Applications are currently open for the 2026/2027 African Union Enterprise Africa Network (EAN) Fellowship Programme. This initiative, developed by the AU Commission's Department of Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals (ETTIM), serves as the African Union's flagship program for fostering the growth of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). The fellowship is designed to equip Africa's most promising entrepreneurs with structured training, expert mentorship, intellectual property support, and direct access to market opportunities across the continent and globally.
Eligibility Criteria
• Open to youth- and women-led small enterprises.
• Must be registered and operating in an African Union Member State.
• The business must be formally registered as a legal entity.
• Applicants must have been operating for a minimum of two years.
• The enterprise must employ at least three full-time staff members.
• Applications are particularly encouraged from women-led enterprises and businesses from underrepresented AU regions and small island Member States.
Program Benefits
• All fellows receive twelve months of structured training across ten modules, differentiated by sector and tier.
• Access to expert mentorship through African Union Partners.
• Support includes access to the African Trade Observatory (ATO) and AfCFTA market intelligence tools.
• Opportunities to participate in continental events.
• Tier 1 and 2 fellows will participate in virtual market-entry sessions across ten AfCFTA pilot countries.
• Tier 3 fellows will engage in B2B matchmaking sessions.
Focus Sectors
• Products Cluster (goods for intra-African trade): Manufacturing, Agro-processing, Creative Industries.
• Services Cluster: ICT/Digital, Fintech, Health, Logistics/Transport.
Fellowship Tiers
• Fellows are placed into one of three tiers based on enterprise maturity, with tailored training, mentorship, and market access support for each.
• A minimum of 40 places (40% of the cohort) are reserved to ensure representation across all five AU continental regions, with at least five places for enterprises from small island Member States.
• Tier 1 – Growth: 35 places for enterprises operating 2-5 years with a minimum of 3 employees and demonstrable market traction.
• Tier 2 – Expansion: 40 places for enterprises operating 5-10 years with 10–30 employees and cross-border ambitions.
• Tier 3 – Scale-Ready: 25 places for enterprises operating 10+ years or those with an investor-ready profile.
Application Details
• Application Deadline: 30 September 2026
• Results Communicated: October 2026
• Programme Commences: November 2026
• For More Information: Visit the Official Webpage of the African Union Enterprise Africa Network (EAN) Fellowship Programme.
This fellowship presents a significant opportunity for growth-oriented MSMEs across Africa to scale their operations and access new markets under the AfCFTA framework. Interested and eligible entrepreneurs are encouraged to consult the official program webpage for comprehensive details and application procedures.