Summit to award SMEs $50,000, free tablets to drive AfCFTA

By : Guardian Nigeria

Date: 25 November 2025 5:04pm WAT

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Mentor Matchup Challenge 7.0 (MMC 7.0), an initiative of 234Finance aimed at equipping African businesses to compete within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)

Mentor Matchup Challenge 7.0 (MMC 7.0), an initiative of 234Finance aimed at equipping African businesses to compete within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)

The organisers of the Mentor Matchup Challenge 7.0 (MMC 7.0), an initiative of 234Finance, have announced a series of support measures for participating Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) ahead of this year’s summit, scheduled for December 4 and 5 at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The initiative, aimed at equipping African businesses to compete within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), will offer up to $50,000 in Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud credits to eligible enterprises.

According to the organisers, this provision is intended to facilitate digital transformation by giving SMEs access to cloud computing infrastructure capable of supporting operational efficiency and expansion into global markets.

In addition to technical resources, MMC 7.0 will provide complimentary professional headshots for entrepreneurs, as well as tablets to support day-to-day business operations.

“We recognise that effective branding and operational capacity are key to international competitiveness,” a spokesperson for 234Finance said. “These resources are designed to strengthen both the technical and personal branding aspects of SMEs.”

The summit will also feature curated one-on-one mentorship sessions with over 30 industry leaders, offering participants the opportunity to address specific business challenges. Over 30 exhibitors will present innovative African brands, creating opportunities for networking, peer learning, and commercial partnerships.

By combining cloud infrastructure support, branding resources, and mentorship, MMC 7.0 aims to advance the core objectives of 234Finance: content, community, collaboration, capacity building, and capital.

The organisers emphasised that the event seeks to provide practical tools for SMEs to rethink business strategies and position themselves effectively within AfCFTA markets.

The summit will run across two days, with programming designed to provide both technical and strategic guidance for African entrepreneurs seeking to scale their businesses in a competitive continental market.

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