As part of the implementation of the Creating Opportunities for Youth and Women in Africa (COYWA) programme, a call for applications has been launched to identify and support dynamic, innovative and committed young entrepreneurs. This programme, which aims to strengthen entrepreneurial capacities and stimulate innovation, supports initiatives with a significant socio-economic impact, particularly those benefiting young people and women. It builds on the achievements of the programme, the first cohort of which has delivered particularly impressive results. Indeed, 47 young entrepreneurs from 25 African countries were trained through a blended learning programme covering key topics such as financial education, digital literacy, branding and digital marketing. Cohort 1 was characterised by a 99 per cent success rate, the highest level of satisfaction across all evaluation indicators, and the distinction awarded to 15 participants who received honours. These participants are now able to act as mentor-facilitators in the programme’s subsequent phases. Based on these results, AUDA-NEPAD and AECID have decided to expand the initiative by launching Cohort 2, adopting a sub-regional model combining four weeks of online training with five days of intensive face-to-face training. The first face-to-face session of this new cohort will take place in June 2026 in Praia, Cape Verde, at the Business Lab of the University of Cape Verde. It will bring together 75 participants from ECOWAS countries, including 25 from the host country.