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Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) launches Call for Applications for its Growth Accelerator programme

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1 year ago

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AWIEF

The tri-party collaboration between AWIEF, AGF, and FSDH Merchant Bank Limited was created with the aim to increase access to finance for WSMEs who are driving solutions in different catalytic sectors in Nigeria

LAGOS, Nigeria, March 3, 2025/APO Group/ –The Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) (www.AWIEForum.org/home-awief/) has partnered with African Guarantee Fund (AGF) and FSDH Merchant Bank Limited to implement its flagship AWIEF Growth Accelerator programme in Nigeria and is excited to announce the call for applications.

Background

Limited access to finance remains a significant barrier for women entrepreneurs in Africa, with a staggering financing gap estimated at USD 49 billion. To address this challenge, the Growth Accelerator Programme leverages the African Development Bank’s Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) initiative, which aims to unlock up to USD 3 billion in financing for women-owned/led Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (WSMEs) across the continent.

AGF, a leading non-bank financial institution whose objective is to promote economic development, increase employment and reduce poverty in Africa, serves as the implementing partner for AFAWA. AGF’s commitment extends into providing technical assistance to partner financial institutions, enhancing their capacity to serve women-owned businesses effectively. By addressing both supply and demand-side constraints, AGF and AFAWA work in tandem to create a more equitable landscape for women entrepreneurs in Africa.

FSDH Merchant Bank Limited partnership with AGF is backed by AFAWA to enable the Partner Financial Institution (PFI) provide loans to WSMEs in Nigeria. FSDH Merchant Bank Limited is dedicated to empowering women in business across Nigeria and drives its gender strategy through its Women in Business Initiative (WIBI).

The tri-party collaboration between AWIEF, AGF, and FSDH Merchant Bank Limited was created with the aim to increase access to finance for WSMEs who are driving solutions in different catalytic sectors in Nigeria. This will be achieved by making the WSMEs credit and investment-ready and eligible to access business loans and financing from FSDH Merchant Bank Limited. The programme will provide a stream of businesses that are adequately prepared to meet the FSDH Merchant Bank’s credit requirements.

Call for Applications

Applications are open to qualifying businesses. The programme will attract and select a cohort of 100 beneficiaries, comprising women entrepreneurs and founders with businesses registered and operating in Nigeria who will participate in the 12-month Growth Accelerator and will benefit from a wide range of tailored and refined business development mentorship, training, and advisory services.

Eligibility Criteria

Businesses must meet ONE of the following criteria:

Entrepreneurship & Ownership:

51% share of women ownership OR Business founded by a woman.

OR

Leadership:

At least 20% share of women in senior management or 10% share of women on the Board.

OR

Products & Services:

Product(s) or service(s) enhance(s) well-being of women/girls and/or drive(s) gender equity.

Additionally, businesses must be:

  • Based and operating in Nigeria.
  • In post-revenue stage.
  • Highly innovative and scalable ventures.
  • In operation for not less than three years.
  • Owned and/or led by ambitious and committed entrepreneurs.
  • Seeking for investment, credit or financing to scale and expand.

What Are the Benefits for Participants?

    • Access to high-level training, mentorship, and business advisory.
    • Improved technical, managerial, leadership, and interpersonal skills aligned with the priority needs of their businesses.
    • Increased creditworthiness and capacity to meet the AGF PFI’s financing requirements.
    • Post-capacity building and loan application support.
    • Enhanced access to other financing opportunities.
    • Effective integration of the WSMEs into the financial ecosystem.
    • Expanded peer networks in Nigeria and across the African continent.

Applications Open Now!

Applications are officially open for qualifying candidates for the AWIEF Growth Accelerator, in partnership with AGF and FSDH Merchant Bank Limited.

To submit your application and for more programme details, please follow this link: https://apo-opa.co/3DgIuo0

The deadline for submission is Monday, 31 March 2025 at 11:59pm West Africa Time (WAT).

For more information, please email: info@awieforum.org

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF).

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Learning curves: Addressing the skills shortage in African mining

Published

28 minutes ago

on

March 23, 2026

By

mining

The discussion will unpack key factors contributing to the skills shortage and examine how stronger collaboration between mining companies, universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions can help bridge the gap

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, March 23, 2026/APO Group/ –The African mining industry is undergoing rapid transformation, driven by technological advancements, increasing sustainability demands, and rising global demand for critical minerals. However, a widening skills gap continues to pose a significant challenge to the sector’s growth and long-term competitiveness.

 

To address this pressing issue, an upcoming webinar hosted by Vuka group’s Mining Review Africa will bring together industry experts to explore practical solutions for building a skilled and future-ready mining workforce across the continent.

