CAVIE Open Universities
Competitive intelligence and market conquest strategies for the AfCFTA
Why COU2026?
The CAVIE Open Universities (COU2026) is an intensive certification and support program dedicated to African SMEs wishing to successfully establish themselves in the AfCFTA.
Preliminary strategic audit
Competitiveness diagnosis facing the continental market, to identify your strengths and weaknesses.
Applicable skills
30 hours of intensive training with exercises directly related to your business model.
Pan-African business network
Meetings with experts, institutional decision-makers, and companies from the continent.
Your COU2026 journey
A structured support, from registration to integration into the CAVIE network.
Registration and selection
Submit your registration before July 21, 2026. The files are examined by the committee of selection.
Competitiveness audit
Individual diagnosis of your company against continental competition.
Inaugural conference
Monday, August 03, 2026: mapping of trade flows and growth niches in the AfCFTA.
10 certifying workshops
From Tuesday 04 to Friday 07 August: 30 hours of intensive training on your business model.
Use of the C-Business software suite
Practical sessions every afternoon to master the strategic management tool for SMEs.
Networking evening and awards
Saturday, August 08: strategic alliances, distribution partnerships, and awards ceremony.
Access to the CAVIE network
Integration into the CAVIE business network and post-training follow-up via C-Business.
Five pillars, ten certifying workshops
A 30-hour program covering the critical dimensions of competitiveness in the AfCFTA.
Legal and accounting environment
OHADA legal framework, commercial contracts, and financial transparency.
Customs framework and AfCFTA litigation
Rules of origin, preferential tariffs, and dispute resolution.
Competitive and commercial intelligence
Strategic intelligence, market mapping, and business partnerships.
Financing and e-commerce
Foreign trade financing and marketplace platforms.
Innovation and artificial intelligence
Generative AI, automation, and predictive analysis.
Practical information
| Activity | Date |
|---|---|
| Registration deadline | July 21, 2026 |
| Inaugural conference | August 03, 2026 |
| Certifying workshops | August 04 to 07, 2026 |
| Networking evening | August 08, 2026 |
Package per company
One-time package investment
- In-person and remote
- Preliminary competitiveness audit
- Access to 10 certifying workshops
- 1-month C-Business subscription
- Networking evening
- Distinction of high-performing companies
- Access to CAVIE business networks
All participants benefit from a one-month access to the C-Business software suite.
Discover C-BusinessFrequently asked questions
The COU2026 are reserved for dynamic SMEs and SMIs, wishing to project their activities on a continental scale. Target profiles include promoters, general managers, commercial directors, legal directors and responsible for strategy or international development.
Yes, the COU2026 takes place both online and in person. The remote participants benefit from the same program and the same workshops via a dedicated videoconferencing platform.
Yes, the ten workshops are certified. Each participant receives a CAVIE certificate at the end of the training, attesting to the skills acquired.
After validation of your registration, an individual diagnosis of competitiveness is carried out by CAVIE experts. This diagnosis identifies the strengths and weaknesses of your structure in the face of continental competition, and guides your path training.
Access to C-Business is included in the registration package. Your Identifiers will be communicated to you at the start of the training. The subscription is valid for months from the start date of COU2026.
Registration fees are not refundable after validation of the registration. In the event of force majeure, a postponement to a later edition may be studied on a case-by-case basis.
The package covers one delegate per company. If you would like to register several representatives, please contact the CAVIE team to study the conditions specific.