Call for Applications: Enterprise Africa Network (EAN) Fellowship Programme Cohort 2 (2026/27)
The African Union is inviting young and women business owners across Africa to apply for its second group of entrepreneurs fellowship. This one-year programme is designed to help small businesses grow bigger, learn new skills, get expert guidance, and find new markets across the continent. It is a great chance to scale your business and connect with other African entrepreneurs.
Call for Applications: Enterprise Africa Network (EAN) Fellowship Programme Cohort 2 (2026/27)
By who:
African Union Commission, Department of Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals (ETTIM)
Location:
Across all 55 AU Member States, programme activities include virtual and continental events
Deadline:
30 September 2026
Type:
Fellowship / Startup Acceleration Programme, 12 months, commencing November 2026
Description:
The Enterprise Africa Network Fellowship is the African Union's flagship programme for developing micro, small and medium enterprises. It is an AUC Startup Acceleration Initiative that supports Africa's most promising entrepreneurs. The first cohort in 2024/25 trained 56 fellows from 30 countries and generated over one million US dollars in deals. The second cohort will select 100 fellows from all 55 AU Member States with a target of two million US dollars in new revenue and 500 new jobs.
The programme covers seven sectors in two clusters aligned with the African Continental Free Trade Area. The Products Cluster includes Manufacturing, Agro-processing, and Creative Industries. The Services Cluster includes ICT and Digital, Fintech, Health, and Logistics and Transport.
Fellows are placed in three tiers based on business maturity. Tier 1 Growth has 35 places for businesses operating 2 to 5 years with minimum 3 employees and demonstrable market traction. Tier 2 Expansion has 40 places for businesses operating 5 to 10 years with 10 to 30 employees and cross-border ambition. Tier 3 Scale-Ready has 25 places for businesses operating 10 plus years or with an investor-ready profile. A minimum of 40 places are reserved to ensure representation across all five AU regions, with at least five places for enterprises from small island Member States.
Benefits:
- Twelve months of structured training across ten modules tailored to your sector and tier
- Expert mentorship through African Union partners
- Intellectual property support for your business
- Access to the African Trade Observatory and AfCFTA market intelligence tools
- Participation in continental events and networking opportunities
- For Tier 1 and Tier 2 fellows, virtual market entry sessions across ten AfCFTA pilot countries
- For Tier 3 fellows, dedicated B2B matchmaking sessions for deals and partnerships
Requirements:
- Must be a youth or women-led small enterprise, applications from women-led enterprises are particularly encouraged
- Must be registered and operating in an AU Member State as a formal business entity
- Must have been operating for at least two years
- Must employ a minimum of three full-time staff, with specific employee counts applying by tier
- Must be operating in one of the eligible sectors: Manufacturing, Agro-processing, Creative Industries, ICT/Digital, Fintech, Health, Logistics/Transport
- Must not be current or former staff of the African Union Commission, employees and representatives of EAN institutional partners, staff of Regional Economic Communities, or graduates of any previous EAN Fellowship cohort
- Must provide accurate information, as misrepresentation leads to immediate disqualification and permanent ineligibility for future cohorts
How To Apply:
Applications are submitted online through the official link provided on the African Union website. The form will ask for business registration details, sector, years of operation, employee count, countries currently trading in, revenue range, IP status, access to formal finance, and a written pitch of up to 800 words describing your enterprise, its main market challenge, and your objective for the fellowship. You do not need to upload a bank statement at application stage, but shortlisted applicants will be asked to provide one supporting document verifying finance access such as a bank statement or mobile money statement. For further information, contact AUEAN@AfricanUnion.org.
Why Apply:
This is a continent-wide programme backed by the African Union with proven results from the first cohort. It offers more than training, it provides direct market access, practical trade intelligence, and real business connections that can lead to contracts. The tier system means support is matched to your actual business stage rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. The reserved places for all regions and for small island states also show a strong commitment to inclusion.
Before You Apply:
Confirm your business registration documents are up to date and match the details you will enter. Prepare your employee count and trading history clearly, as this determines your tier. Draft your 800-word pitch in advance to explain what your business does, the specific market challenge you face within Africa, and exactly what you want to achieve from the fellowship. If you are shortlisted, you will need a recent bank or mobile money statement, so have it ready. Apply early before the 30 September deadline to avoid last-minute issues.
