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The Africa Jobs Fund × SDRB Somalia Business Plan Competition 2026 for young Somalis

by October 19, 2026

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14 Application Deadline: November 6, 2026

Applications are now open for the 2026 Africa Jobs Fund × SDRB Somalia Business Plan Competition. The Africa Jobs Fund (AJF) and the Somali Development and Reconstruction Bank (SDRB) are looking for ambitious founders and operating teams ready to build the next generation of Somali export businesses.

You may already be running a company, developing an early-stage venture, or starting with a well-researched idea. Prior traction is not required. What matters is the quality of the opportunity, your connection to Somalia, and your ability to execute.

Prize and support

The goal is to provide a pathway from a strong idea to a real export manufacturing business operating at scale, rather than simply awarding a prize and stopping there.

| Step | Stage | Amount | What it means | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | Win the competition | $20,000 | Seed the project. The winner receives $20,000 to get the business started. | | 2 | Pilot it | Up to $100,000 | Prove it works. All strong projects, not just the winner, will be considered for investment to develop a pilot. | | 3 | Scale it | Up to $1,000,000 | Build at scale. A potential pathway to scale-up investment for a successful pilot. |

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| Area | What that could look like | | --- | --- | | Agriculture & agro-processing | Including sesame, honey, bananas and other crops. | | Livestock & meat processing | Including abattoirs, cold chain, packaging and halal-certified products. | | Fisheries | Including cold storage, processing, canning and refrigerated logistics. | | Natural products | Including frankincense, myrrh, gum arabic and camel milk. | | Light manufacturing & consumer products | Products made in Somalia for regional and global buyers. | | Export infrastructure & enabling services | Including testing, certification, packaging, logistics and quality assurance. | | Other productive businesses | Any business with a credible path to exports, job creation and higher incomes. |

Requirements

The program is looking for founders and teams who:

• Have identified a credible productive, export-oriented business opportunity
• Show strong judgment, initiative and ability to execute

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• Understand the most important assumptions, risks and unanswered questions behind the business
• Are committed to building and operating the venture, not only advising it
• Can explain how the business could create meaningful economic value and high-quality jobs

Eligibility

Applicants must meet all of the following conditions:

1. Have a connection to Somalia
2. Be prepared to commit full-time to building the venture

All regions of Somalia are eligible.

Application Criteria

• Applicant and team information
• A description of your connection to Somalia
• A concept note of no more than two pages
• CVs for all core founders or operating team members
• A one-minute introduction video

A pitch deck or detailed financial model is not required. If you already have one, you may include it instead of the concept note.

Application Timeline:

| Date | Milestone | | --- | --- | | October 5, 2026 | Applications open | | October 9, 2026 | Interviews start | | November 6, 2026 | Application deadline |

All stages of the application and selection process will be conducted online unless applicants are informed otherwise.

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