The Comesa Federation of Women in Business (COMFWB)

What The Comesa Federation of Women in Business (COMFWB) does

The COMESA Federation of Women in Business (COMFWB) is a non-profit intergovernmental organization established in July 1993 in Zimbabwe and headquartered in Lilongwe, Malawi. It operates under a treaty-embedded mandate from COMESA, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, and serves women entrepreneurs and women-led SMEs across 21 member states through 20 active national chapters. Its core programmatic offerings include the Business Innovation and Access for Women Entrepreneurs (BIAWE) program, the COMESA Youth in Trade and Women Advancement (COYWA) initiative, the RECAMP program, cross-border trade fairs (notably the COMESA Trade Fair series), cluster development support, and non-tariff barrier (NTB) reduction advocacy.

COMFWB's core products are programmatic rather than technological: training cohorts, trade fairs and exhibitions, mentorship and capacity-building workshops, policy advocacy at the COMESA level, and facilitation of cross-border investment for women-led businesses. There is no proprietary technology platform, software product, or AI/ML system disclosed; the federation's infrastructure is organizational and convening-based, relying on partnerships with multilateral donors (EU, UNDP, World Bank, UN Women, GIZ, ITC) and corporate sponsors. Stated impact metrics include facilitating $50 million in investments for women-led businesses over five years and training more than 100,000 women entrepreneurs.

The business model is a hybrid non-profit structure. Revenue sources include event registration fees from trade fairs, individual and institutional membership dues across national chapters, and corporate sponsorship for programs and events. Programmatic delivery is largely funded through grants and project funding from multilateral and bilateral donors, with leadership headed by CEO Miti Chikakula, Chairperson Maureen Sumbwe, and Vice-Chair Leïla Belkhiria Jaber. The organization employs approximately 27 staff and is governed through a continental board structure linked to COMESA member-state representation.

Name

The Comesa Federation of Women in Business (COMFWB)

Legal name

The COMESA Federation of Women in Business (COMFWB)

Website

https://comfwb.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

COMFWB is a non-profit intergovernmental organization under COMESA that supports women entrepreneurs and women-led SMEs across 21 African member states through training programs, trade fairs, policy advocacy, and cross-border investment facilitation, headquartered in Lilongwe, Malawi.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Facilitation and Women Business Development Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPADAOAF

Results-Based Financing (RBF) & Performance-Based Grants

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Donor Coordination, Grantmaking & Development Finance Programs

SECONDARYBPADACAB

Regional Development Banks

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/International Financial Institutions & Development Banks

Keywords

• Women business federation
• Trade facilitation services
• Cross-border trade support
• Business incubation programmes
• Capacity building training

Headquarters

HQ city

Lilongwe

HQ country

Malawi

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Event Registration Fees: COMFWB generates revenue through registration fees for its annual trade fairs, business conferences, and gala dinners. Different fee tiers apply for international vs. national delegates, COMFWB members vs. non-members, and enterprise sizes (Micro to Large).
2. Membership Dues: As a federation of national associations, COMFWB receives membership support from chapters and provides access to technical services, projects, market information, and advocacy representation at policy level.
3. Corporate Sponsorship: The organization offers tiered sponsorship packages (Silver, Gold) for trade fairs that include branding, booth space, marketing mentions, and complimentary tickets. Corporate tables are available at gala events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

COMFWB is a regional non-profit federation that provides trade facilitation, business incubation, capacity building, and policy advocacy for women entrepreneurs across the 21 COMESA member states. Its core offerings include the Business Incubator for African Women Entrepreneurs (BIAWE) project, the annual Regional Trade Fair, the COYWA agribusiness program, RECAMP, the Cluster Development Programme, and the Trade Facilitation and NTB Reduction Programme, delivered through 20 national chapters and development partner networks.

