Togo

Empowering Women Entrepreneurs to Drive Green Transformation

In a global context marked by multiple economic, social, and environmental challenges, entrepreneurship remains a powerful driver of sustainable and inclusive growth. In Togo, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)—particularly those led by women—play a vital role in key sectors such as agriculture, renewable energy, and crafts.

Despite their dynamism, women entrepreneurs continue to face significant barriers, including limited access to finance, inadequate business training, gender-based inequalities, and structural constraints within the entrepreneurial ecosystem. At the same time, their strong presence in environmentally sustainable sectors positions them as essential actors in the green transition.

Strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem is therefore critical, particularly through the integration of gender-responsive approaches, improved production processes, and the development of sustainable products and services. The ecosystem—comprising incubators, accelerators, business support organizations, financial institutions, and public actors—must provide women entrepreneurs with the tools, networks, and services needed to thrive.

IYBA WE4A Togo focuses on promoting women’s entrepreneurship and green entrepreneurship by addressing unmet market needs, strengthening entrepreneurial networks, and enhancing access to business development services, financial literacy, and innovation support.

What We Do

IYBA WE4A Togo works to strengthen entrepreneurship support structures (ESOs)—including incubators, accelerators, and business nurseries—by adapting their service offerings to better integrate gender equality and environmental sustainability.

This includes training coaches and trainers from these structures on gender-responsive approaches and green entrepreneurship. Once trained, these coaches receive project funding to support businesses in adopting gender-sensitive practices and environmentally friendly processes and products. The project builds on existing tools and approaches while reinforcing collaboration among ecosystem actors.

Our Approach

IDEATE – Entrepreneurial Skills 

Implemented by the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), this component provides women entrepreneurs with tailored entrepreneurial training, mentorship, and seed funding to help them develop, refine, and scale their business ideas.

DEVELOP – Entrepreneurial Ecosystem 

To guide programme interventions, IYBA WE4A first commissioned a comprehensive mapping study of the Togolese entrepreneurial ecosystem, with a focus on women entrepreneurs and green transformation.

The stakeholders identified through the study were then convened during a co-creation workshop to jointly define priority activities and implementation strategies.

Currently, the programme works closely with:

• RISAT (Network of Incubators and Support Structures of Togo) as an implementation partner
• ADTPME (Agency for the Development of MSMEs) as a strategic partner

Key activities include:

• Integrating gender approaches and green processes into incubation and acceleration programmes, using the Gender Makes Business Sense (GmBS) tool
• Training women entrepreneurs in fundraising and connecting them with financial institutions
• Facilitating market access through participation in national fairs
• Strengthening networking opportunities by showcasing beneficiaries’ products and services and fostering collaboration
• Raising nationwide awareness on green entrepreneurship through initiatives such as the National Trophy for the Promotion of Women in Green Entrepreneurship (TROFEDEV)

GROW – Access to Finance 

Through partnerships with financial institutions, including Investisseurs & Partenaires, the programme co-designs and delivers financing solutions tailored to the needs of women-led MSMEs. These partnerships help women entrepreneurs overcome financing barriers and access the capital required for sustainable growth.
Together, these components create a comprehensive pathway—from ideation and ecosystem strengthening to growth and investment readiness.

Our Impact

The expected impact of IYBA WE4A implementation in Togo includes:

• Enhanced capacity of entrepreneurship support organizations to train entrepreneurs on gender integration and green production processes
• Increased adoption of green processes within women-led businesses
• Growth in the number of women green entrepreneurs
• Improved access to finance and increased loan uptake by women entrepreneurs
• Job creation within supported enterprises