The Flourish Africa Grant for Female Entrepreneurs is a N1 billion fund established by Apostle Folorunso Alakija to support and promote African female-owned businesses over a five-year period. The program aims to empower at least 2,500 female entrepreneurs through a strategic combination of structured training, coaching, mentoring, and direct funding.
Opportunity Overview
The initiative is designed to formalize the strength of women in Nigeria’s small-business economy by equipping them with the governance and skills needed to survive and scale.
Key Benefits:
- Training & Capacity Building: A minimum of 500 female entrepreneurs are trained annually in business and life skills through a curriculum tailored for idea-stage and start-up phases.
- Grant Funding: From the pool of trained participants, the top 100 achievers are eligible for seed grants. For the most recent cycles, the annual fund was increased to accommodate inflation, with beneficiaries receiving up to N3 million each.
- Mentorship & Coaching: Participants receive access to a network of seasoned mentors and facilitators with vast industry experience.
- Marketplace Access: The platform provides an enabling environment for practical skill development and exposure to structured markets.
- Post-Training Support: Select cohorts have received one-year business plan advisory support to ensure long-term profitability.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must meet specific demographic and operational requirements to qualify for the program.
1. Founder Profile
- Gender: Applicants must be female.
- Ownership: If the business is co-owned with a man, the female applicant must possess at least 51% ownership.
- Age Range: Open to women between 18 and 50 years old.
2. Business Stage & Operations
- Phase: The program specifically targets businesses in the Start-up or Incubation phase.
- Registration: Businesses must be registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
- History: The business must have been operating for at least one year.
- Team: The enterprise must have at least two staff members.
3. Geographic & Technical Requirements
- Location: Businesses must be located in Nigeria. While originally focused on Lagos and Abuja, the program has expanded to include other regions such as Port Harcourt, with specific annual announcements for locations.
- Digital Access: Applicants must have access to internet-enabled devices and be willing to commit to virtual training sessions spanning 3 to 4 months.