About this opportunity
Many small agribusinesses in Africa never get the follow on funding they need, and the Agri-Business Facility for Africa thinks the reason is usually the plan rather than the idea. Only three out of ten early stage businesses on the continent secure external funding, so ABF built a free learning pathway that walks a young agripreneur through a stronger business model, real climate resilience and a plan an investor can read.
The Agribusiness Growth Challenge is the competition attached to that pathway. You complete three courses on the Agribusiness e-Academy hosted on the atingi platform, then submit your own business plan using the official Business Model Canvas template. Selected applicants receive one of the Business Growth Awards, which are €6,000 in funding, a Dell Pro 14 Essential laptop, or a place in a six month agribusiness mentoring programme.
This window is open to young and emerging agripreneurs aged 18 and above who reside in a member state of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States, a group that includes Nigeria and most of the continent. Submissions must sit in one or more of four value chains: maize, livestock covering cattle, sheep and goats, cashew, or cocoa. Ideas outside those chains are not considered.
Entry costs nothing. ABF states plainly that there are no entry fees, subscription charges or hidden costs at any stage, and the three required courses are free as well. Window 3 runs from 1 September to 30 October 2026, and the organiser publishes no cut-off time, so treat the closing date as the
Application timeline
and start the courses early because the certificate they issue is a condition of entry.
What you receive
- A Business Growth Award of €6,000 in funding to develop or grow the selected agribusiness
- Alternatively a Dell Pro 14 Essential laptop, or a place in a six month agribusiness mentoring programme
- Three free Agribusiness e-Academy courses on building a stronger business model, adapting to climate risk and preparing for investment
- A completed Business Model Canvas for your own enterprise, which you keep and can reuse with investors
- Written feedback is not promised, but an unsuccessful idea may be improved and resubmitted in a later window
- Winners may be invited into promotional activity and have their project names and summaries published, with separate consent
Who can apply
- Open to young and emerging agripreneurs aged 18 and above
- You must reside in a member state of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States, and proof of residency may be requested
- You must register a personal account on the atingi learning platform
- You must complete all three mandatory Agribusiness e-Academy courses and hold a valid certificate ID from the final course
- Your submission must focus on maize, livestock (cattle, sheep or goats), cashew or cocoa
- Each applicant may submit only one idea per submission window
Who should not apply
- Employees of GIZ, ABF and MOVE, their immediate family members, and anyone directly involved in designing, administering or evaluating the competition cannot take part
- Ideas outside the four eligible value chains are not considered
- Submissions without a valid course certificate ID are not accepted
- Proposals submitted on behalf of someone else, or using another person's identity, result in disqualification
- Late or incomplete entries will not be reviewed
Documents to prepare
- A valid certificate ID from the Creating an Investment-Ready Agribusiness course, issued through your atingi account
- A fully completed Business Model Canvas, entered directly into the submission form rather than uploaded as a file
- A short written description of the climate smart or resilience component of your project
- A short written explanation of your revenue model
- An estimate of the capital needed to start or scale the project
- Proof of age and proof of residency, which the organiser may request
How to apply
- Create a free personal account on the atingi platform at https://online.atingi.org and make sure your email address is current, since that is how winners are contacted
- Complete the Climate-Smart Agribusiness: Adaptation course and the Business Model Canvas course, in either order
- Once both are finished, unlock and complete the third course, Creating an Investment-Ready Agribusiness, and note your certificate ID
- Download the official Business Model Canvas template from the course downloads section, or from the MOVE-ComCashew and e-MOVE pages, and fill it in for your own business
- Open the official submission form at https://kobo-ee.giz.de/single/8kGXuey4 and enter your full Business Model Canvas directly into the form, since file uploads are not accepted
- Add your certificate ID, the climate resilience description, your revenue model and your capital estimate, then submit before 30 October 2026
- Read the terms and conditions first at https://www.agribusiness-facility.org/files/upload/images/News/e-Academy/Terms%20and%20Conditions_The%20Agribusiness%20Growth%20Challenge_Sept%20-Oct%202026.pdf
- Send any question about the competition to ABF-eAcademy@giz.de or cashew@giz.de
Selection process
- Stage 1 is preselection, where a panel of initial evaluators reviews each proposal against twelve categories: customer segments, value proposition, channels, customer relationships, revenue streams, key resources, key activities, key partnerships, cost structure, women and youth engagement, internal consistency and logic, and innovation and differentiation
- Stage 2 is final selection, where shortlisted proposals are reviewed by a final panel whose decision is described as final and not subject to appeal
- Shortlisted applicants may be asked to submit supporting documents to verify eligibility and originality
- Winners are contacted by the email address linked to their atingi account, and a selected applicant who does not respond within ten calendar days may have the award withdrawn and offered to an alternate finalist
- Where several submissions share the same certificate ID in one window, only the first complete and valid submission is considered
- The organiser notes that procurement and delivery of awards may take up to twelve months from the date a winner is confirmed
Sources and verification
- Official source , Discovered by the opportunity automation module.
Questions applicants ask
Is there any fee to enter?
No. Participation in the competition is free, the three mandatory e-learning courses are free, and ABF states that no entry fees, subscription charges or hidden costs apply at any stage.
Can I apply from Nigeria?
Yes, if you reside in a member state of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States. Nigeria is a member state, and the organiser may ask for proof of residency.
Can I submit more than one business idea?
No. Each applicant may submit only one idea per submission window. If your idea is not selected you are welcome to improve it and resubmit in a later window.
Do I have to finish the courses before I apply?
Yes. A valid certificate ID from the final course, Creating an Investment-Ready Agribusiness, is required, and a submission without it is not accepted.
Can I upload my business plan as a document?
No. You enter the full Business Model Canvas directly into the submission form. File uploads are no longer accepted and only form entries are reviewed.
What time does the window close on 30 October 2026?
The published terms give the window as 1 September to 30 October 2026 and do not state a cut-off time, so plan to submit well before the day itself. Late entries are not reviewed.
Who runs the competition?
The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, through its Agri-Business Facility for Africa and MOVE-ComCashew projects, as part of a Joint Action co-financed by the European Union under the Samoa Agreement with the OACPS and by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Who owns the idea I submit?
You do. The terms state that all submitted proposals remain the intellectual property of the applicant, and ABF may use anonymised or credited proposals for promotional or educational purposes with consent.
Important disclaimer
Nextali researches and curates useful opportunities to make discovery easier. Before applying, verify every timeline, requirement, fee and application link on the official provider website. Do your own research into the organisation, its background and the authenticity of the offer. Nextali does not guarantee selection, funding or the conduct of third party providers.
