African Union Enterprise Africa Network Fellowship 2026/2027

The Enterprise Africa Network (EAN) Fellowship Programme is an African Union Commission (AUC) Startup Acceleration Initiative and one of the African Union’s flagship programmes for developing and supporting MSMEs. The programme is implemented by the AU Commission’s Department of Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals (ETTIM).

Through the fellowship, selected entrepreneurs will gain access to structured business training, expert mentorship, intellectual property support, market intelligence, and opportunities to connect with potential markets and business partners across Africa and beyond.

The programme is particularly focused on helping African businesses become more competitive, expand their operations, access new markets, and take advantage of opportunities created by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Successful fellows will receive a range of business development and market-access opportunities throughout the programme. These include:

• 12 months of structured training covering 10 training modules tailored to different sectors and business-development tiers.
• Expert mentorship from African Union partners and experienced business professionals.
• Access to the African Trade Observatory (ATO) and AfCFTA market intelligence tools to help businesses understand and identify opportunities in African markets.
• Opportunities to participate in continental business and entrepreneurship events.
• Tier 1 and Tier 2 fellows will participate in virtual market-entry sessions covering 10 AfCFTA pilot countries.
• Tier 3 fellows will have access to B2B matchmaking sessions, creating opportunities to connect with potential business partners and customers.
• Additional opportunities for networking, business visibility, market expansion, and cross-border partnerships.

The EAN Fellowship Programme is open to youth-led and women-led small enterprises that meet the programme's eligibility conditions.

Applicants must:

• Be registered and actively operating in an African Union Member State.
• Be formally registered as a business entity.
• Have been operating for at least two years.
• Employ a minimum of three full-time staff members.
• Comply with applicable legal and regulatory requirements.
• Not appear on applicable United Nations sanctions lists.
• Not operate in activities or sectors prohibited under the programme.

The African Union particularly encourages applications from women-led businesses, enterprises from underrepresented African regions, and businesses located in small island AU Member States.

Interested and eligible applicants should visit the official application website to complete and submit their applications.

Applicants are advised to carefully review the eligibility requirements and application instructions before submitting their applications. All required business information and supporting documents should be provided accurately to avoid issues during the selection process.