Diaspora entrepreneurs with genuine connections between UK/European African communities and target countries in West Africa. AFFORD values ventures that create sustainable jobs, strengthen local supply chains, and demonstrate how diaspora assets (financial, intellectual, social) can be productively deployed for development.

African fashion design and business development

Exporting SMEs and import-substitution enterprises

African exporters and import-substitution businesses

Diaspora-connected social entrepreneurs with scalable solutions addressing development challenges in Africa. AfDIF prioritizes ventures that can transform the $100B+ annual diaspora remittance flow into productive, sustainable investment rather than consumption-only transfers.

Individual storytellers (artists, journalists, content creators) and arts/media organizations that challenge stereotypical narratives about Africa and showcase its innovation and creativity.

Storytellers and organizations creating nuanced, contemporary narratives that challenge stereotypical portrayals of Africa. ANF values innovative storytelling formats, strong audience reach, and work that shifts perceptions through art, media, journalism, and culture.

African governments requiring legal and technical assistance for complex commercial transactions, debt restructuring, or litigation defense (e.g., against vulture funds).

AfDB-China co-financing facility. $2B fund sponsored by the People's Bank of China and administered by AfDB. Co-finances AfDB sovereign and non-sovereign guaranteed development projects across Africa. Not a direct-application fund — AGTF resources are allocated to projects already in the AfDB pipeline. 50 projects ($1.73B) approved through Q4 2023. Top recipients: Nigeria, Tanzania, Egypt. Key sectors: transport, water/sanitation, agriculture.

CANEX is Afreximbank's dedicated creative industries programme, launched in 2020 with $500M, expanded to $1B in 2022, and doubled to $2B in 2024. Operates through Afreximbank's impact equity arm FEDA. Provides finance, capacity building, and market access. The Africa Film Fund ($1B) is a landmark sub-initiative. Invests in studios, distribution hubs, and production infrastructure across the continent. Annual CANEX WKND event showcases African creative economy.

Afreximbank is Africa's premier multilateral trade finance institution, founded in 1993 under the auspices of the AfDB and headquartered in Cairo. Provides trade and project finance, guarantees, and equity across 52 member states. Total assets exceed $30B. Key programs include the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund, Afreximbank Accelerator, and CANEX (creative industries — tracked separately). Focus on intra-African trade enablement and industrialization.

Country-level rural water and sanitation programs aligned with national WASH strategies. RWSSI prioritizes programs that demonstrate sector-wide approaches, community engagement, sustainability planning, and alignment with AfDB country strategies. The initiative favors projects with strong government ownership and co-financing commitments.

France's primary development finance institution. €9.5B 2026 program with Africa as the largest region (43% of activity). Proparco handles private sector investments. Digital Africa handles tech startups. AFD direct handles government and institutional programs. Deep presence across Francophone Africa with growing Anglophone reach.

State parties and large private sector entities positioned to benefit from and contribute to AfCFTA implementation. The Adjustment Fund is managed by the AfCFTA Secretariat and Afreximbank, with three sub-funds including a Credit Fund that closed its first deal in July 2025 — a US$10M investment in Telecel Global Services Ltd. This is a large-scale trade finance facility, not a startup grant program. Afreximbank has committed US$1B and aims to increase intra-African trade funding to US$40B by 2026.

MSMEs and microenterprises in sub-Saharan Africa and Tunisia seeking microfinance products. Advans has served 735,000+ clients and disbursed nearly 1 million loans totaling €3.7 billion since 2005. The group celebrated its 20th anniversary in October 2025 and is strategically refocusing on the African continent, with particular emphasis on women entrepreneurs, rural lending, and climate adaptation financing.

Initiatives that align with ADM's business presence and sustainability goals — sustainable farming practices, food security, and agricultural education in regions where ADM operates. Strong preference for established NGOs and cooperatives with existing relationships to ADM supply chains.

Senegalese small and medium enterprises seeking capacity building, technical assistance, and support to improve competitiveness. ADEPME is the operational arm of the Ministry of Commerce for SME support, focused on densifying the SME fabric, promoting Made in Senegal, and opening SMEs to national and international markets.

Mid-market African companies with strong fundamentals and significant growth potential. Adenia specializes in taking minority or majority positions and actively working with management to professionalize operations, improve governance, and drive growth. Particularly strong in Francophone Africa and Indian Ocean markets. Fund V closed oversubscribed at $470M (2024), making it one of Africa's largest mid-market PE funds. One of the few PE firms with genuine Francophone Africa expertise and on-the-ground presence in 7 African countries.

African startups building revolutionary blockchain solutions solving real-world problems. Values teams that combine deep sector expertise with Web3 innovation and are committed to building on or integrating with the Cardano blockchain. Strong interest in startups addressing genuine adoption use cases (payments, identity, finance) rather than purely speculative crypto projects.

Early-stage Ghanaian businesses with significant growth potential and social/economic impact. The network values entrepreneurs who are coachable and willing to engage with mentoring support alongside capital.

Fintech entrepreneurs building products for the financially excluded, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Teams that combine deep technical skills with on-the-ground market knowledge and genuine commitment to improving economic outcomes for low-income users. Valuations must be in line with global comparables.