The AfroChampions Initiative

Name

The AfroChampions Initiative

Legal name

AfroChampions Organization

Website

https://afrochampions.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic Development & Trade Policy Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Business Associations (81391)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Inclusive Trade (Gender, Youth, Marginalized Groups) (BPADAMAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Donor Coordination & Aid Effectiveness (BPADAOAA)

Keywords

• African economic integration
• Public-private partnerships
• Trade policy advocacy
• Investment facilitation
• AfCFTA implementation

Headquarters

HQ city

Accra

HQ country

Ghana

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership and sponsorship model: The AfroChampions Initiative operates as a non-profit organization that relies on membership contributions, corporate sponsorships, and partnership engagements from companies and organizations that join the AfroChampions network. The AfroChampions Charter outlines recommendations and best practices for member companies demonstrating commitment to African economic integration.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The AfroChampions Initiative is a public-private partnership designed to galvanize African resources and institutions to drive Africa's economic integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). It supports the emergence and success of African economic champions through flagship initiatives including the AfCFTA Sensitization Campaign, the Trillion Dollar Investment Framework, the Pan-African Fashion Initiative, the AfroChampions Charter, CARAVAN, Sankoree, Djondo Fellowship, and high-level Boma conclave meetings.

Product overview

The AfroChampions Initiative is a non-profit public-private partnership organization based in Accra, Ghana, designed to galvanize African resources and institutions to drive Africa's economic integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The organization operates through multiple flagship initiatives: (1) the AfCFTA Sensitization Campaign to raise awareness among African businesses about trade opportunities; (2) the Trillion Dollar Investment Framework to mobilize US$1 trillion in investments for AfCFTA-aligned projects by 2030; (3) AfroChampions Bomas - high-level conclave meetings for strategic dialogue and deal-making; (4) the Pan-African Fashion Initiative (PAFI) for sector development; (5) Sankoree for business-academia network strengthening; (6) CARAVAN for micro-entrepreneur capacity building; (7) the AfroChampions Charter for corporate commitment to African integration; and (8) the African Passport Now Campaign for free movement advocacy. Additional products include the Djondo Fellowship, AfCFTA Year Zero Report benchmarking research, the ORANGO investment vehicle, and the Africa COVID-19 Response Fund crisis initiative. The portfolio functions as a coordinated ecosystem addressing policy advocacy, investment facilitation, champion mobilization, and future leader emergence across Africa's economic integration landscape.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AfCFTA Sensitization Campaign A major awareness-raising service launched in 2018 to educate African businesses of all sizes about the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and its opportunities, conducted in partnership with the African Union through formal MoU with the Trade and Industry Department of the African Union Commission.
• Pan-African Fashion Initiative (PAFI) A sector development initiative officially launched in February 2019 at the African Union's Heads of State Summit to establish a regulatory framework supporting the development of the African fashion sector, which represents less than 5% of the world fashion market despite the dynamism of African designers.
• Trillion Dollar Investment Framework An investment facilitation framework developed to trigger at least one trillion US dollars of investments by 2030 to accelerate AfCFTA implementation, focusing on infrastructure, cross-border connectivity and industrialization, with a dedicated fund, eligibility criteria matrix for AfCFTA-investment projects, and an independent assessment mechanism.
• AfroChampions Charter A commitment and membership framework for companies and organizations joining the AfroChampions network, containing recommendations and best practices for advancing African economic integration including prioritizing local content, championing Africa at international events, and contributing to structure local value chains.
• CARAVAN (Continental Advancement & Rebirth Through Value-Chain Accelerators & Networks) A capacity building support program for micro-entrepreneurs to develop STEM-focused value chains addressing challenges and opportunities in strategic industries including agro processing, textiles/fashion, technical professional services, cosmetics and interior decoration manufacturing.
• Sankoree A program strengthening business-academia networks in Africa by guiding corporate social investment into areas identified by high-quality research for strongest developmental impact, including the Sankoree Institute as a thought leadership platform initiated by AfroChampions, African Union and pan-African partner institutions.
• Djondo Fellowship A fellowship program established to encourage and support the emergence of more pan-African companies, founded by Gervais Djondo, co-founder of Ecobank and Asky Airlines.
• AfroChampions Boma High-level conclave meetings (Boma means 'discreet meeting' in Swahili) bringing together qualified and limited audiences of up to 150 participants to discuss strategic issues requiring decision-making on African economic integration, including brainstorm sessions, deal rooms, and roadmap sessions under Chatham House Rules.
• ORANGO Investment Vehicle A unique investment vehicle to operationalize the AfCFTA announced in 2021, designed to facilitate investments into AfCFTA-accelerated cross-border projects in Africa.

Quantifiable outcome

• Trillion Dollar Investment Framework targeting US$1 trillion in investments by 2030 for AfCFTA-accelerated projects
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered key, core and supporting.

