Nearly 130 participants gathered in Abidjan on 28 October for the official launch of WIDU.africa in Côte d’Ivoire, marking an important milestone in the programme's expansion across West Africa.
Held at the Mövenpick Hotel as part of La Grande Semaine du Retour 2026, the event brought together entrepreneurs, diaspora representatives, development partners and policymakers, including the German Ambassador and senior representatives of the Ivorian government.
With almost half of the participants coming from the diaspora, the gathering was more than a formal launch. It became a lively exchange of ideas, experiences and ambitions for Côte d’Ivoire's entrepreneurial future.
One participant summed up the enthusiasm with a memorable observation: “Sending money home without going through WIDU is a missed opportunity.”
The remark captured a central message of the afternoon: diaspora solidarity already exists, and WIDU offers an opportunity to make it go further. By building on financial contributions that families and friends are already making, the programme helps turn existing support into productive investment, complemented by grants and professional coaching.
The energy in the room was unmistakable. Diaspora participants were particularly vocal, taking the opportunity not simply to learn about the programme but to challenge, question and contribute their own perspectives.
One of the afternoon's most engaging moments came when Mrs Johnson, a WIDU-supported entrepreneur, took to the stage to share her journey as a businesswoman. Speaking with conviction and clarity about her experience, in particular, the added value of the professional coaching she had received, she sparked an enthusiastic response.
A panel of technical experts working directly with entrepreneurs in Côte d’Ivoire and Europe, many meeting for the first time thanks to the event, brought different perspectives to the challenges facing businesses. The discussion ranged from limited access to finance and opportunities, particularly for young people, to the regulatory obstacles confronting entrepreneurs and diaspora investors alike.
But the conversation did not remain on stage. Hands went up across the room, and voices from all walks of life joined the debate. Among them was an aeronautical engineer considering a return to Côte d’Ivoire to build a new life, and a sister determined to help secure a better future for her brother and his family. Their contributions brought home the deeply personal aspirations behind the broader economic discussion.
The event also provided an opportunity to celebrate the growing success of the WIDU programme across Africa, which is now active in ten countries and currently supports more than 8,000 businesses. This provides a solid foundation for the programme’s ambitions in Côte d’Ivoire.
But perhaps the most telling sign of the day's success came when diaspora participants were already registering on the WIDU platform using their phones, eager to turn their interest into action.
The energy is already there. Now the task is to turn it into lasting opportunity.
In Côte d’Ivoire WIDU is implemented by GIZ on behalf of Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), with support from the European Union and it is a Team Europe Initiative “Investing in Young Businesses in Africa”