Benin-Togo Exchange Visit: Strengthening Regional Entrepreneurship Cooperation

From May 18 to 22, 2026, the IYBA-SEED Benin and IYBA-SEED Togo teams invited a delegation of actors from Benin's entrepreneurial ecosystem to take part in an exchange visit between Kara and Lomé, Togo. The Beninese delegation brought together numerous partner stakeholders: ANPE, ANCB, RENEJ, SENS Benin, and two Local Centres for Entrepreneurship and Employment (CLEE). This meeting helped strengthen ties between actors from both countries and identify new regional cooperation opportunities.

Sharing Innovative Practices in Entrepreneurship Support

At the University of Kara, participants discovered existing incubation programmes, including a twelve-month support scheme designed to guide young entrepreneurs through to the market launch of their products.

The Beninese team presented several flagship initiatives: the "student entrepreneur status", CLEE programmes, support for young people and women entrepreneurs, and efforts to promote an entrepreneurial culture in schools and universities.

Structuring Local Ecosystems: A Shared Challenge

Several exchange sessions allowed participants to share experiences from both Togo and Benin:
•    The Togolese team highlighted the importance of co-constructing local strategies with territorial stakeholders, and discussions deepened reflections on local coordination, ecosystem structuring, and the strengthening of territorial synergies.

•    The FANAKA & Co / Deloitte consortium presented its work with Entrepreneurship Support Organisations (ESO) in Togo, while CESAM and ADA Space shared their expertise in establishing local consultation frameworks.

•    The Beninese delegation presented several initiatives: Local Public-Private Dialogue and Partnership Meetings (RL-DPPP), the CLIDE programmes led by ANPE, the CACEPI label, the Entrepreneurial School and University Holidays (V3E), and the Local Centres for Entrepreneurship and Employment.

•    SENS Benin also presented its B'EST approach (Benin Entrepreneurship in Solidarity with its Territory), which has been tested for 15 years in the Collines and Zou departments.

Innovative Financing and Digital Entrepreneurship

In Lomé, participants visited Energy Generation to better understand approaches developed in entrepreneurship support, innovation, and crowdfunding. 

The visit generated strong interest among participants, who identified crowdfunding as a promising avenue to address the financing difficulties faced by many small businesses, and several collaboration opportunities were identified.

The delegation also discovered UniPod Togo (University Innovation Pod), located within the University of Lomé. Created with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as part of the Timbuktoo initiative, the centre supports young entrepreneurs through a range of services and infrastructure.
The centre has quality equipment to support businesses in various sectors (agri-food, mechanics, etc.), and collaborations were discussed around hybrid engine vehicle maintenance, in light of the partnership established with the UGPB (Union of Professional Garage Owners of Benin).

The discussions highlighted the commitment of Togolese university authorities to making innovation and entrepreneurship drivers of economic transformation and youth employability, and emphasised the importance of strengthening links between universities, incubators, and support structures to foster innovation and youth employment.

A Regional Dynamic to Build On

This exchange visit led to a better understanding of alternative financing mechanisms, strengthened relationships between Beninese and Togolese actors, and underscored the role of local authorities in local economic development.

Several cooperation avenues were identified, including the organisation of future immersion missions for incubated businesses, the sharing of methodological tools and training materials, strengthened collaboration between incubators and universities, and the development of joint initiatives around business financing.

The teams from both countries reaffirmed their commitment to continuing this regional cooperation dynamic in order to consolidate the project's achievements and make a lasting contribution to the development of local entrepreneurship.