The Board of Directors of the African Development Fund has approved a 1.7 billion CFA franc grant to boost the competitiveness of the private sector across the eight member nations of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA).
Announced on April 10, 2026, in Abidjan, this funding is a strategic move to help Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Togo maximize the trade and production opportunities created by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The initiative focuses on creating a harmonized regional framework for monitoring the AfCFTA agreement through national consultations and workshops. A core pillar of the project is providing targeted support to 80 export-ready small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with a specific emphasis on those led by women and young entrepreneurs. These businesses will receive specialized training in export procedures, financial access, compliance with international standards, and the adoption of sustainable technologies and production practices.
By strengthening the role of the UEMOA Commission and the Regional Chamber of Commerce, the program aims to lower trade costs and improve trade facilitation across the region. The African Development Fund expects this investment to unlock significant medium- and long-term economic opportunities for the Union’s 147 million inhabitants, fostering deeper regional integration and helping West African businesses compete more effectively on the continental stage.
TE/fss/abj/APA