• ARSO (African Organization for Standardization)keyStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2019Partnership announced at the Kigali Boma in October 2019 for promoting product standardization and African standards and brands.
• Ministry of Environment of RwandakeyStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2019Partnership with Rwanda's Ministry of Environment for the October 2019 Kigali Boma on Green Industrialisation.
• Africa50coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Africa50 is featured in the Platinum Circle of partners, focusing on infrastructure investments that accelerate African integration. Participated in supporting the Pan-African Fashion Initiative launch.
• African Union CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2018Formal partnership with the African Union's Trade and Industry Department through a Memorandum of Understanding to promote the AfCFTA through sensitization campaigns, private sector consultations, and policy advocacy. The partnership was announced in January 2018 and formalized with a roadmap for joint activities.
• African Development Bank (AfDB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed in Platinum Circle of partners. Supported the Pan-African Fashion Initiative launch and represents a key financing partner for AfCFTA-aligned projects.
• African Union Commission (Africa CDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured in Platinum Circle of partners alongside Africa50. Africa CDC partnered with AfroChampions on the Africa COVID-19 Response Fund.
• BADEA (Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBADEA is a Platinum Circle partner and co-partner of the Boma of Africa. BADEA is also involved in the AfroChampions-BADEA incubator project for promoting STEM entrepreneurship in Africa.
• OCP GroupkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported the Pan-African Fashion Initiative launch and Boma of Africa partnership. OCP Group is a major Moroccan phosphate company with strategic interest in African agricultural development.
• TradeMark East Africa (TMEA)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership signed in January 2019 to provide support to governments and the private sector in realizing the AfCFTA. Focus areas include private sector engagement, strategic advocacy, and improving access to information.
• UNDP (United Nations Development Programme)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured in Platinum Circle of partners. UNDP collaborates on development initiatives and Dr. James Mwangi serves on UNDP's African Influencers for Development (AI4Dev) network.
• COMESA (Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed in Platinum Circle as a key regional economic community partner working with AfroChampions on integration efforts.
• AccenturekeyImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEngaged to structure the fund and define the investment strategy for the Trillion Dollar Investment Framework.
• KonfidantskeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic and technical partner and founding co-organizer of the AfroChampions Initiative. Produced the African Globalizers Report 2017 and AfCFTA Year Zero Report in partnership with AfroChampions.
• Djondo FellowshipkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerFellowship program founded by Gervais Djondo to encourage and support the emergence of more pan-African companies. Co-partner with AfroChampions on flagship projects.
• Impulse AfricasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic and technical partner supporting AfroChampions initiatives and programs.
• ABS DavidsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner co-organizing events like Crystal Ball Africa with AfroChampions focusing on AfCFTA and business without borders.
• Addison Bright SloanesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic and technical partner supporting AfroChampions programs and initiatives.
• ConstellorsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic and technical partner, with Paulo Gomes serving as Chairman of ASEACC in Singapore.
• Asafo & CosupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic and technical partner contributing to AfroChampions initiatives.
• Organisation of La FrancophoniesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported the Pan-African Fashion Initiative launch, representing French-speaking African countries in the initiative.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank): Pan-African multilateral trade finance institution headquartered in Cairo. A Platinum Circle partner of AfroChampions and organizer of the Intra-African Trade Fair; directly comparable in driving AfCFTA-aligned trade and investment across the continent.
• Africa50: Pan-African infrastructure investment platform financing bankable projects across the continent. A Platinum Circle partner of AfroChampions; closely aligned in targeting AfCFTA-accelerated cross-border infrastructure deals.
• African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat: Accra-based secretariat responsible for coordinating AfCFTA implementation across AU member states. Direct institutional counterpart of AfroChampions, sharing the same mandate of driving continental trade integration.
• Trade and Development Bank (TDB): Multilateral development bank serving COMESA member states with trade and project finance. Platinum Circle partner of AfroChampions; directly comparable in financing infrastructure that supports African economic integration.
• Africa Finance Corporation (AFC): Pan-African infrastructure-focused development finance institution. Paulo Gomes, AfroChampions Co-Chair, was a founding team member of AFC, and the two organizations overlap in targeting large-scale continental infrastructure investments.
• Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF): Pan-African philanthropy and entrepreneurship platform funding and mentoring African entrepreneurs across the continent. Directly comparable in mission of cultivating African business champions and providing pan-African capacity-building programs.
• BADEA (Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa): Arab-African development finance institution funding infrastructure and integration projects. Platinum Circle partner of AfroChampions with shared focus on AfCFTA-aligned cross-border investment in Africa.

Broad incumbents

• African Development Bank (AfDB): Continental development finance institution funding Africa's infrastructure and integration agenda. A Platinum Circle partner; broader in mandate and balance sheet but operates in the same continental development-financing space as AfroChampions.
• NEPAD Agency / AUDA-NEPAD: African Union development agency coordinating continental strategic frameworks, including AfCFTA-related infrastructure programs. Comparable as an Africa-wide public-private development platform with overlapping stakeholder set.
• Ecobank Group: Pan-African banking group co-founded by Gervais Djondo, AfroChampions co-founder. Closely linked institutionally and operates a comparable pan-African commercial footprint across multiple African markets.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The AfroChampions Initiative