The Federal Government of Nigeria has called on Nigerian startups, innovators, and entrepreneurs to apply for the AfCFTA Startup Acceleration and Partnership Programme 2026, a continental initiative designed to help selected African startups expand into international markets, including South Korea.
The programme is being implemented by the AfCFTA Secretariat in partnership with the Government of the Republic of Korea and the Korea-Africa Foundation (KAF).
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the programme is expected to support 30 high-potential African startups operating in strategic sectors such as fintech, e-commerce, logistics, agri-tech, manufacturing, digital commerce, and digital platforms. Selected startups will receive mentorship, business acceleration support, capacity-building, market exposure, investor networking, and partnership opportunities to scale into Korea and other global markets.
The Federal Government said the initiative is part of broader efforts to strengthen trade, innovation, and private-sector partnerships between African countries and South Korea under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework. Nigerian entrepreneurs with scalable and innovative business models have been encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity to position their businesses for global expansion.
Eligibility Requirements for AfCFTA Startup Acceleration Programme 2026
To qualify for the programme, startups must meet the following criteria:
Must be an African startup with an innovative and scalable business model
Must demonstrate readiness for international expansion
Must show interest in entering Korean and global markets
Must operate in sectors aligned with AfCFTA priorities, including:
Fintech
E-commerce
Logistics
Agri-tech
Manufacturing
Digital platforms
Applicants may also be required to submit a business plan and other supporting documents as stated in the application guidelines.
How to Apply
Interested and eligible startups are advised to visit the official AfCFTA application portal, complete the application form, and submit all required documents before the deadline. The official application page is available on .
Applicants seeking further enquiries can also contact the programme organizers through:
Application Deadline
Applications for the AfCFTA Startup Acceleration Programme 2026 are open for a limited period, and interested startups are advised to apply early. Published sources list deadlines in the May 24–31, 2026 range, so applicants should confirm the exact closing date on the official portal before submission.