By Abbas Nazil
At the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) 2025 Annual Meetings held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, young agripreneurs took center stage, with a spotlight on the transformational impact of the Bank’s ENABLE Youth Program.
The highlight of the event was the inspirational story of Koffi Amani François Xavier, a 30-year-old Ivorian entrepreneur and founder of the now multinational “Mon Chips” brand.
Xavier, who began his snack food business with just $100, shared how participation in the Bank’s ENABLE Youth AgriPitch competition helped him scale up his operations and achieve regional success.
Speaking at the side event titled “Mobilizing Africa’s Agripreneurs: Unleashing the Next Generation of Agricultural Innovators”, Xavier credited the AgriPitch competition for providing him with business development training, mentorship, and exposure to investors.
As a winner of the competition two years ago, he received a $25,000 award, which enabled him to modernize production and expand his market reach to 150 stores across Côte d’Ivoire and establish operations in four countries.
His company, Etoduma SARL, now processes 50 tons of potato chips annually and employs 26 workers—80 percent of whom are women.
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The side event attracted a diverse audience, including policymakers, private sector leaders, development partners, and youth innovators, all discussing how to scale youth-led agribusiness across Africa.
Moderated by AfDB ENABLE Youth Coordinator Edson Mpyisi, the panel featured notable figures such as Dr. Martin Fregene, Director for Agriculture and Agro-Industry at the AfDB; Diana Gichaga, Managing Partner of Private Equity Support; Dr. Ismahane Elouafi of CGIAR; and Frank Nyabundege, Managing Director at the Tanzania Agricultural Development Bank.
Dr. Beth Dunford, Vice President for Agriculture, Human and Social Development at the AfDB, emphasized the pivotal role agriculture plays in youth employment, citing it as the fastest path to scale employment opportunities on the continent.
She noted that since its launch in 2016, ENABLE Youth has supported over 100,000 young people across 18 African countries and contributed to the creation of an estimated 240,000 jobs.
Looking forward, participants explored the future of the program through a proposed “ENABLE Youth 2.0” initiative.
This new phase aims to build on previous successes by focusing on inclusive financing, capacity development, climate resilience, and stronger market linkages.
It aligns with the Bank’s Ten-Year Strategy (2024–2033), which places youth at the heart of Africa’s agricultural transformation.
The AfDB reaffirmed its commitment to youth empowerment through platforms like the African Youth Agripreneur Forum, AgriPitch Competition, and Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Banks—tools designed to mobilize investment, spark innovation, and unlock Africa’s agrifood potential.
