OPPORTUNITY | Apply to Join the Afrikan Youth Business Council’s Bureau of Representatives (BoR)

 Deadline: April 28

Application is open for accomplished African entrepreneurs under the age of 40 to join the Bureau of Representatives (BoR) of the Afrikan Youth Business Council (AfYBC), the continental apex body for individual young entrepreneurs and youth-led private sector entities, institutions and associations.

 About the Afrikan Youth Business Council (AfYBC)

The Afrikan Youth Business Council (AfYBC) seeks to be the continental apex body for individual young entrepreneurs and youth-led private sector entities, institutions and associations becoming a collective voice and agency working towards a youth-friendly business policy environment, aimed at making AfCFTA Promises to African youth a reality. Therefore, AfYBC seeks to leverage the entrepreneurial ingenuity of Africa’s youth to drive cross- border trade in goods and services and make youth crucial stakeholders and contributors to the continent’s socioeconomic transformation. Among others, the AfYBC will promote young entrepreneurs’ participation in the continental economy especially under the AfCFTA frameworks and processes, by pushing for the removal of major inhibitors such as lack of access to financing, lack of business skills and capabilities, inadequate awareness, and prohibitive policies and practices against free movement of persons, goods, services, skills and talent. By fostering inclusion of young entrepreneurs in all sectors of the economy and at all levels, the AfYBC will usher in increased youth-led commercially meaningful economic activity, productivity, reduced poverty and inequalities, crucial for the realisation of a peaceful and prosperous Africa, as enshrined in Agenda 2063.

Vision

A light bulb for youth in intra-African trade and economic integration.

Mission

A leading youth-led continental private sector organisation that uplifts the capability and competitiveness of young entrepreneurs and their businesses, advocates for a youth friendly economic and trade policy regime, promotes fair trade, fair competition, and connectivity for young African entrepreneurs.

Specific Objectives

 The Council aims to achieve the following;

1. To be the go to continental voice and agency for young African entrepreneurs, youth-led trade and enterprise, through strategic convenings such as the flagship annual Under 40 CEOs Africa Summit that act as platforms for networking, cooperation, learning and knowledge transfer.

2. Be the leading continental player for facilitation of investment capital mobilisation that fosters access to financing and access to markets for individual young entrepreneurs, youth-led enterprises and start-ups, in Africa and globally as well as advocate for a youth-friendly economic policy and legislation environment.

3. Be the continental reference point for effective individual and corporate business upskilling for young entrepreneurs and youth-led enterprises to enable their commercially meaningful participation in all economic spheres through trade in goods, services, skills and talent.

The Bureau of Representatives (BoR)

The governance structure of the Afrikan Youth Business Council (AfYBC) shall include a Bureau of Representatives which will include Ten (12) Under-40 (Male and Female) African entrepreneurs/business owners representing the five (5) regions of Africa – West, East, Central, North and Southern regions. There shall be Two (2) representatives from each of the regions (Male and Female). In addition, there will be two representatives (Male and Female) from the Diaspora.

The BoR members will be appointed for a two-year term by the BoT and be ratified by the General Assembly of the AfYBC whose members are registered individual and corporate members of the Council. The two-year term is renewable once subject to performance and proven commitment and contribution to the advancement of the Council’s mission.

Criteria for Selection

• Be a young African or diaspora African entrepreneur/business owner (Male or Female).
• Own a registered, functioning and verifiable business entity operating in any of the 55 African Union Member States or any Diaspora country. 
•  Be under the age of Forty (40) as at March 2024.
• Be able to sponsor personal travel to attend Council meetings and represent the Council at engagements around the continent.
• Be able to contribute their knowledge, expertise and experience as entrepreneurs to the growth and development of the Council.
• Demonstrable understanding of and commitment to the spirit of Africa’s economic integration.
• Ability to get along and work with people of diverse social backgrounds
• Female Under 40 entrepreneurs strongly encouraged to apply

Apply here. The deadline for submission of self-nomination is April 28, 2024. For more information about AfYBC visit our website here. And for inquiries you can reach out to the AfYBC Secretariat via: afriyouthbc@gmail.com. Only shortlisted candidates will be announced by mid-May 2024.