Togo Launches New Contract for African Entrepreneurship Support

The city of Lomé, Togo, recently hosted the Afric'innov Summit 2026, which brought together 200 participants from 18 countries to discuss the future of entrepreneurship support in Africa. On the final day of the summit, the Manifesto of Lomé was presented, calling for a shift in approach to evaluating the effectiveness of incubators and accelerators. The manifesto emphasizes the need to measure the progress of entrepreneurs being supported, rather than just the number of beneficiaries or funding announced. This approach aims to ensure that support structures are truly making a meaningful impact on the entrepreneurs they assist.

Over the past decade, the number of incubators, accelerators, and support programs for entrepreneurship has grown significantly in Africa. However, a pressing question remains: are these support structures truly helping entrepreneurs create, develop, and sustain their businesses? The Afric'innov network, which comprises over 130 support structures in 26 countries, seeks to change the approach to entrepreneurship support. According to the manifesto, the value of support lies not in the number of beneficiaries or funding, but in the tangible benefits gained by entrepreneurs, such as improved competencies, market access, productivity, and resilience.

The Lomé manifesto outlines several key recommendations for improving entrepreneurship support in Africa. It calls on funders to finance the sustainable capacities of support structures, rather than just short-term programs. The manifesto also encourages support structures to develop their own financing tools, such as revolving funds, loans, and repayable advances. Additionally, it urges governments to recognize the role of competent support structures and entrust them with services that have verifiable results. By implementing these recommendations, Afric'innov aims to ensure that support structures are held accountable for the progress of the entrepreneurs they support.

The Afric'innov network, founded in 2016, is the first francophone community dedicated to supporting innovative entrepreneurship in Africa. The network brings together incubators and accelerators, contributes to the professionalization of entrepreneurship support, and provides its members with tools and resources. With over 130 member structures in 26 countries, Afric'innov plays a significant role in shaping the entrepreneurship support landscape in Africa. The network's president, Christian Jekinnou, emphasizes that the manifesto is a call to action, urging support structures to demonstrate the impact of their work on entrepreneurs.

The Afric'innov Summit 2026 was organized in collaboration with the Togolese Ministry of Public Service Efficiency and Digital Transformation, through the Djanta Tech Hub, and with the support of the ProDigiT project of the German Development Institute (GIZ) Togo, co-financed by Germany, Luxembourg, and the European Union. The summit also received support from the International Trade Centre (ITC), the Organization of International Francophonie (OIF), and other development partners. The event brought together participants from 18 countries, including 17 delegations from Africa, who came to share experiences and discuss the future of entrepreneurship support.

The Lomé manifesto emphasizes the importance of human discernment in entrepreneurship support, warning against over-reliance on artificial intelligence (AI). While AI can facilitate diagnostics and reduce tasks, it should not replace the judgment of support structures. The manifesto also cautions against AI solutions that would only benefit already well-connected entrepreneurs, exacerbating existing inequalities. By prioritizing human-centered support and accountability, Afric'innov aims to ensure that entrepreneurship support structures are truly making a positive impact on the entrepreneurs they assist.

A roadmap for implementing the Lomé manifesto will be developed, including experiments, an "AI-ready" initiative, the evolution of the Afric'innov label, and a monitoring mechanism. The network's goal is to move beyond mere accompaniment and demonstrate tangible progress for entrepreneurs. As Afric'innov continues to shape the entrepreneurship support landscape in Africa, the Lomé manifesto serves as a call to action for support structures, funders, and governments to work together to create a more effective and sustainable ecosystem for entrepreneurship.

Key points

• The Lomé manifesto calls for a shift in approach to evaluating the effectiveness of incubators and accelerators, prioritizing the progress of entrepreneurs being supported.
• Afric'innov aims to ensure that support structures are held accountable for the progress of the entrepreneurs they support, rather than just the number of beneficiaries or funding announced.
• The manifesto recommends that funders finance the sustainable capacities of support structures, rather than just short-term programs.