African Development Bank and NEPAD Launch $120m West African Youth Agribusiness and Tech Careers Accelerator
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has activated the Youth Agri-Tech Employment Facility in Abidjan, providing equity seed grants and enterprise apprenticeships to 25,000 young West African professionals.
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- $120 million accelerator facility rolled out across West African member states.
- Direct seed grants of up to $25,000 for youth-led agri-tech and digital startups.
- 10,000 paid corporate apprenticeships arranged with top regional employers.
- Specialized focus on bridging commercial employment in rural agricultural centers.
ABIDJAN, CÔTE D’IVOIRE — The African Development Bank (AfDB), in strategic partnership with AUDA-NEPAD, has inaugurated the $120 million West African Youth Enterprise & Careers Accelerator at its headquarters in Abidjan.
The flagship program provides non-dilutive catalytic funding of up to $25,000 to youth-led agri-processing cooperatives, digital agricultural extension services, and enterprise software startups that demonstrate viable commercial employment models.
In addition to venture financing, the initiative places 10,000 university and vocational graduates into paid 12-month corporate apprenticeships across logistics, commercial banking, renewable energy installations, and agro-commodity trading desks.
AfDB Vice President Dr. Beth Dunford highlighted that youth under 35 represent 60% of West Africa's population: 'Our demographic youth dividend is our greatest competitive advantage. By arming young entrepreneurs with capital and mentorship, we are seeding the continent's next multinational employers.'
Byline: Kouamé N’Guessan · Published: Thursday, October 29, 2026
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