ALF implemented the Central Bank of Nigeria's Entrepreneurship Development Centre (CBN-EDC) program in Southwest Nigeria from 2008. The program provided 12-16 weeks of intensive entrepreneurship training to unemployed graduates and young entrepreneurs. The key outcome was the empowerment of 18,167 individuals with entrepreneurship training which resulted in:
• Creation of 222 new enterprises
• Expansion of 869 existing ones
• Creation of about 3,500 jobs
• Facilitated access to finance for small businesses
• Customized training for senior executives, retirees, and tertiary institutions
• Partnership with HP for Graduate Entrepreneurship Training through Information Technology(GET-IT).

ALF continued its entrepreneurship development program with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for another three years, starting in 2015. The program trained 7,450 beneficiaries in comprehensive entrepreneurship skills and facilitated access to over N400 million in credit for beneficiaries through various loan sources, including MSME loans and microfinance banks.

A total of 25,617 participants, including graduates and non-graduates, participated in 12-16 weeks of intensive training across Southwest Nigeria. The participants came from various sectors, including: agro-allied, manufacturing, retail, and service-oriented businesses, with a focus on small to medium-scale farming, agricultural value chain businesses, such as produce marketing, storage, processing, and distribution.




- 715 trainees accessed N96.4 million in credit from financial institutions and private sources.
- N38.18 million in grants was awarded to CBN-EDC graduates through the YouWin scheme.
- In 2016, Oyo State Government, under the leadership of former Governor Isiaka Ajimobi provided N120 million in seed loans to 100 beneficiaries.
- Ogun State Government granted soft loans to 38 trainees through the Bank of Industries.
- The entrepreneurship training generated 5,465 jobs and expanded 2,581 businesses.

ALF partnered with:
- Oyo State Government on OYO-Ajumose Business Leadership and Entrepreneurship Youth Programme (OYO-ABLE) empowered 50,000 youths.
- Oyo & Ekiti State Governments on Youth Agropreneurship Rebirth Scheme for 128,000 youths expected employment
- Sterling Bank PLC on Youth Entrepreneurship Development Programme (YEDP) for unemployed graduates.


Table II below, summarizes the totality of access to finance facilitated by ALF under the entrepreneurship development programme.

ALF’s advocacy efforts led to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Agribusiness Small and Medium Enterprise Investment Scheme (AGSMEIS) providing soft loans to SMEs. ALF submitted 1,148 loan applications, resulting in approved loans totaling ₦1,444,477,623 for its trainees.

ALF partnered with the Central Bank of Nigeria, Heritage Bank, and NYSC to implement the Youth Entrepreneurship Development Programme (YEDP). The program aimed to address youth unemployment through entrepreneurship training and soft loans. Key outcomes include; 484 youths trained in entrepreneurship and 92 individuals received startup grants of ₦3 million each to launch their businesses.

ALF partnered with UNIDO and Hewlett Packard to implement the "Graduate Entrepreneurship Training through IT" (GET-IT) program, providing ICT training to young unemployed individuals to launch their own businesses. The program was initially rolled out in six African countries, and ALF continues to implement the UNIDO entrepreneurship program in Nigeria.

ALF's involvement with AGOA in 2016 led to significant changes, including organizing Nigeria's Chapter of AGOA CSOs and Stakeholders' workshop in 2018, which resulted in recommendations to diversify the economy and support smallholder farmers. These outcomes were presented at the 17th AGOA Forum in Washington, D.C. in July 2018. In November 2018, Africa Leadership Foundation, with the supervision of USAID, singlehandedly prepared the first Nigeria National AGOA Strategy Document. The document has since been delivered to USAID for onward presentation to the Federal Government.