Afcfta Young Entrepreneurs Federation - Afyef

05/05/2026

The New African Financial Architecture for Development (NAFAD)

At the African Development Bank Group headquarters in Abidjan, the President of the AfCFTA Young Entrepreneurs Federation (AfYEF), Chief Siita Sofo Hissan, represented over 500 million African youth at a continental high-level policy dialogue on the New African Financial Architecture for Development (NAFAD).

A key message emerged: Africa already holds nearly $4 trillion in domestic savings. Bridging the development gap requires only about 10% of this. The challenge is not the absence of capital—but access to it.

AfYEF emphasized that the $330 billion SME financing “gap” is, in reality, a blockage—more critical than the Strait of Hormuz in today’s global economy. Capital is not flowing to the youth and enterprises driving Africa’s growth.

Through the ongoing Civil Society Organizations (CSO) engagement at the AfDB, AfYEF is ensuring that the voices of African youth are not only heard—but integrated into policy and implementation frameworks.

As NAFAD takes shape, AfYEF continues to advocate for a system where financing reaches the hands that build—placing youth at the center of Africa’s economic transformation.

From policy dialogue to continental ex*****on—youth must lead.

03/05/2026

📢 AfYEF Members – Join Us Tomorrow!

We are pleased to share that
Chief Siita Sofo Hissan, President of the AfCFTA Young Entrepreneurs Federation (AfYEF),
will be speaking as a panelist at a high-level session hosted by the
African Development Bank Group.

🌍 Session Focus:
Civil Society, Philanthropy and the Diaspora as Strategic Accelerators of the New African Financial Architecture for Development (NAFAD)

🎯 Why this matters for AfYEF:

Representation of youth entrepreneurs across 30+ African countries

Positioning AfYEF within continental policy and financial architecture discussions

Advancing AfCFTA implementation through enterprise participation

📅 Date: 4 May 2026
📍 Format: Hybrid (Abidjan + Virtual)

🔗 Register to Join: https://afdb.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_GTdrbmzCRCi-9bOwzKzIhA

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👥 Call to Action

All AfYEF members across chapters are strongly encouraged to register and join virtually in support of this important engagement.

This is more than a session — it is AfYEF at the table shaping Africa’s future.

01/05/2026

Financing Africa differently starts with financing its youth differently

At the African Development Bank meeting, representing over 500 million young Africans, my message was clear:

The next 30 years will see 700 million young people enter the labor market. We cannot meet tomorrow’s challenges with yesterday’s financial models.

At AfYEF, we are shifting the conversation from “youth potential” to deliberate investment. We are not just asking for a seat at the table—we are building the infrastructure for Africa’s future.

Chief Siita Sofo Hissan,
President of African Continental Free Trade Area Young Entrepreneurs Federation(AfYEF)

24/04/2026

The AfCFTA Young Entrepreneurship Federation (AfYEF) was honoured to be invited and to actively participate in the African Development Bank (AfDB) consultation process on the Regional Integration Strategic Framework (RISF) 2026–2033.

This engagement reflects a growing recognition of the role of youth-led institutions in shaping Africa’s integration and development agenda. AfYEF is proud to contribute to conversations that will define inclusive growth, women’s economic empowerment, and youth participation across the continent over the coming decade.

We extend sincere appreciation to the AfDB for the invitation and for creating a platform that continues to elevate civil society and youth voices in policy development.

Special thanks to our Vice President, Frederick Nonde, and the entire AfYEF team for their leadership, commitment, and representation throughout the process.

Together, we remain committed to advancing a more connected, inclusive, and opportunity-driven Africa. 🌍

21/04/2026

Representing African Youth at the AfDB: Shaping NAFAD

I am honored to have been selected to represent African youth and entrepreneurs at the African Development Bank Headquarters in Abidjan on May 4th, as part of the NAFAD Policy Dialogue.

This engagement comes at a defining moment for our continent.

The New African Financial Architecture for Development (NAFAD) is being designed to fundamentally reshape how capital is mobilized, structured, and deployed across Africa.

