What You Need to Know
The Italian public bank Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP) has committed €20 million to fund the IN4JOB youth entrepreneurship program in Mozambique. This initiative aims to enhance employability and entrepreneurship among students and graduates, focusing on technological innovation and sustainable development. The program will be managed by the Mozambican Ministry of Education and Culture.
Africa-Press – Mozambique. The Italian public bank Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP) will provide €20 million to fund a youth entrepreneurship programme in Mozambique, under a credit agreement approved by the government, Lusa has learned today.
The decision is set out in the Council of Ministers’ resolution of 20 March, ratifying the credit agreement between CDP and the governments of Italy and Mozambique for the financing of the National Youth Entrepreneurship and Innovative Business Ideas Programme – IN4JOB.
This financing is part of €26.4 million announced in July 2025 by the Italian government to support the preparation and entry of final-year students and graduates into employment and entrepreneurship in Mozambique.
“The specific objective is to increase entrepreneurship and employability among final-year students and recent graduates, equipping them with the skills needed to succeed in the modern labo ur market,” stated a joint communiqué from the two governments issued at the time.
The initiative is based on “innovation applied to the creation, incubation and acceleration of start-ups and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises with a technological focus.”
It is structured around two synergistic components. The first is a €20 million credit component, aimed at “ensuring the creation of technological assets with high socio-economic impact,” according to the document.
The second component, a €6.4 million non-repayable fund, will be implemented through awareness, knowledge and skills-building activities targeted at specific groups, aiming to ensure “the effectiveness of the initiative and the sustainability of the products and services provided through the credit component, as well as the local development impact of the programmes.”
The IN4JOB initiative will be executed by the Mozambican Ministry of Education and Culture (MEC) through the National Directorate of Science and Technology, in coordination with the National Company of Parks, Science and Technology ( ENPCT), the National Employment Institute (INEP), and the National Institute for Small and Medium Enterprises (IPEME).
The collaboration between Italy and Mozambique on youth entrepreneurship reflects a growing trend of international partnerships aimed at fostering economic development in emerging markets. With a focus on innovation and technology, such initiatives are crucial for addressing unemployment and enhancing skills among young people in Mozambique, a country facing significant economic challenges. The IN4JOB program is part of a broader strategy to empower youth and stimulate local economies through entrepreneurship and job creation.
