AfCFTA Digital Innovation Challenge 2026 – Apply Now For The Opportunity

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat is inviting African innovators and entrepreneurs to apply for the second edition of the AfCFTA Digital Innovation Challenge. The challenge seeks operational digital solutions that can strengthen cross-border trade, support MSMEs, and advance the implementation of the AfCFTA Protocol on Digital Trade and the Protocol on Women and Youth in Trade.

Responsibilities:

• Develop or present an operational digital solution addressing barriers to cross-border trade.
• Demonstrate how the solution contributes to the AfCFTA objectives.
• Provide evidence of the solution's impact on intra-African trade and MSMEs.
• Demonstrate operational stability, scalability, and expansion potential.
• Show how digital technologies can improve trade facilitation.

Requirements:

• Open to individuals, teams, startups, and enterprises from African Union Member States.
• Applicants must be African innovators or entrepreneurs aged 18 to 35 years.
• Proposed solutions must address existing barriers to cross-border trade.
• Solutions must contribute to the implementation of the AfCFTA.
• The innovation must be at the operational to scaling stage.
• Applicants should demonstrate proven impact and relevance to AfCFTA objectives.
• Solutions should demonstrate operational excellence and scalability.
• Integration or potential integration of technologies such as AI or blockchain is an advantage.

Benefits:

• Top 50 shortlisted innovators will receive capacity-building opportunities on digital trade.
• Top 50 innovators will gain networking opportunities within Africa's innovation ecosystem.
• Top 50 innovators will be included in the AfCFTA innovation community.
• Top 10 winners will receive tailored incubation or acceleration support.
• Top 10 winners will have opportunities to showcase their innovations to investors, partners, customers, and other stakeholders.
• Top 10 winners will receive promotional visibility through AfCFTA communication platforms and events.
• Top 5 grand winners will receive formal recognition at a high-level AfCFTA Forum.
• Top 5 grand winners will have an engagement session with the Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat.
• Top 5 grand winners will receive tailored mentorship and business development advisory support.
• Top 5 grand winners will be designated AfCFTA Digital Innovation Champions.