African Development Bank Launches $500M Youth Employment Fund

The African Development Bank has launched a $500 million Youth Employment Fund aimed at creating opportunities for young people across the continent over the next five years.

The fund will support youth-led startups, vocational training programmes, and public-private employment initiatives in priority sectors including agriculture, green energy, and digital services.

Member countries can apply for country-level allocations starting next quarter, with a fast-track window open for projects that demonstrate measurable job creation within 12 months.