Deadline: 1 July 2025
The International Organization of La Francophonie is thrilled to launch a call for applications to offer technical and financial support for scaling up to 50 young innovators and eco-entrepreneurs from West African countries, as part of its projects 15 “Francophone Innovations and Advocacy” and 18 “Support for Structural Transformations in Environmental Matters”.
With this conviction in mind, the OIF is launching an inclusive approach to support 50 innovative eco-entrepreneurs in the region, providing them with the tools, skills and connections needed to develop and scale their innovative solutions. Green entrepreneurship represents a unique opportunity to:
- Develop local solutions adapted to the region’s environmental, social, and economic challenges
- Create green jobs, particularly for young women and men
- Stimulate environmentally friendly economic growth to ensure the prosperity of nations
- Foster innovation through the development, transfer, and adoption of green technologies
- Contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals
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 employment 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.
Benefits
- 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
- Technical and financial support
- Teaching materials will be provided.
Eligibility Criteria
- Candidates must:
- 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.
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 adapted to the West African market.
- Capacity for innovation and adaptation to local constraints.
- Potential for green job creation and steady income generation.
- Possibility of replicating the project in other countries in the region.
Application Requirements
- 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).
For more information, visit International Organization of the Francophonie.