The reality is clear:
Africa holds nearly $4 trillion in domestic savings, yet faces a $400 billion annual financing gap—a gap that continues to constrain SMEs, youth-led enterprises, and innovation across sectors.

NAFAD presents an opportunity to move beyond fragmented financial systems toward a coordinated, African-led framework that prioritizes:
• Access to finance for SMEs and youth-led businesses
• Innovative risk-sharing mechanisms
• Efficient deployment of domestic capital
• Strategic alignment between public, private, and development finance actors

As President of the African Continental Free Trade Area Young Entrepreneurs Federation (AfYEF), and Secretary-General of VASPA, I see this as a critical platform to ensure that youth are not just participants—but architects of Africa’s financial future.

A Call for Input

As I prepare for the “Experience Sharing and Action Points” session, I am engaging entrepreneurs, founders, and ecosystem leaders across the continent:
• What are the most pressing barriers to accessing finance in your country?
• What reforms or instruments should NAFAD prioritize?
• How can development finance institutions better serve the realities of businesses on the ground?

Your insights will directly inform the perspectives I bring into the policy dialogue in Abidjan.

This is an opportunity to move from representation to influence—and from influence to implementation.



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16/04/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

15 April 2026

AfYEF and SUCWA Sign Landmark Cooperation Agreement to Advance Youth Enterprise and Investment Under AfCFTA

Sudan Embassy Counselor Attends Strategic Signing in Accra

ACCRA, GHANA — The AfCFTA Young Entrepreneurs’ Federation (AfYEF) and the Sudanese Coordination in West Africa (SUCWA) have signed a landmark General Cooperation Agreement aimed at accelerating cross-border trade, enterprise development, and investment mobilization for African youth under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The signing ceremony, held at Tag Palace Hotel in Accra, was witnessed by H.E. Nadir Ibrahim Ahmed Abdulrahim, Counselor at the Embassy of the Republic of Sudan in Ghana, underscoring the diplomatic and continental significance of the partnership.

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A Strategic Shift from Engagement to Ex*****on

In his keynote address, Mr. Hissan Siita Sofo (Malti Naa I), President of AfYEF, emphasized that the agreement represents a decisive move toward practical implementation of AfCFTA for youth:

> “This is not a ceremonial agreement — it is a strategic platform for action. Africa’s transformation will not be driven by policy alone, but by entrepreneurs who build, trade, and scale across borders.”

He challenged prevailing narratives about youth and development:

> “We are often told we are the future. But when is the future? If it is always ahead of us, then it never comes. The truth is this — the future is now.”

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Unlocking Diaspora Capital and Enterprise Growth

The agreement establishes a structured collaboration framework integrating SUCWA members into AfYEF’s enterprise and investment platforms, including:

🔹 The Catalyst Show

A Pan-African enterprise and investment platform designed to identify, fund, and scale high-potential youth-led ventures.

$100,000 catalytic prize fund

Diaspora investment matchmaking system

Strategic focus: redirecting part of Africa’s $100+ billion annual remittances into productive enterprise

🔹 The BIGEF Business Surgery Framework

A structured pipeline supporting entrepreneurs from idea → validation → investment readiness

> “Our mission is clear: no young entrepreneur should be left behind under AfCFTA,” Mr. Siita Sofo stated.

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Continental Call to Action

Addressing youth across Africa and the diaspora, the AfYEF President issued a strong call:

> “Do not stand on the margins of Africa’s transformation. Step into it. Africa will not be built by governments alone — it will be built by entrepreneurs, innovators, and builders.”

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Strengthening Africa’s Digital and Financial Future

Mr. Siita Sofo also highlighted his recent appointment as Secretary-General of the Virtual Assets and Service Providers Association (VASPA), signaling AfYEF’s growing role in shaping Africa’s digital economy.

He further announced his participation in the African Development Bank Annual Meetings (Brazzaville, 28 May 2026), where he will represent African youth in high-level discussions on development financing.

