Economic and business development

Economic and business development is an essential lever for harnessing Africa’s demographic potential and contribute to inclusive and sustainable growth. Today, the private sector generates 70% of GDP, 80% of capital flows and 90% of jobs in the international cooperation partner countries.

Enabel contributes to strengthening entrepreneurial ecosystems, facilitating access to finance for businesses and supporting businesses to access regional and international markets. That way, Enabel is laying foundations for solid economic development that gives younger generations the opportunity to become the driving force behind shared prosperity and that acts as a catalyst for social progress, resilience and stability.

1.5

billion people

By 2050, Africa will have a workforce of 1.5 billion: This workforce has the potential of leveraging development if it can access decent and inclusive jobs and contribute to its own prosperity and, in so doing, support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Priorities

In the face of strong demographic growth and the potential for transformation it brings, Enabel focuses on strengthening the structural foundations for inclusive economic development, with particular attention to women and young people. Economic and business development is a pillar of social and economic emancipation, organised around three complementary axes:

Improved business climate: Enabel acts on several levels to foster a solid, sustainable and inclusive socio-economic ecosystem. At macro level, we work with authorities to strengthen public policies and institutional frameworks. At meso level, we support incubators, chambers of commerce and financial players to consolidate their capacities and coordination. At micro level, we work directly with individuals, communities and businesses, offering solutions tailored to local realities.

Strengthening value chains and economic sectors: Enabel helps to structure value chains, improve access to markets and formalise and professionalise players at various levels. These actions strengthen promising sectors, create opportunities for growth and promote the creation of jobs for all.

Support to entrepreneurship and business growth: To ensure the development and scaling of businesses, Enabel facilitates matching needs with our offer of financial and non-financial services. This allows creating new businesses, improving economic and social performance, gradual formalising of informal employment and developing green and circular entrepreneurship.

Services

We put our networks, expertise and tools at the service of inclusive economic growth through the following:

Improving the business climate (macro):

Supporting public policy reform
Public-private dialogue and multi-stakeholder consultation
Promoting decent work and social protection
Supporting innovation and green transition
Mitigating international investment risks

Strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem (meso):

Supporting incubators, accelerators, innovation hubs and business labs
Strengthening access to finance systems
Supporting the development of business development services (BDS)
Networking of players in the entrepreneurial ecosystem
Supporting employability services, market-oriented skills training and matchmaking services

Strengthening businesses and employability (micro):

Business coaching
Facilitating access to adapted financing
Supporting the formalisation of informal businesses
Supporting women and youth entrepreneurship and inclusive access to entrepreneurship services
Supporting investment preparation
Market access (local, regional, international).

Experience

Sustainable cocoa production in Côte d’Ivoire

Through the Sustainable Cocoa project, funded by the European Union, Enabel is strengthening about thirty cocoa cooperatives in Côte d’Ivoire by facilitating access to finance and training in management and quality. In partnership with Kampani, a Belgian social impact investment fund, more than 1.3 million euro has been mobilised to improve the supply chain and local processing.

The Puratos Group – an international Belgian company specialising in ingredients for bakery, pastry and chocolate products – has invested 550,000 euro in a fermentation and drying centre, thereby strengthening the resilience of producers, their local added value and the sustainable structuring of the cocoa sector.

The project is part of the European Green Pact, which promotes traceability, the fight against deforestation, access to a decent income and the elimination of child labour.

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Training and employment of youths and women in Guinea

The FIERE (Formation, Insertion, Emploi, Résilience) project aims to improve the employment prospects of young people and women in Guinea by facilitating their access to decent employment or entrepreneurship. Enabel offers training tailored to market needs and customised support for high-potential MSMEs and facilitates links between job seekers and employers.

The project also supports local authorities and players in structuring a sustainable economic ecosystem and empowers women through dedicated support services.

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Developing green urban economies in Tanzania

In the Tanzanian cities of Mwanza, Tanga and Pemba, the INCLU-CITIES project is promoting inclusive, green and smart cities. The project is funded by the European Union. It supports local entrepreneurship, the circular economy and digital innovation, particularly for young people, women and MSMEs.

Through partnerships with players such as Close the Gap and Ennovate Ventures, the project is developing innovation hubs where local players co-create solutions to urban challenges (such as waste management or sustainable fishing). Training courses in the areas of the circular economy, digital skills, financial literacy and access to finance are designed to support businesses in their transition.

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Stimulating entrepreneurship and job creation in Senegal

The European initiative “Investing in Young Businesses in Africa – Supporting Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Development” aims to create decent jobs for young people and women by strengthening entrepreneurial ecosystems.

It is implemented by Enabel in Senegal, as well as in several other sub-Saharan African countries (Benin, Togo, Kenya and South Africa) for its regional component. In Senegal, Enabel improves access to business support services, facilitates financing and supports the development of a regulatory environment that is conducive to entrepreneurship.

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Our other expertises

Enabel is modernising health systems in Africa and elsewhere: digitalisation, universal coverage, and sustainable solutions for accessible care for all.

Economic and business development