Afreximbank and GAIN Join Forces to Empower 300 African Youth Entrepreneurs

The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and the Grand Africa Initiative (GAIN) have joined forces to launch the GAIN-Afreximbank Masterclass on Entrepreneurship and Intra-African Trade.

The six-week programme, set to commence in March 2024, aims to equip 300 young African entrepreneurs from various regions of the African continent with the necessary skills to expand their businesses beyond their national borders.

The comprehensive masterclass has been meticulously designed to provide technical guidance, practical training, and business advisory from a faculty of international experts.

The programme focuses on enhancing inclusivity in the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by offering interventions that specifically support young Africans, women, and small and medium-sized enterprises.

Yusuf Daya, Director of AU/AfCFTA Relations and Trade Policy at Afreximbank, emphasized the importance of capacitating young African entrepreneurs to take full advantage of the opportunities provided by the AfCFTA.

He stated, “Our renewed support to the GAIN Masterclass underscores the Bank’s efforts to develop skills of African youth and build African entrepreneurial capacity under the Afreximbank Academy (AFRACAD).

We look forward to an even more successful program in 2024 following the highly impactful masterclass in 2022 which helped build the capacity of 200 entrepreneurs from across the continent.”

Interested individuals are encouraged to submit their applications through the official programme website at www.grandafrica.org (http://www.grandafrica.org).

Prospective entrepreneurs must meet the following criteria: be between the ages of 20 to 45, have a registered business entity, be of African descent, have a business in Africa, have a business that has been in operation for a minimum of two years, have access to a stable internet connection and electricity, and have a good knowledge of the English language.

Jerry Ojima Momoh, the partnership lead at GAIN, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, “This marks the fifth edition of GAIN Entrepreneurship masterclass series designed to empower African youths.

We have two series so far focused on training women and three series now open to both male and female.

We are happy to have this partnership with Afreximbank again this year to provide invaluable entrepreneurial support to young entrepreneurs.”

With the joint efforts of Afreximbank and GAIN, the GAIN-Afreximbank Masterclass on Entrepreneurship and Intra-African Trade is poised to make a significant impact on the entrepreneurial landscape in Africa, fostering growth and development in the region.