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Strategic Acknowledgements

AfYEF expressed appreciation to:

Mr. Alamin A. Durmus, President of SUCWA

Embassy of the Republic of Sudan in Ghana

AfYEF leadership and partners

> “The Africa we want will not happen by chance — it will be built deliberately,” Mr. Siita Sofo concluded.

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About AfYEF

The AfCFTA Young Entrepreneurs’ Federation (AfYEF) is a pan-African institution operating at the intersection of enterprise, policy, and investment. It connects youth and women entrepreneurs to capital, markets, and continental opportunities under AfCFTA, and actively contributes to development dialogue through platforms such as the African Development Bank Civil Society ecosystem.

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About SUCWA

The Sudanese Coordination in West Africa (SUCWA) is a diaspora organization dedicated to empowering Sudanese communities through economic, social, and cultural initiatives across West Africa.

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Media Contact

AfYEF Secretariat
📧 [email protected]
📧 [email protected]

https://afyef.org

08/04/2026

Monday was truly inspiring.

I had the pleasure of welcoming a delegation of Sudanese youth, led by Alamin Durmus, from the Sudanese Coordination in West Africa (SUCWA) to the Secretariat of the AfCFTA Young Entrepreneurs Federation.

Our engagement focused on how Sudanese youth can strategically tap into the vast opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

We explored key themes including:
• Promoting peace and stability across the region
• Expanding opportunities for young entrepreneurs
• Building a more connected and economically integrated Africa

Sudan is a country rich in culture, history, and natural resources. What stood out most, however, was the resilience, ambition, and determination of its youth to rise, grow, and actively shape Africa’s future.

Moments like this are a powerful reminder that Africa’s greatest asset is its people—especially its youth.

02/03/2026

🇨🇮 Working Visit to Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire – Advancing the AfCFTA Youth Agenda

By God’s grace, my first official working visit of 2026 was to Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, and it concluded successfully last week. It was truly a remarkable and highly productive engagement.

This strategic visit focused on mobilizing and positioning Ivorian youth to actively participate in the opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The energy, innovation, and entrepreneurial potential of young people in Côte d’Ivoire are extraordinary, with a clear readiness to engage meaningfully at the continental level.

As part of this mission, I held high-level meetings with key government officials — including the Minister for Youth Promotion — to explore practical pathways for expanding youth inclusion within the AfCFTA framework.

I was particularly honored to be hosted to dinner by Alcide Djédjé, Senator and former Minister of Foreign Affairs. I remain deeply grateful for his warm hospitality and the strategic exchange of ideas on strengthening Côte d’Ivoire’s youth engagement in continental trade.

A key highlight of the visit was my meeting at the headquarters of the African Development Bank in Abidjan. Our discussions centered on enhancing youth inclusion mechanisms and expanding structured support for young entrepreneurs across Africa.

As you may recall, the AfCFTA Young Entrepreneurs Federation (AfYEF) is a recognized Civil Society Organization partner of the African Development Bank. We work closely with the Bank’s Civil Society Department and engage with various operational departments to advance youth-driven trade initiatives.

Last year, through the Office of the Secretary General, we were honored to host the official Youth Side Event during the Bank’s Annual Meetings. We are now actively discussing how to deepen this collaboration as preparations advance toward the 2026 Annual Meetings in Brazzaville, Congo.

The road ahead is promising, and our commitment to transforming Africa’s youth from “threat zones to trade zones” remains stronger than ever.

Excited about what lies ahead.

Prince Hissan Siita Sofo, President, AfYEF

05/01/2026

🔴 PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

2026 DECLARED THE YEAR OF BUILDING SYSTEMS AND STRUCTURES THAT LAST — AfYEF CALLS AFRICA’S YOUTH TO ACTION

📍 Accra, Ghana | 5th January 2026

The AfCFTA Young Entrepreneurs’ Federation (AfYEF) has declared 2026 as “The Year of Building Systems and Structures That Last,” calling on Africa’s youth to move decisively from ideas to ex*****on in order to unlock jobs, skills, and sustainable economic opportunities across the continent.

