adsFollowing Togo’s decision to scrap visa requirements for all African travellers, the AfCFTA Council of Ministers has announced a new flagship initiative to help 30 high-potential African startups scale beyond the continent, with Nigerian entrepreneurs urged to lead the charge.
The AfCFTA Startup Acceleration Programme 2026, unveiled on the sidelines of Biashara Afrika 2026 in Lomé, is a partnership between the AfCFTA Secretariat and the Korea Africa Foundation.
The initiative will support startups in fintech, e-commerce, logistics, agritech, manufacturing, and digital platforms to strengthen their business models and access global markets, particularly South Korea.
The announcement was made by Jumoke Oduwole, Nigeria’s Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, who serves as the incoming Chair of the AfCFTA Council of Ministers.
It follows her widely reported address at the Lomé forum, where she publicly challenged African leaders to confront real barriers to intra-African trade, including the refusal of Togolese immigration officials to admit two ECOWAS investors on their national passports just hours before her speech.adsads
