoting inclusive economic growth.
Somachi Chris-Asoluka, CEO of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, emphasized the transformative potential of supporting women entrepreneurs, noting that scaling the second cohort will accelerate Africa’s inclusive green economy and unlock the potential of African women when provided with proper support. Romina Kochius, Director of Programme, WE4D, highlighted the critical role of the private sector in driving social change and economic equality through initiatives of this scale.
Interested applicants are encouraged to apply before the deadline of 25 January 2026.
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