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Free resource · 16 grants · Updated 2025

Grants for women entrepreneurs in Africa

16 real grants and funding programmes for women building businesses across Africa — from the $5,000 Tony Elumelu Foundation grant to the $150,000 Africa Business Heroes prize. No email required. Browse by country or region, check your eligibility, and apply directly.

16

Active programmes

$5K

Min. award

54

Countries eligible

$0

To apply

How to qualify for an African business grant

  1. 1. Register your business. Most programmes require proof of registration: CAC in Nigeria, RWP in Ghana, CR12 in Kenya, or CIPC in South Africa. Some — like the Tony Elumelu Foundation and SheTrades — accept applications from unregistered businesses at the idea stage.
  2. 2. Write a one-page business summary. Describe what you do, who you serve, your revenue or traction, and exactly how the grant money will help. You'll reuse this for every application — write it once, refine it each time.
  3. 3. Apply to at least five. Grants are competitive across Africa. Apply to rolling-deadline programmes first (TEF, SheTrades, AWDF) and annual programmes when they open (Cartier, ABH, AWIEF). Track deadlines in a spreadsheet.
  4. 4. Follow up and reapply. If you don't win, reapply the next cycle. Many TEF and Cartier winners applied multiple times before being selected. Persistence matters more than perfection.

The grants

16 grants women in Africa can apply for now

Filter by country or region. Every grant links to the official application page — no gate, no email required.

Pan-African

Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme

Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF)

$5,000 (₦7M+) seed capital

African entrepreneurs aged 18+ with a business idea or early-stage business (under 3 years). Open to all 54 African countries. Must complete the 12-week TEF training programme to receive funding.

Deadline: Annual — applications open January–March

Africa's largest entrepreneurship programme — over 20,000 entrepreneurs funded since 2015. Women are strongly encouraged to apply.

Apply on official site

Pan-African

Africa Business Heroes Prize

Jack Ma Foundation

Up to $150,000

African founders of businesses registered and operating in Africa. Must be the founder or co-founder with at least 6 months of operations. English and French applications accepted.

Deadline: Annual — applications open April–June

Top 10 finalists share $1.5M in prize money. Includes mentorship from Alibaba executives and global visibility.

Apply on official site

Pan-African

Cartier Women's Initiative — Sub-Saharan Africa

Cartier

$30,000–$100,000

Women founders of impact-driven businesses based in Sub-Saharan Africa. Must be the founder or co-founder with equity stake and at least 1 year of revenue-generating operations.

Deadline: Annual — applications typically open mid-year

Regional award for Sub-Saharan Africa. Winners receive funding, executive coaching from INSEAD, and international media exposure.

Apply on official site

Pan-African

African Women's Development Fund (AWDF) Grants

AWDF

$5,000–$50,000 (varies by programme)

Women-led organisations and initiatives across Africa working on women's rights, economic empowerment, or community development. Must be locally registered in an African country.

Deadline: Multiple programmes — rolling cycles

AWDF has funded over 2,000 women's organisations across 42 African countries since 2001.

Apply on official site

Pan-African

AWIEF Awards & Accelerator

Africa Women Innovation & Entrepreneurship Forum

Cash prizes + investor access (varies)

Women entrepreneurs and innovators operating in Africa across six categories: technology, agriculture, energy, manufacturing, services, and social enterprise.

Deadline: Annual — nominations open mid-year

Winners gain access to the AWIEF investor network and accelerator programme. Finalists presented at the annual AWIEF conference.

Apply on official site

Pan-African

SheTrades Initiative

International Trade Centre (ITC)

Free market access + grants (varies by programme)

Women-owned businesses in Africa seeking to export and access international markets. Free to join — create a verified SheTrades profile to be matched with buyers and opportunities.

Deadline: Rolling — free to join anytime

Backed by the ITC (a joint UN/WTO agency). Connects over 5 million women entrepreneurs to global markets by 2030.

Apply on official site

Pan-African

Mastercard Foundation Programmes

Mastercard Foundation

$2,000–$50,000+ (varies by programme)

Young African entrepreneurs (18–35) and women-led businesses. Programmes vary by country and focus — agriculture, digital skills, and youth employment.

Deadline: Multiple programmes — rolling

The Mastercard Foundation has committed over $2 billion to African youth programmes. Partner with local organisations like EFI, CAMFED, and EDC in each country.

Apply on official site

Pan-African

AECF Funding (Agribusiness & Rural)

Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund

$25,000–$1,500,000

African agribusinesses and rural enterprises in target countries (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, and others). Must demonstrate impact on rural communities.

Deadline: Multiple funding windows — check for open calls

AECF has funded over 400 businesses across 24 African countries. Women-led agribusinesses receive priority in several funding windows.

Apply on official site

Nigeria

Standard Chartered Women in Tech Incubator

Standard Chartered Bank

$10,000 seed funding + training

Women-led tech startups in Nigeria (also operates in Kenya, Ghana, and other African markets). Must have a working prototype or early-stage product.

Deadline: Annual cohorts — applications open quarterly

Each cohort selects up to 10 women-led startups. Includes mentorship, networking, and pitch opportunities with investors.

Apply on official site

Nigeria

LSETF Loan & Grant Programme

Lagos State Employment Trust Fund

₦250,000–₦5,000,000 (low-interest loans + grants)

Lagos State residents aged 18+ with a registered or informal business in Lagos. Must have a Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA) number.

