The African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) has signed a $850,000 grant agreement with Invest in Africa (IIA), a non-profit organization, to support the MicroGREEN project to provide livelihood opportunities for marginalized and vulnerable groups in Ghana and Senegal.

Titled, Strengthening Women, Youth, and People with Disabilities’ Micro-Entrepreneurship for Green Jobs in Natural Resources, this initiative aims to generate up to 500 green jobs, focusing on the agroforestry, fisheries, and biodiversity conservation sectors. It is funded through the Bank’s Fund for African Private Sector Assistance (FAPA), alongside an initial $1 million grant commitment by the Bank’s Youth Entrepreneurship and Innovation Multi-Donor Trust Fund to support the project over two years.

These targeted sectors hold high potential for climate-resilient employment and require a skilled workforce capable of managing ecosystems and deploying green technologies.

Despite their potential, women and youth in Africa remain largely underrepresented in Africa’s sustainable growth sectors. Increasing their participation, especially in employment-intensive green industries, could accelerate inclusive and resilient economic development across the continent.

The FAPA grant will fund the Capacity Development and Value Chain Enhancement component of the MicroGREEN project. Many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in fragile or transitional economies like Ghana and Senegal face limited access to entrepreneurship training and business development services. These constraints are particularly acute for women- and youth-led enterprises and are compounded by high service costs and systemic socio-economic and gender-based barriers.

To help address these challenges, the MicroGREEN project will deliver high-quality entrepreneurship training, tailored business development services, and mentorship programs for women, youth, and people with disabilities in agriculture-based sectors.

By strengthening capacity and integrating micro enterprises into green value chains, the project seeks to stimulate local job creation and promote inclusive participation in Africa’s green economy.

Invest in Africa will serve as the implementing partner for the project. As a non-profit organization, IIA is dedicated to supporting African SMEs by facilitating market access, developing skills, and improving access to finance.

FAPA is a multi-donor trust fund that supports technical assistance and capacity building initiatives aligned with the African Development Bank’s Private Sector Development Strategy. The Government of Japan is FAPA’s primary donor. Since its inception, FAPA has financed over 100 projects across more than 38 African countries, committing more than $80  million to improve business environments, deepen financial systems, and foster the growth of micro, small, and medium enterprises. FAPA funding allows the Bank to play a more active role in upstream project preparation, thereby strengthening the pipeline of bankable private sector operations.