Applications are open for ECOWAS Youth Entrepreneurship Programme (EYEP) 2026. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), through its Centre for Youth and Sports Development (CDJS/ECOWAS), is implementing the ECOWAS Youth and Women’s Entrepreneurship Programme (EYWEP) with the technical and financial support of AUDA-NEPAD.
This program aims to promote the economic empowerment of young people through capacity building, technical support, mentoring, networking, access to business support services and the development of sustainable entrepreneurship in the community space. As part of the pilot phase, ECOWAS is launching this call for projects to select young entrepreneurs aged 18 to 35 who already have an existing business or an operational entrepreneurial activity, and who need targeted support to properly start, consolidate, develop or continue their production.
The pilot phase covers the following seven countries:
- Benin
- Ivory Coast
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Guinea-Bissau
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
ECOWAS Youth Entrepreneurship Programme Purpose
This call for projects aims to identify and support young entrepreneurs already engaged in an economic activity or with an existing business, in order to strengthen their production, management, structuring and development capacity.
The objective is to enable beneficiaries to:
- consolidate their business
- improve their production or service delivery
- strengthen their entrepreneurial and financial management
- access mentorship, networking, and partnership opportunities
- improve their visibility and market access
- increase their resilience and growth potential
Benefits
The selected young people will benefit in particular:
- Targeted training
- Technical and managerial support
- One-on-one mentoring
- Support for the improvement of the management of the company
- Networking and visibility opportunities
- Putting them in touch with partners, support institutions and financing actors
- Support for the consolidation of their activity and the development of their production.
ECOWAS Youth Entrepreneurship Programme Grant Details
At the end of the process, the best projects selected from each country will be able to benefit from grants, special prizes and a connection with financial and technical partners, according to the modalities set by ECOWAS.
Category Indicative amount
- First Place: $15,000.00
- Second Place: $10,000.00
- Third Place $5,000.00
- Special Award Best Regional Business Plan: $5,000.00
Who Should Apply?
This call is open exclusively:
- Young people aged 18 to 35
- Nationals or residents of one of the seven pilot countries
- Young people who already have an existing business, formal or informal, or anentrepreneurial activity already underway
- Start-ups, structuring or growth start-ups
- Young developers in need of support to strengthen, stabilize or develop their business.
ECOWAS Youth Entrepreneurship Programme Focus Areas
- Businesses or activities must fall under one of the following priority sectors:
- Pharmaceutical industry
- Information and communication technologies (ICT)
- Solar energy and renewable energy
- Agrosilvopastoral activities and agricultural value chains.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible, the application must:
- Be submitted by a young person between the ages of 18 and 35
- Be from a national and resident of one of the seven pilot countries
- Concern an existing company or an economic activity that is already operational
- Fall under one of the priority sectors
- Be submitted within the required deadlines
- Include a complete file.
Selection criteria
Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
- Relevance of the activity or company
- Level of structuring of the entrepreneurial project
- Potential for strengthening and growth
- Economic and financial viability
- Real need for support and networking
- Production or service capacity
- Current or potential socio-economic impact
- Potential for job creation or maintenance
- Motivation of the candidate
- Ability to take advantage of the coaching program.
How To Apply for ECOWAS Youth Entrepreneurship Programme
The application must include:
- An up-to-date Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- A copy of a valid identity document
- A presentation note of the company or activity
- A simplified business plan or a presentation of the business model
- A projected financial plan
- the company’s legal documents, if applicable
- Any additional document useful for the assessment of the activity.
All documents must be consolidated into a single PDF file
Complete applications must be sent to the email address corresponding to the candidate’s country.
Subject of the email: “EYWEP Program Application – Existing Businesses” Country Email address
- Benin: benin.eywep@cdjscedeao.org
- Ivory Coast: cotedivoire.eywep@cdjscedeao.org
- Gambia: gambia.eywep@cdjscedeao.org
- Ghana: ghana.eywep@cdjscedeao.org
- Guinea-Bissau: guineabissau.eywep@cdjscedeao.org
- Senegal: senegal.eywep@cdjscedeao.org
- Sierra Leone sierraleone.eywep@cdjscedeao.org
Application Deadline: 16 July 2026 at 23:59 GMT
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