Deadline: Rolling — apply online anytime

LSETF also runs the W-TIVE (Women in Technology & Innovation for Vocational Employment) programme specifically for women entrepreneurs in Lagos.

Apply on official site

Nigeria

Shell LiveWIRE Nigeria

Shell Petroleum Development Company

₦2,000,000+ grant + business training

Nigerian entrepreneurs aged 18–35 with an innovative business idea or early-stage business in the Niger Delta region and beyond.

Deadline: Annual — applications open via the programme portal

Shell LiveWIRE also operates in Egypt and other African markets. Women are strongly encouraged to apply.

Apply on official site

Ghana & West Africa

MEST Africa Training & Seed Fund

Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology

$50,000–$100,000 seed investment

Tech entrepreneurs across Africa — apply to the 12-month MEST training programme in Accra, Ghana. Open to founders with a software or tech-driven business idea.

Deadline: Annual — applications open September–December

MEST has invested in over 80 startups across 15 African countries. The programme is free and includes housing, meals, and a monthly stipend.

Apply on official site

Ghana & West Africa

Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA) Programmes

Ghana Enterprises Agency

₵5,000–₵100,000 (grants + soft loans)

Ghanaian micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Women and youth-owned businesses receive priority in several GEA programmes. Must be registered with the GEA.

Deadline: Multiple programmes — rolling

GEA administers the World Bank-funded Ghana Jobs and Skills Project and the Rural Enterprises Programme — both open to women entrepreneurs.

Apply on official site

Kenya & East Africa

Kenya Climate Innovation Center (KCIC)

KCIC (supported by World Bank & Danida)

$5,000–$50,000+ (grants + advisory)

Kenyan entrepreneurs with climate-smart business ideas in renewable energy, agribusiness, water, or green technology. Must demonstrate environmental and social impact.

Deadline: Rolling — apply via KCIC portal

KCIC has supported over 300 green businesses in Kenya. Women-led climate enterprises receive dedicated support and funding.

Apply on official site

Kenya & East Africa

Women in Energy — Kenya (WEK) Grants

Energy Africa & partners

$2,000–$25,000

Women entrepreneurs in Kenya and East Africa working in clean energy, solar, and energy access. Must have a registered business or community project.

Deadline: Annual — check for open calls

Energy4Impact and partners run women-focused energy entrepreneurship programmes across Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.

Apply on official site

South Africa

SAB Foundation Social Innovation Awards

South African Breweries (SAB) Foundation

R200,000–R1,300,000

South African entrepreneurs with innovative products or services that benefit women, youth, children, or people with disabilities. Must be a registered South African business.

Deadline: Annual — applications open May–June

Over R80 million awarded since 2011. Women-led businesses and rural innovations are prioritised. Includes the Foundation Thembalihle DeafBlind award.

Apply on official site

Need help writing your grant application?

A free Her Empire Era membership gives you Victoria AI and the Empire Prompt Vault — including grant-writing prompts tailored for African entrepreneurs. Victoria can help you draft your application, structure your business summary for programmes like TEF and Cartier, and refine your answers before you submit.

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No card required · Available across Africa

Questions about grants for women in Africa

Can I apply for these grants if I live outside Africa?
Most of these grants require your business to be registered and operating in an African country. The Tony Elumelu Foundation, Africa Business Heroes, and Cartier Women's Initiative are open to founders across all 54 African countries. If you're a member of the African diaspora, you may still qualify if your business is based in Africa — check each programme's eligibility carefully.
Do I need to pay back any of this funding?
No. Grants are free money — you don't repay them and you don't give up equity. Programmes like LSETF and GEA offer low-interest loans (not grants), which are clearly labelled. Seed investment programmes like MEST Africa provide funding in exchange for equity, which is different from a grant. Always read the terms before applying.
What documents do I need to apply for an African business grant?
Most programmes require: (1) a business summary or pitch deck, (2) proof of registration (CAC in Nigeria, RWP in Ghana, CR12 in Kenya, CIPC in South Africa), (3) a valid ID, and (4) bank details. The Tony Elumelu Foundation and SheTrades accept applications from unregistered businesses at the idea stage. Write your one-page business summary first — you'll reuse it for every application.
Which grant is easiest to apply for as a woman in Africa?
SheTrades is free to join and requires only a profile — no application or deadline. The Tony Elumelu Foundation programme is the most accessible funded programme: the application is online, open to all 54 countries, and over 1,000 entrepreneurs are selected each year. Start with those two, then apply to the AWIEF Awards and Cartier Women's Initiative once your business is established.
Are there grants specifically for women in tech in Africa?
Yes. Standard Chartered Women in Tech operates in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and other markets. MEST Africa in Accra funds women-led tech startups. The GSMA Innovation Fund supports women in digital inclusion across Africa. If your business uses technology — even at a basic level like mobile payments or e-commerce — you may qualify for multiple tech-focused programmes.
Can Victoria AI help me write my grant application in Africa?
Yes. When you join Her Empire Era free, you get access to Victoria AI and the Empire Prompt Vault — including grant-writing prompts tailored for African entrepreneurs. Victoria can help you draft your application in English, structure your business summary for programmes like TEF and Cartier, and refine your answers before you submit.

Next: US grants for women, free ChatGPT prompts for business or the Empire Opportunity Center.