On August 8, 2025, over sixty key stakeholders from the entrepreneurial ecosystem across Central Africa and beyond gathered online for the official launch of the Capacity Building Program for Central African Hubs – 2025 Edition. This ambitious initiative, led by AfriLabs in partnership with the Société d’Incubation Numérique du Gabon (SING) and the Lubumbashi Innovation Center (CINOLU, DRC), marks a significant milestone in strengthening regional integration and revitalizing structures supporting entrepreneurship and innovation (SAEI) across Central African countries such as Gabon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Republic of Congo, and Equatorial Guinea.
The program’s primary objective is to enhance the capacities of innovation hubs and SAEI, promote the exchange of best practices, and create sustainable collaborations throughout the region. This aligns closely with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) goals, fostering inclusive integration within Central Africa.
Equatorial Guinea: Dreams Hub drive Spanish integration into AfriLabs’ Central Africa Hubs programme
The virtual launch was expertly hosted by project coordinator Alida Ebo’o and Valery Gemmo, Senior Business Developer at SING. Among the keynote speakers was Miguel Nyamedi, AfriLabs representative, who presented the pan-African network consisting of over 500 hubs across 53 countries, including 57 hubs in Central Africa, along with the AfricaConnect Room platform designed to support these innovation spaces.
Berry Numbi, co-founder and director of CINOLU, highlighted the critical role of South-South cooperation in advancing sustainable development in the region. Yannick Ebibie, General Director of SING, outlined the program’s four phases: webinars, project calls, in-person activities, and an acceleration program. Additional presentations by leaders such as Kenny Biang, Josué Vangu, Chantal Ntima, and Yann Marpi Goma showcased promising local initiatives from participating hubs.
The program brings together six key hubs in the region: SING in Gabon, CINOLU in the Democratic Republic of Congo, BIESO in Burundi, GEN in Cameroon, Sahel Green Hub in Chad, and Privilege Access Hub in the Republic of Congo. Notably, Dreams Hub from Equatorial Guinea participates as a special collaborator, contributing to regional inclusion by integrating Spanish language training through the AUTOCLAX platform and sponsoring five beginner-level Dexway-certified courses.
From August through September 2025, participants will engage in a series of online webinars held every Tuesday and Friday. These sessions will cover crucial topics such as the typology and economic models of SAEI, strategic diagnosis, digitalization and communication, hackathon organization, financing preparation, entrepreneurial mobility, and international benchmarking. Each webinar will be supplemented with practical resources including videos, summaries, and interactive discussions facilitated through a dedicated WhatsApp community. The program is designed for hub leaders and staff, high-potential entrepreneurs, technical and financial partners, as well as academic institutions and students interested in entrepreneurship and innovation. Participants will gain privileged access to the extensive AfriLabs network, valuable opportunities to share best practices and expand regional networks, and increased prospects for investment and strategic partnerships.
To register, click here: tinyurl.com/InscriptionsGabon2025
This program is poised to become a powerful engine for boosting local innovation and strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem across Central Africa, driving positive impact throughout the region.
By Alida Ebo’o