Product overview

COMFWB is a membership-based regional trade facilitation organization that offers a portfolio of interconnected programmes and events supporting women entrepreneurs across the COMESA region. The core offerings include the Business Incubator for African Women Entrepreneurs (BIAWE) Project, which provides business support services and credit guarantees; the COYWA Program for youth and women in agribusiness; and annual Regional Trade Fairs that serve as platforms for market access and networking. Supporting initiatives include the Cluster Development Programme, RECAMP, Trade Facilitation and NTB Reduction Programme, and capacity-building training in digital marketing and cross-border trade. COMFWB does not offer software products but rather programmes, events, and training services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Business Incubator for African Women Entrepreneurs (BIAWE) Project Pilot project establishing and upgrading a network of business incubators in the COMESA region for women entrepreneurs in agro-processing, ICT, and handcrafts, providing equipment, training, mentorship, and credit guarantee schemes.
• COMFWB Cluster Development Programme Programme designed to promote and support the development of business clusters among women entrepreneurs across the COMESA region to facilitate regional integration and economic empowerment.
• RECAMP (Regional Enterprise Competitiveness and Access to Markets Programme) Programme supported by the European Union's 11th European Development Fund that engages public and private stakeholders on solutions to propel COMESA Member States into competitive and sustainable growing economies for regional and global trade and investment expansion.
• COYWA (Creating Opportunities for Youth and Women in Africa) Program Programme focused on fostering sustainable economic growth through targeted entrepreneurial support in agribusiness for youth and women, including capacity building, incubation centre development, and stakeholder engagement across multiple countries.
• COMFWB Trade Facilitation and NTB Reduction Programme Programme addressing non-tariff barriers to boost intra-COMESA Agri-Food Trade, focusing on the Malawi-Zambia-Zimbabwe-Mozambique corridors; empowers young women and youth-led businesses through Simplified Trade Regime promotion and digital NTB reporting.
• FIRST Project Training Five-day capacity building programme targeting small-scale cross-border traders along the Zambia-DRC Kasumbalesa Corridor, covering business development, financial literacy, and social commerce, implemented in partnership with Cowater International with support from Global Affairs Canada.
• Digital Marketing and E-Commerce Training Four-day specialized training programme equipping women-led enterprises with digital tools, including social media management, e-commerce platforms, professional content creation, and product photography skills.
• 3rd Annual COMFWB Trade Fair Annual regional trade fair held in Kampala, Uganda from August 24-26, 2022, bringing together women entrepreneurs and stakeholders from COMESA member states with individual delegate tickets (USD $50–$100), vendor tickets, and exhibitor booth pricing by enterprise size.
• Monthly Information Sessions (Webinars) Virtual sessions featuring topics such as mindfulness, stress management, and business development for women entrepreneurs, providing practical strategies for well-being, productivity, and capacity building across the region.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 10,000 jobs created through programs and initiatives
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• COMESAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOMFWB is a COMESA institution established with the endorsement of the Authority (Heads of States and Governments) of COMESA member states. COMFWB draws its mandate from Article 155 (Role of Women in Business) and Article 154 (Role of Women in Development) of the COMESA Treaty.
• AGRA (Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Trade Facilitation and NTB Reduction Programme, promoting access to markets for youth by addressing Non-Tariff Barriers to boost Intra-COMESA Agri-Food Trade.
• UN WomenmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for women's empowerment and gender equality initiatives across the region.
• International Trade Centre (ITC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for trade facilitation and market access support.
• NEPADmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for African development initiatives and women empowerment programs.
• Cowater InternationalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerImplementing partner for the FIRST Project (Facilitating Inclusive, Resilient and Sustainable Trade) targeting cross-border traders.
• Burundi Business Incubator (BBIN)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLocal implementation partner in Burundi, providing 30 residential incubatees in textiles.
• Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLocal implementation partner in Kenya, providing 35 incubatees (30 residential, 5 virtual) in agro-processing. Also visited for COYWA Program due diligence.
• Small Enterprise Development Company (SEDCO)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLocal implementation partner in an unspecified country, providing 50 incubatees in poultry processing.
• Sudanese Women General Union (SWGU)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLocal implementation partner in Sudan, providing 36 incubatees in agro-processing and ICT across 18 states.
• Graça Machel TrustmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting entrepreneurship development, with a graduation ceremony for 105 entrepreneurs in Malawi.
• Africa Azerbaijan CooperationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic MOU signed for joint trade missions, business linkages, and expert training between Ethiopian Women Traders Association and Azerbaijan.
• Beijing University (GFEEP Division)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted intensive 14-day training program for Ethiopian Women Trader Association on international trade.
• UTICA (Union of Tunisian Industries, Commerce and Handicrafts)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue and strategic partner for the 7th COMFWB Trade Fair and Conference in Tunisia, July 2026.
• CEPEX (Tunisia)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTunisian export promotion agency participating in CTF7 preparations.
• AIMEC (African Inclusive Markets Excellence Centre)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in preparations for the 7th COMFWB Trade Fair and Conference.
• Seychelles Investment BureaumajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsultative meeting held for COYWA Program due diligence and infrastructure development for Incubation Centre.
• Ethiopia Chamber of CommercemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership for hosting four-day specialized training on Digital Marketing and E-Commerce for 25 women-led enterprises.
• Ethiopia Women Trade Association (EWTA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOMFWB Ethiopia Chapter partner in COYWA Program implementation and international training partnerships.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• African Women's Development Fund (AWDF): Pan-African grantmaking foundation funding women's rights and economic empowerment organizations; operates the same gender-economy programming thesis across Africa with comparable grantee pipeline.
• International Trade Centre (ITC): ITC is a confirmed major strategic partner of COMFWB (SheTrades initiative) and operates the most directly comparable mandate: SME export readiness, trade intelligence, and women's economic empowerment across developing markets.
• Graça Machel Trust: A listed partner of COMFWB, the Graça Machel Trust runs women's entrepreneurship programs in Southern/East Africa with comparable incubation, advocacy, and mentorship offerings across the same countries.
• SheTrades (ITC initiative): ITC's flagship women-in-trade platform that COMFWB itself integrates with; serves the same women-exporters audience with similar market linkage, training, and B2B matchmaking services.
• Trade and Development Bank (TDB): A confirmed COMFWB partner, TDB is COMESA's regional development finance institution offering trade finance to African corporates; it shares the same regional remit and works with the same member states as COMFWB.

Emerging players

• Women's World Banking: Global NGO focused on women's financial inclusion and SME access to finance across Africa; relevant to COMFWB's access-to-finance and credit guarantee scheme work via BIAWE.

Broad incumbents

• UN Women: A confirmed strategic partner and major funder-aligned institution focused on gender equality and women's economic empowerment globally; overlaps in policy advocacy, capacity building, and women's entrepreneurship programs targeting the same SME population.
• African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank): Pan-African multilateral trade finance institution. While not women-focused, Afreximbank operates the same continental trade-facilitation logic as COMFWB and shares a target audience of African SMEs seeking cross-border trade support.
• African Development Bank (AfDB): Pan-African multilateral development bank running flagship women-focused financing windows (e.g., Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa) that compete for the same donor pool and serve overlapping female SME beneficiaries.
• Africa Free Trade Continental Secretariat (AfCFTA): The continental free trade area secretariat that COMFWB actively aligns programs with (Trade Fair themes explicitly reference AfCFTA); it is the overarching framework that COMFWB's trade-facilitation work feeds into.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/_comfwb
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCU7sfgwErO63O1WfdL564JQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/Comesa-Federation-of-Women-in-Business-101929828490642
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/comfwb
• Instagraminstagram.com/comfwb

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Comesa Federation of Women in Business (COMFWB)