Are you a young entrepreneur under the age of 35 looking to expand your business across Africa? Apply for the YouthConnekt Africa Export Accelerator 2026.
Applications are open for the YouthConnekt Africa Export Accelerator (E-Accelerator), a joint initiative developed by YouthConnekt Africa in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the African Union. The programme is inviting applications from export-ready, youth-led enterprises in Rwanda, Uganda, Senegal, The Gambia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe that are looking to strengthen their export capacity and expand into intra-African markets under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The YouthConnekt Africa Export Accelerator is designed to help youth-led businesses overcome barriers to regional trade through enterprise diagnostics, tailored advisory services, export readiness support, and access to business and financing opportunities. The programme aims to strengthen the competitiveness of participating enterprises while supporting sustainable job creation and increased youth participation in intra-African trade.
Through the programme, selected enterprises will benefit from the following:
- Tailored enterprise diagnostics and business advisory services
- Export readiness training and accreditation
- Participation in the Export FitLab and Continental Bootcamp
- Facilitated access to intra-African markets through Policy Sandboxes
- Exposure to continental business, investment, and financing opportunities
- Support to navigate trade regulations and non-tariff barriers under the AfCFTA framework
Interested applicants are required to meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Be a youth-led enterprise with founders or owners under the age of 35
- Be operating in Rwanda, Uganda, Senegal, The Gambia, Zambia, or Zimbabwe
- Have an established business operating in the local market
- Demonstrate readiness to expand into regional or continental markets
- Be committed to investing in business growth and export expansion
- Be willing to participate fully in all stages of the accelerator programme
To apply for the YouthConnekt Africa Export Accelerator 2026, visit the official application page here.