Applications are now open for the 2026 ECOWAS Youth and Women’s Entrepreneurship Programme (EYWEP) for young entrepreneurs across selected West African countries.
The ECOWAS Youth and Women’s Entrepreneurship Programme (EYWEP) is an initiative aimed at identifying and supporting young entrepreneurs with innovative business ideas through a structured business incubation programme. Successful participants will benefit from entrepreneurship training, mentorship, networking opportunities, and may receive grant funding for outstanding projects.
Program Summary
- Host: ECOWAS Centre for Youth and Sports Development
- Category: Training Program
- Eligible Countries: Benin | Côte d’Ivoire | The Gambia | Ghana | Guinea-Bissau | Senegal | Sierra Leone
- Reward: Entrepreneurship Training | Business Incubation | Mentorship & Coaching | Networking Opportunities | Grant Opportunities
- No IELTS Required
- Deadline: July 16, 2026
Program Details
The 2026 ECOWAS Regional Business Incubation Programme is being implemented under the ECOWAS Youth and Women’s Entrepreneurship Programme (EYWEP) by the ECOWAS Centre for Youth and Sports Development, with technical and financial support from AUDA-NEPAD. The programme seeks to identify promising young entrepreneurs with innovative business ideas and equip them with the skills, mentorship, and resources needed to transform those ideas into sustainable and successful businesses.
Through a structured incubation process, participants will receive practical entrepreneurial training, personalized coaching, business development support, and opportunities to connect with technical, financial, and institutional partners. At the end of the programme, the most outstanding projects in each participating country may receive grant funding, subject to the availability of funds.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for the 2026 ECOWAS Youth and Women’s Entrepreneurship Programme (EYWEP), applicants must:
- Be between 18 and 35 years old.
- Be a national or resident of any of the following countries:
- Benin
- Côte d’Ivoire
- The Gambia
- Ghana
- Guinea-Bissau
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Have an innovative business idea, concept, prototype, or project that is in the pre-launch stage.
Program Benefits
Successful participants will receive:
- Structured business incubation.
- Entrepreneurship training.
- Project maturation workshops.
- One-on-one mentoring and coaching.
- Business model and business plan development support.
- Assistance with legal business registration.
- Networking opportunities with technical, financial, and institutional partners.
- Opportunity to receive grant funding for the best projects in each participating country, subject to available funding.
Required Documents
To apply for this programme, applicants must prepare:
- Updated Curriculum Vitae (CV).
- Valid means of identification.
- Concept note describing the business idea.
- Description of the problem being addressed, the proposed solution, and the target market.
- Supporting documents (if available).
- Prototype, mock-ups, images, or proof of concept (if available).
- All documents must be merged into a single PDF file.
How to Apply
To apply for the 2026 ECOWAS Youth and Women’s Entrepreneurship Programme (EYWEP):
- Visit the official programme application webpage.
- Prepare all required application documents.
- Submit your application via the country-specific email address provided in the official call for applications.
- Refer to the official application guide to locate the appropriate email address for your country.
- Submit your application before the deadline.
To begin the program application process, click HERE
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