By Adedapo Adesanya
The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has thrown its weight behind an organisation, Grand Africa Initiative (GAIN), to train 300 young African entrepreneurs.
The training programme will focus on entrepreneurship and intra-African trade and is set to commence in March 2024.
The GAIN-Afreximbank Masterclass on Entrepreneurship and Intra-African Trade is designed to equip young African entrepreneurs from various regions of the African continent with essential skills to foster the growth and expansion of their enterprises beyond their national borders.
Over a comprehensive six-week programme, participants will gain valuable insights into how to build and expand their businesses leveraging the intra-African Market.
Participants will receive technical guidance, practical training, and business advice from a faculty of international experts.
According to a statement, the programme aims to enhance inclusivity in the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by offering interventions that specifically support young Africans, women, and small and medium-sized enterprises.
Interested individuals are encouraged to submit their applications through the official program website at www.GrandAfrica.org.
Prospective entrepreneurs will be selected from across Africa and are required to meet the following criteria age (20 to 45 years old), ownership of a registered business entity, African descent, and the business must be situated in Africa.
Others include the business being in operation for a minimum of two years, accessibility to a stable internet connection and electricity and good knowledge of the English Language.
Speaking on this, Mr Yusuf Daya, Director, AU/AfCFTA Relations and Trade Policy at Afreximbank emphasized the crucial importance of capacitating young African entrepreneurs to take full advantage of the opportunities availed by the AfCFTA.
“Our renewed support to the GAIN Masterclass underscores the Bank’s efforts to develop skills of African youth and build African entrepreneurial capacity under the Afreximbank Academy (AFRACAD).
“We look forward to an even more successful program in 2024 following the highly impactful masterclass in 2022 which helped build the capacity of 200 entrepreneurs from across the continent.”
Adding his input, Mr Jerry Ojima Momoh, the Partnership Lead at GAIN, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “This marks the fifth edition of the GAIN Entrepreneurship masterclass series designed to empower African youths. We have two series so far focused on training women and three series now open to both males and females. We are happy to have this partnership with Afreximbank again this year to provide invaluable entrepreneurial support to young entrepreneurs.
“In 2022, we trained participants from 29 countries across Africa. Beyond the training, participants will gain in-depth knowledge, build connections, and access mentorship from experienced global mentors, all of which will have a successful impact on their business growth.”
Business Post Contributor 
Dipo Olowookere