Support for Young Innovators and Eco-entrepreneurs from West African Countries

With this conviction in mind, the OIF is launching an inclusive approach to support 50 innovative eco-entrepreneurs in the region, providing them with the tools, skills and connections needed to develop and scale their innovative solutions. Green entrepreneurship represents a unique opportunity to:

• Develop local solutions adapted to the region’s environmental, social, and economic challenges
• Create green jobs, particularly for young women and men
• Stimulate environmentally friendly economic growth to ensure the prosperity of nations
• Foster innovation through the development, transfer, and adoption of green technologies
• Contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals

Objectives

• The main objective is to support 50 eco-entrepreneurs and green innovators from West Africa in implementing and scaling up their ecological projects that generate employment and income, with a particular focus on solutions tailored to the region’s environmental challenges.
• Specifically, this involves:
  • Strengthening the technical capacity of ecological project leaders in priority areas such as sustainable agriculture, waste management, renewable energy, and the circular economy.
  • Facilitating access to green financing mechanisms available in West Africa and developing resource mobilization strategies adapted to the regional and local contexts.
  • Stimulating regional networking of eco-entrepreneurs to foster the exchange of experiences, cross-border collaborations, and business relationships.

Benefits

• The winners will receive technical and financial support, as well as guidance in scaling up their entrepreneurial initiatives, during a session to be held this year in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
• Technical and financial support
• Teaching materials will be provided.

Eligibility Criteria

• Candidates must:
  • Be an entrepreneur or eco-innovative project leader residing in a West African country.
  • Be between 21 and 35 years old.
  • Have an active business or an innovative project in the fields of the environment, sustainable development, or the green economy.
  • Demonstrate a sound understanding of the region’s environmental issues.

Selection Criteria

• Relevance of the project to West Africa’s environmental challenges.
• Potential for social, environmental, and economic impact in the national context.
• Technical feasibility and financial viability adapted to the West African market.
• Capacity for innovation and adaptation to local constraints.
• Potential for green job creation and steady income generation.
• Possibility of replicating the project in other countries in the region.

Application Requirements

• Complete personal and professional information.
• Detailed description of the project (local context, objectives, expected impact).
• One-year development plan.
• Letters of support from local partners (optional).

For more information, visit International Organization of the Francophonie.