The African Union Enterprise Africa Network (EAN) Fellowship Programme Cohort 2 (2026/27) is now accepting applications from eligible African small enterprises seeking structured business development, mentorship, market access, and support to expand across Africa and beyond.
The programme is an African Union Commission startup acceleration initiative implemented through the Department of Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals (ETTIM). For the second cohort, the programme will select 100 fellows from all 55 African Union Member States.
The inaugural cohort trained 56 fellows from 30 African countries and generated more than US$1 million in deals and contracts. Cohort 2 aims to support 100 enterprises while targeting US$2 million in attributable revenue and 500 new jobs.
What Is the Enterprise Africa Network Fellowship?
The Enterprise Africa Network Fellowship is designed to strengthen promising African micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and help them become more competitive in regional and international markets.
Selected fellows receive structured training, expert mentorship, intellectual property support, market intelligence, and opportunities to connect with businesses and markets across the continent.
The programme is closely aligned with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and is intended to help participating businesses improve their readiness for cross-border trade.
Who Can Apply?
The EAN Fellowship is open to youth-led and women-led small enterprises that meet the programme’s eligibility requirements.
To qualify, an enterprise must:
- Be registered and operating in an African Union Member State
- Be formally registered as a business entity
- Have been operating for at least two years
- Have at least three full-time employees
The African Union particularly encourages applications from women-led enterprises, businesses from underrepresented AU regions, and enterprises from small island Member States.
Which Business Sectors Are Eligible?
The 2026/27 cohort covers seven sectors, divided into two main clusters.
Products Cluster
Businesses operating in goods and products for intra-African trade can apply under:
- Manufacturing
- Agro-processing
- Creative industries
Services Cluster
Eligible service-based businesses include:
- ICT and digital
- Fintech
- Health
- Logistics and transport
This broad sector coverage makes the programme relevant to businesses working in both traditional industries and emerging technology-driven sectors.
Three Fellowship Tiers
Applicants will be placed into one of three tiers according to the maturity and growth stage of their enterprise.
Tier 1 — Growth
35 places
Designed for businesses that:
- Have operated for 2–5 years
- Have at least 3 employees
- Can demonstrate market traction
Tier 2 — Expansion
40 places
Designed for enterprises that:
- Have operated for 5–10 years
- Employ between 10 and 30 people
- Have ambitions for cross-border expansion
Tier 3 — Scale-Ready
25 places
Designed for businesses that:
- Have operated for 10 years or more, or
- Have an investor-ready profile
What Does the Fellowship Offer?
Selected fellows will participate in 12 months of structured training tailored to their business sector and fellowship tier.
The programme provides:
- Structured business training
- Expert mentorship through African Union partners
- Access to the African Trade Observatory
- AfCFTA market intelligence tools
- Participation in continental events
- Market-entry opportunities
- Business networking opportunities
- Support for cross-border market development
Tier 1 and Tier 2 fellows will participate in virtual market-entry sessions across 10 AfCFTA pilot countries, while Tier 3 fellows will have access to B2B matchmaking sessions.
What Will Fellows Learn?
The programme includes training across 10 modules, covering important areas of business growth and international market readiness.
These areas include:
- Standards and certification
- Branding and marketing
- Export readiness and digital trade
- Intellectual property protection and commercialisation
- Financial management and bookkeeping
- Business planning and investor readiness
- AfCFTA market intelligence and trade facilitation
- Digital tools and technology adoption
- Sustainability and responsible business practices
- Leadership and enterprise governance
Regional Representation
The African Union plans to ensure broad representation across the continent.
At least 40% of the 100 fellowship places are reserved to support representation across all five AU continental regions, with at least five places for enterprises from small island Member States.
What Applicants Need to Provide
The online application asks for information about the business, including:
- Business registration details
- Business sector
- Years of operation
- Number of employees
- Countries where the business currently trades
- Revenue range
- Intellectual property status
- Access to formal finance
Applicants must also provide a written pitch of up to 800 words explaining their enterprise, its main market challenge, and what they hope to achieve through the fellowship.
Shortlisted applicants will later be asked to provide a document verifying access to finance, such as a bank statement or mobile-money statement. This document is not required at the initial application stage.
Who Is Not Eligible?
The African Union states that the following are not eligible:
- Current or former African Union Commission staff
- Employees and representatives of EAN institutional partners
- Staff of Regional Economic Communities
- Graduates of previous EAN Fellowship cohorts
Applicants should also ensure that all information submitted is accurate. Misrepresentation can result in immediate disqualification and permanent ineligibility for future EAN Fellowship cohorts.
Important Dates
Application Opens: July 31, 2026
Application Deadline: September 30, 2026
Results Announced: October 2026
Programme Begins: November 2026
Application Deadline
The deadline to apply for the African Union EAN Fellowship Programme Cohort 2 (2026/27) is September 30, 2026.
Eligible businesses should prepare their application carefully and make sure the information provided accurately reflects the current state of their enterprise.
How to Apply
Applications are submitted online through the official African Union application form.
👉 Official application: Apply for the EAN Fellowship Cohort 2Applicants should use the official African Union announcement to access the current application form and review the complete requirements before submitting.
Final Thoughts
The Enterprise Africa Network Fellowship Cohort 2 is a valuable opportunity for established African businesses that are ready to strengthen their operations, improve market readiness, and explore opportunities beyond their domestic markets.
Unlike many fellowships aimed at individuals, this programme focuses directly on business growth and enterprise development. With 100 places available across all 55 AU Member States, eligible youth- and women-led enterprises should consider applying before the September 30, 2026 deadline.