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EuropeAid Support for EU External Action Projects in Africa

EuropeAid and EU External Action funding support for projects in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Sahel, Horn of Africa and Southern Africa. Grants, tenders and consortium support.

Africa is the largest recipient of EU External Action funding, with the NDICI-Global Europe instrument, EU Trust Funds, the Africa Peace Facility and humanitarian assistance from ECHO together directing tens of billions of euros to projects across the continent. The EU's Africa-EU Partnership and Global Gateway for Africa create a growing pipeline of grants, technical assistance tenders and blended finance opportunities for organisations working in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Sahel, Horn of Africa, Central Africa and Southern Africa.

Regional facts

Primary Instruments
NDICI-Global Europe, EU Trust Fund for Africa, ECHO
Key Sectors
Agriculture, Health, Governance, Climate, Migration
Common Language
English, French (depending on country)
Managing Authorities
EU Delegations in country + INTPA Brussels

EU funding context

Africa is a major geographic focus of EU development cooperation. NDICI-Global Europe allocates at least €29.18 billion to sub-Saharan Africa for 2021–2027: its largest geographic allocation, not a majority of the total €79.5 billion budget. The EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF Africa) targets stability and migration management in the Sahel, Lake Chad, Horn of Africa and North Africa. The Global Gateway Africa-Europe Investment Package aims to mobilise €150 billion in investments for infrastructure, energy, health and digital connectivity; this is not an equivalent amount of grants available to individual applicants.

Typical organisations

  • International development NGOs and relief organisations
  • Agriculture and food security service providers
  • Governance and rule of law consultancies
  • Health system strengthening organisations
  • Environmental and climate adaptation organisations
  • Research institutes with Africa specialisation

Key sectors

  • Agriculture, Food Security and Rural Development
  • Health Systems and Pandemic Preparedness
  • Governance and Public Administration
  • Climate Adaptation and Environment
  • Migration and Forced Displacement
  • Education and Vocational Skills

Common consortium needs

  • Local African NGOs or civil society organisations as mandatory co-applicants
  • In-country presence or field offices to demonstrate operational capacity
  • Regional organisations with multi-country reach in Africa
  • French-speaking partners for Francophone Africa calls
  • Sector-specific technical expertise (agronomy, public health, governance)

Typical proposal challenges

  • Demonstrating operational knowledge of specific country contexts without having worked there before
  • Meeting financial eligibility thresholds for large NDICI calls when a small organisation
  • Finding credible local partners with EU experience in fragile state contexts
  • Navigating country-specific eligibility rules set by individual EU Delegations
  • Addressing the EU's 'Do No Significant Harm' requirements for climate and environment

How INTERALTER supports Africa projects

  1. Africa-Specific Call Monitoring

    We monitor EU Delegation calls across all African sub-regions and flag opportunities matching your geographic and sectoral focus.

  2. Local Partner Identification

    We identify and engage qualified African co-applicants and local partners through our network of organisations across the continent.

  3. EUTF and ECHO Support

    We support applications to the EU Trust Fund for Africa and ECHO humanitarian calls, which have specific procedural requirements.

  4. Francophone Africa Proposals

    We write proposals in French for EU Delegation calls in Francophone Africa, with deep knowledge of French-language PRAG requirements.

Common questions

Are EU Africa grants only for European organisations?
No. African NGOs, research institutes and public bodies can directly apply for many EU Delegation grants in Africa as lead applicants. Large NDICI calls typically require a European lead applicant, but there are many calls at country level accessible to African organisations directly.
What is the Global Gateway for Africa?
Global Gateway for Africa is the EU's €150 billion investment initiative for Africa under the broader Global Gateway (EU's answer to China's Belt and Road). It focuses on infrastructure, energy, digital connectivity and health systems, using a combination of grants, guarantees and loans.

Related regions

  • eastern-neighbourhood
  • mediterranean
  • middle-east