The Africa Next Bénévolat program was officially launched on September 28 in Lomé, Togo, with the aim of supporting 100 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Africa. The program, initiated by Ange Martial Diby, founder of the Africa Next Awards, brings together winners of the awards to offer their expertise to SMEs on a voluntary basis. The program covers ten key areas, including agriculture, energy, and digital technology.
The Africa Next Awards, held on September 3 in Paris, recognized outstanding individuals who have made significant contributions to their respective fields. The winners of these awards will now offer their expertise to SMEs, providing them with the skills and knowledge needed to grow and develop. The program is designed to be flexible, allowing winners to choose their level of engagement and format, ranging from masterclasses to intensive programs.
The program's mechanism is straightforward, with each winner offering their expertise to an SME that has expressed a specific need. The goal is not to "do it for" the SMEs, but to equip them with sustainable methods, tools, and reflexes. The program will be rolled out progressively across several countries, including Togo, Côte d'Ivoire, Benin, and Burkina Faso.
Togo is the first country to benefit from the program, with Prof Michel Serge Kodom, a winner of the Africa Next Awards 2026, already committing to support two areas: communication and hygiene and health. His NGO, AIMES-Afrique, is currently conducting a medical and surgical campaign in Tchamba, in the Central region, which has already treated 473 patients.
A delegation from Africa Next visited Tchamba to document the action and gather testimonials, highlighting the type of concrete actions that the program aims to promote. The initiatives collected will be showcased during the next ceremony, scheduled for September 2027.
The program's focus on sharing expertise is based on the idea that a trophy is less valuable than the knowledge it can share. By leveraging the skills and experience of the Africa Next Awards winners, the program aims to make a tangible impact on the growth and development of African SMEs.
The program's launch in Togo is significant, given the country's strategic location and the existing work of Prof Kodom's NGO. With its focus on practical support and sustainable solutions, Africa Next Bénévolat has the potential to make a lasting impact on the African business landscape.
Key points
- Winners of the Africa Next Awards will offer their expertise to 100 African SMEs across ten key areas.
- The program aims to equip SMEs with sustainable methods, tools, and reflexes.
- Togo is the first country to benefit from the program, with Prof Michel Serge Kodom committing to support communication and hygiene and health initiatives.