The discussion will unpack key factors contributing to the skills shortage and examine how stronger collaboration between mining companies, universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions can help bridge the gap. It will also consider how digitalisation and automation are reshaping workforce requirements, and what this means for the next generation of mining professionals.

Participants can expect insights on:

  • Key causes of the mining skills shortage across Africa
  • Strengthening collaboration between industry, universities, and TVET institutions
  • The impact of digitalisation and automation on workforce requirements
  • Strategies for developing the next generation of mining professionals
  • Practical solutions for upskilling and workforce development
  • How regional collaboration can develop a skilled workforce
  • Preventing the brain drain in African mining as skilled workers seek greener pastures

 

Event details:
Date: 7 May 2026
Time: 14:00 (SAST)

To register for the webinar, visit: https://apo-opa.co/4brnadB

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VUKA Group.

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Business

Mining Review Africa Introduces French and Portuguese Website Translation

Published

30 minutes ago

on

March 23, 2026

By

vukagroup

By enabling multilingual access, Mining Review Africa aims to better serve its diverse readership, including industry professionals, policymakers and investors who rely on timely mining news and insights

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, March 20, 2026/APO Group/ –VUKA Group’s (https://WeAreVUKA.com/) Mining Review Africa has introduced French and Portuguese translations on its website, responding to growing demand from readers across the continent.

 

This allows users to access content in multiple languages, improving accessibility for audiences in regions where English is not widely used.

We recognise that language should not be a barrier to information, especially in a sector that plays such a critical role in the continent’s economic growth

The move follows insights gathered by VUKA Group during its flagship mining events held across Africa, including DRC Mining Week, Angola International Mining Conference and Nigeria Mining Week The organisers noted a clear need for more inclusive communication, particularly in countries where French and Portuguese are dominant languages in business and industry engagement.

By enabling multilingual access, Mining Review Africa aims to better serve its diverse readership, including industry professionals, policymakers and investors who rely on timely mining news and insights.

“This development is part of our ongoing commitment to making mining content more accessible across Africa,” Mining Review Africa’s Editor-In-Chief, Gerard Peter said. “We recognise that language should not be a barrier to information, especially in a sector that plays such a critical role in the continent’s economic growth.”

The translation feature is now live and available to all users on the Mining Review Africa website.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VUKA Group.

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Business

Qianhai Launches OPC Mavericks Program to Empower Global AI Solopreneurs

Published

32 minutes ago

on

March 23, 2026

By

QianHai

SHENZHEN, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 20 March 2026 – On March 18, Qianhai, a flagship hub for institutional opening-up, high-end services and technological innovation in southern China, officially opened the application portal for the Qianhai OPC (One-Person Company) International Community and launched its global OPC Mavericks Program. Adhering to the philosophy of “All Innovation, Zero Distraction”, the initiative aims to build the world’s leading ecosystem for AI-driven one-person companies.

Widely recognized as a pioneering zone for China’s institutional opening-up and a key innovation node in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Qianhai leads the country in piloting cross-border cooperation, regulatory innovation and business-friendly reforms. It has grown into a highland for advanced services, tech research and development, and entrepreneurial ecosystems, connecting global talents, capital and technologies with the massive market of the Greater Bay Area.

The OPC Mavericks Program targets six elite groups: academic pioneers, tech veterans, global AI competition winners, elite prodigies, influential open-source contributors, and outstanding graduates in AI and computer science. Eligible projects should leverage generative AI, large language models, AI agents and automation to build sustainable closed-loop businesses.

As the world’s first vertical accelerator dedicated to OPCs, the community provides a tailor-made AI launchpad with the SENSE ecosystem and the “Eight Zeros” guarantee to remove startup barriers: supported office space up to 200㎡ for two years, talent housing up to 50㎡ per person, annual free computing power up to 50P, free LLM trials, Greater Bay Area market access, collateral-free loans, high-risk-tolerance seed funding, annual talent rewards up to 600,000 RMB, and one-stop services for visas, finance, IP, taxation and global internet access.

To help global innovators experience opportunities in the region, Qianhai offers the Shenzhen-Hong Kong 72-Hour Experience Pass, which was officially launched in 2025. This pass provides streamlined entry arrangements, guided visits to tech platforms, enterprises and research institutions in both cities, and on-site insights into the OPC entrepreneurship environment. It serves as a key channel for global talents to fully explore cooperation and development prospects in the Greater Bay Area.

The program supports AI solopreneurs to turn ideas into scalable businesses. Qualified applicants can submit core founder resumes and project pitch decks to inqianhai@qhidg.com to join the program and embrace new opportunities in the Greater Bay Area.

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