In a compelling demonstration of youthful innovation and entrepreneurship, the African Development Bank’s (AfDB) 2025 Annual Meetings spotlighted inspiring agripreneurs transforming Africa’s agricultural landscape. The event, hosted on May 26, featured remarkable stories of young individuals leveraging agribusiness opportunities, supported notably by AfDB’s Enable Youth program.
Koffi Amani François Xavier, a dynamic 30-year-old entrepreneur from Côte d’Ivoire, exemplifies the transformative impact of AfDB’s initiatives. Xavier began his journey with a modest investment of around $100, building a snack food brand named “Mon Chips”. Today, his enterprise stands as a notable multinational business specializing in potato chips, significantly bolstered by his participation in the AfDB’s AgriPitch competition.
Speaking passionately at the “Mobilizing Africa’s Agripreneurs” side event, Xavier credited the Enable Youth AgriPitch competition for equipping him with crucial entrepreneurial skills and business acumen. Winning a $25,000 grant two years earlier, Xavier’s business has flourished remarkably—expanding to 150 retail points in Côte d’Ivoire, employing 26 people (80% of whom are women), and processing an impressive 50 tons of potatoes annually. His business operations now extend to four countries, underscoring the potential scalability of youth-led enterprises.
Dr. Beth Dunford, AfDB’s Vice President for Agriculture, Human, and Social Development, highlighted agriculture as a vital sector with the immense potential for job creation among African youth. Since 2016, the Enable Youth Program has empowered over 100,000 young agripreneurs across 18 African nations, facilitating around 240,000 new job opportunities.
The event also featured an insightful panel discussion moderated by AfDB’s Enable Youth Coordinator Edson Mpyisi. The panelists—including Dr. Martin Fregene, Director for Agriculture and Agro-Industry at AfDB; Diana Gichaga of Private Equity Support; CGIAR Executive Managing Director Dr. Ismahane Elouafi; Frank Nyabundege, Managing Director of Tanzania Agricultural Development Bank; and Xavier himself—discussed strategies for fostering a supportive ecosystem for youth-led agribusinesses through policy improvements, financial innovation, mentorship, and market access.
With Africa’s youth population growing rapidly—currently more than 60% of Africans are under 25 years—the need for such supportive programs is more critical than ever. AfDB unveiled potential expansions to the Enable Youth initiative, dubbed “Enable Youth 2.0,” focusing on innovative financing models, robust capacity-building frameworks, improved market connectivity, and climate resilience.
These discussions align closely with the Bank’s strategic goals under its Ten-Year Strategy (2024–2033), emphasizing the central role of youth in driving Africa’s agricultural and economic transformation. Initiatives like the African Youth Agripreneur Forum, AgriPitch Competition, and Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Banks continue to mobilize crucial investments, foster innovation, and build strategic partnerships to unleash Africa’s agribusiness potential.
The annual gathering reinforced the narrative that investing in Africa’s youthful entrepreneurs is not just about job creation but empowering the next generation to drive sustainable economic development and food security across the continent.