Addressing young Africans in a New Year message, Mr. Hissan Siita Sofo, President of AfYEF, noted that Africa’s greatest challenge is no longer a shortage of ideas, but a persistent deficit of practical systems that translate ambition into impact.

“Africa does not lack ideas or ambition. What we lack are systems—systems that protect real work, enable scale, and deliver lasting impact. 2026 must be the year we move from slogans to structures, and from potential to performance.”

Five (5) years after the commencement of structured trading under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), AfYEF observes that youth participation remains constrained by weak institutional linkages between policy and opportunity.

“Without systems, youth potential remains trapped in promises. Jobs, skills, and enterprise growth will not emerge from frameworks alone; they require institutions that work on the ground,” Mr. Siita Sofo emphasized.

As host country of the AfCFTA Secretariat, Ghana was urged to continue leading by example by building the institutional backbone that supports youth development, skills formation, and job creation—not only nationally, but as a model for the continent.

AfYEF also acknowledged the leadership of the AfCFTA Secretariat under Secretary-General Wamkele Mene, while stressing that the true measure of continental integration will be reflected in tangible outcomes for young Africans.

Referencing the 2026 State of the Nation Address, Mr. Siita Sofo recalled President John Dramani Mahama’s call to action for young people to take ownership of the reset agenda:

“This was not a call to wait for opportunity. It was a call for young people to build it themselves.”

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Transforming Legacy into Opportunity

As part of its 2026 ex*****on agenda, AfYEF announced the advancement of presidential legacy institutions as youth transformation platforms, implemented in partnership with the Continental Legacy Development Company (CLDC). These include:

▪️ The John Dramani Mahama Presidential Library & Legacy Centre (JDM–PLLC) — Northern Ghana
▪️ The John Agyekum Kufuor Presidential Library & Legacy Centre (JAK–PLLC) — Southern Ghana

According to AfYEF, these institutions are not symbolic monuments, but continental prototypes designed to drive TVET, skills development, civic leadership, innovation, and enterprise, aligned with Africa’s economic future.

“Africa’s youth do not need more motivation; they need infrastructure. These platforms are being designed to endure, to scale, and to serve communities long after their launch,” Mr. Siita Sofo noted.

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Call to Action

AfYEF calls on governments, development partners, the private sector, and civil society to collaborate in building systems that will deliver lasting impact for current and future generations.

“The agenda is set. The need is urgent. The power is in our hands. Let 2026 be the year we lay foundations that last.”

⸻

ENDS

📩 For Media Enquiries:
[email protected]
📞 +233 24 402 0280

Issued by:
AfCFTA Young Entrepreneurs’ Federation (AfYEF)
AfYEF Continental Secretariat

*****on

08/12/2025

28/11/2025

Appreciation Message

On behalf of AfYEF, I extend my deepest appreciation to our AfYEF members in South Africa, and to our strategic partners — Township Economy South Africa (TECSA) and Open Education SA — for the exceptional hosting of the first-ever G20 Summit on African soil. South Africa has represented the entire continent with distinction and pride.

Although I was invited but couldn’t attend physically, I monitored the sessions virtually and could clearly see how successful and well-coordinated the programme was. The feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive.

As one delegate beautifully put it: “Your people are extraordinary. I’ve attended summits on six continents, but I’ve never experienced warmth like this.” Another remarked that in many countries hospitality is a transaction, “but here, it feels like a tradition.”

This historic G-20 — a group of 20 of the world’s major economies — did more than showcase South Africa’s organizational excellence. It highlighted a profound truth: authentic human connection is a competitive advantage no technology can replicate. The smiles, the stories, the dignity, the Ubuntu spirit — these are the qualities the world remembers.

Thank you for representing AfYEF and Africa with excellence, humility, and heart. You made the continent proud, and your work continues to inspire confidence in our shared future.

— Siita Sofo Hissan
President, AfYEF