Call For Application: The International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) Support Program 2025 for Young West African Innovators and Eco-Entrepreneurs
The International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) is launching a call for applications to select 50 eco-entrepreneurs and green innovators from West Africa, as part of the implementation of its projects 15 “Francophone Innovations and Advocacy” and 18 “Supporting Structural Transformations in the Environment and Climate.” The winners will receive technical and financial support, as well as guidance in scaling up their entrepreneurial initiatives, during a session to be held this year in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Objectives
The main objective is to support 50 eco-entrepreneurs and green innovators from West Africa in implementing and scaling up their ecological projects that generate jobs and income, with a particular focus on solutions tailored to the region’s environmental challenges.
Specifically, this involves:
Strengthening the technical capacity of ecological project leaders in priority areas such as sustainable agriculture, waste management, renewable energy, and the circular economy.
Facilitating access to green financing mechanisms available in West Africa and developing resource mobilization strategies adapted to the regional and local contexts.
Stimulating regional networking of eco-entrepreneurs to foster the exchange of experiences, cross-border collaborations, and business relationships
Eligibility:
Be an entrepreneur or eco-innovative project leader residing in a West African country.
Be between 21 and 35 years old.
Have an active business or an innovative project in the fields of the environment, sustainable development, or the green economy.
Demonstrate a sound understanding of the region’s environmental issues.
Demonstrate your ability to implement the project in your country.
Selection Criteria:
Relevance of the project to West Africa’s environmental challenges.
Potential for social, environmental, and economic impact in the national context.
Technical feasibility and financial viability suited to the West African market.
Capacity for innovation and adaptation to local constraints.
Potential for green job creation and sustained income generation.
Possibility of replicating the project in other countries in the region.
Selection Process:
Receipt and pre-selection of applications.
Online interview with an evaluation committee.
Final selection of the 50 winners.
Intensive training.
Support for scaling up and securing sustainable financing.
Participation requirements:
Submit a complete application.
Present a business plan adapted to the regional context.
Commit to participating in the entire training.
Demonstrate your ability to implement the project in your country.
BENEFITS:
Complete personal and professional information.
Detailed description of the project (local context, objectives, expected impact).
One-year development plan.
Letters of support from local partners (optional).
