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Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Bank (YEIB) Initiative

African Development Bank

Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Bank (YEIB) Initiative

African Development Bank

The YEIB aims to strengthen service delivery to ecosystems and entrepreneurs, to promote private sector-led inclusive economic development, by creating entrepreneurship opportunities for the youth. Working at the intersection of public and private approaches, it supports countries in their efforts by setting up or transforming institutions (in line with best-performing examples around the globe) to address in the short, medium, and longterm, the set of market failures that impact entrepreneurship.

Project Details

Regional Member Countries (RMCs) need to build successful entities and solutions that learn and improve permanently. The AfDB YEIB Initiative is a framework designed to strengthen ecosystems around the continent. These entities will drive the ecosystem and will be managed independently under a diverse board, to ensure that a plurality of approaches and experiences are brought onboard to steer entrepreneurship support. It can maximize donors´ and taxpayers value for money by: (i) avoiding specific project implementation units and, instead, scaling-up and building the capacities of the YEIB staff and ecosystem organizations; (ii) from an entrepreneur’s pathway, ensuring that there are no gaps in the services, whether financial or non-financial; and (iii) by having a good management structure that implements management models and monitoring systems in line with most modern tools (e.g. AI/data analytics), to have accurate information of the performance of the YEIB, the ecosystems, users, and adjust the course of action to respond to needs, as well as country economic and human development strategies. An operational model, business plan, and financial model is being developed that includes:

  1. A Non-Financial Services (NFS) arm that convenes the ecosystem, drives innovation, connects local and global stakeholders, and strengthens business development services providers. The NFS will work on the innovation at two levels, first bringing innovation to the overall management and strategy of the YEIB, and second the trickle down to the ecosystem and its actors. It will leverage the local and international entrepreneurship ecosystem and key sector players.
  2. An investment fund that can leverage private resources as well as donor resources.
  3. A Credit Guarantee Scheme (new or existing) with a specific youth-dedicated window that will partner with financial institutions, and leverage donors´ support.
Anticipated Impact
  1. Comprehensive and integrated support to firms and young entrepreneurs accessing the YEIB to create and scale-up businesses.
  2. Creating a vibrant ecosystem by driving the scale-up and strengthening of the entrepreneurship ecosystem and its actors, bringing knowledge and financing.
  3. Ensuring the continuation of support throughout the entrepreneurship pathway.
  4. An entry point for donors’ support.
Support/Partnership Required

The YEIB proposal welcomes other Alliance members to contribute through:

  • Co-financing YEIB projects (NFS, Investment Fund, and/or de-risking facilities) and sharing knowledge for the successful implementation and roll-out.
  • The creation of an AforE Working Group dedicated to the strengthening of entrepreneurship ecosystems and specific verticals/areas.
  • The creation of a YEIB or related continental hub that can bring together knowledge and best practices in a regular way, to facilitate YEIBs work at country level.
  • The set-up a of a solid monitoring system with AI and good data analytics – in line with bestGovTech approaches.