Entrepreneurship: The DER/FJ launches the "Jambar" program to strengthen support for projects

Having a good idea isn't enough to guarantee entrepreneurial success. You also need to know how to transform it into a viable business, master its management, and be able to convince investors. This is the core objective of the new support framework for project leaders, called "Jambar," presented on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, by the General Delegation for Rapid Entrepreneurship for Women and Youth (DER/FJ).

The ambition is clear: to better prepare entrepreneurs before, during and after financing, while harmonizing the support offered by the different players in the ecosystem.

The framework is based on three main stages: pre-incubation, incubation, and post-incubation. The first stage allows for testing and validating the idea and the value proposition. The second aims to consolidate the business model and manage the activity using data. The last stage prepares the entrepreneur to access funding and move into the growth phase.

For Abdoulaye Niane, General Delegate of DER/FJ, the objective is to make entrepreneurship "serious, consistent, and relevant" in Senegal. He believes that the knowledge necessary for a project's success "is not always present from the outset" and must be developed in collaboration with support providers.

More than funding, skills

For Papa Cheikh Diack, director of the AA Stratégie firm, the “Jambar” route primarily addresses a problem of previously heterogeneous practices among the different actors.

“It is important to put in place a harmonized framework,” he explains.

The added value of the scheme is therefore not limited to facilitating access to financing. The project leader must also acquire managerial, technical and operational skills to better manage their business.

"Anyone who is able to convince a bank to finance their project is on the right track to bringing their business to prosperity," he emphasizes.

Through this framework, the DER/FJ aims to move from a funding-focused approach to a more comprehensive one: training, structuring, supporting and funding to maximize the chances of success.

Tuesday's workshop is intended to allow the various stakeholders to familiarize themselves with the framework and define how to integrate it into their programs. This step is presented as crucial for building a more coherent and, above all, more effective entrepreneurial ecosystem.

​