Celebrating 13 years of empowering African entrepreneurs in all 54 African countries
Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurs
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We believe in African Entrepreneurship.
So we built an infrastructure that supports entrepreneurial talents across the continent.

The Tony Elumelu Foundation is the leading champion of entrepreneurship in Africa. Our objective is to empower women and men across our continent, catalysing economic growth, driving poverty eradication and ensuring job creation. We believe the private sector’s role is critical for Africa’s development and that the private sector must create both social and economic wealth.

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Did you know?
TEF looks out for and selects entrepreneurs with the most innovative, high potential business ideas across all 54 African countries.
Did you know?
TEF proprietary digital platform; TEFConnect has over 1.5 million registered individuals from across the world to help entrepreneurs nurture their business.
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Did you know?
Since 2015 with a commitment seed capital of $5,000, the Foundation also offers mentorship and business management training to entrepreneurs.
Did you know?
$102 million was invested in the TEF Entrepreneurship programme while $80 million was paid directly as seed capital to support and grow African start-ups.
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Did you know?
TEF was founded in 2010 by Tony O. Elumelu, CON with the mandate of empowering women and men across the African continent through entrepreneurship.
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Did you know?
TEF has a Business Management Training Programme that equips entrepreneurs with the technical and soft skills needed to run a successful business.
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Did you know?
TEF beneficiaries are spread across all African Regions (Central, East, Northern, Southern and Western Africa).
Did you know?
Through our direct activities and investments, as well as the support we give to entrepreneurs across sectors in Africa, we are directly and indirectly contributing to the 17 UN SDGs

WHAT WE ARE UP TO

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IMPACT ACROSS AFRICA

Since 2010, the Tony Elumelu Foundation has been dedicated to resolving Africa’s social and economic issues.
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OUR BENEFICIARIES

Our beneficiaries are creating jobs and transforming their communities across the African continent through entrepreneurship.
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GLOBAL PARTNERS

We partnered with global development organisations to support our vision to drive impact across Africa.
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RECENT UPDATES

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TESTIMONIALS

Too often great Ideas do not have the impact they deserve because they lack scale sustainability, that’s why the Tony Elumelu Foundation is so important, the seed capital they provide is a vital investment in getting new ideas off the ground.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom GhebreyesusDirector General WHO
There is extra ordinary energy and enthusiasm represented by the TEF Entrepreneurs, represented by the youth of Africa, I would love to see the same energy and dynamism in the govt of Africa to open up the system for this people.
FAREED ZakariaCNN Host
As I prepared for this event, I encountered a few of the very many stories of businesses, lives transformed by the TEF, and its various initiatives. ...and even all of those thousands of inspirational TEEP stories are themselves a representation, just a fraction of what is out there across the continent.
Yemi OsinbajoVice President of Nigeria
Quickly let me also thank the Foundation, Tony Elumelu and those who make it what it is. It speaks to the solutions we are trying to find for the many problem we have in our continent. That is why we have come here to encourage you and maybe through that encourage other African leaders, business leaders and others to try and do things same way or do things together. More importantly, to make our continent move forward.
Paul KagamePresident of Rwanda
I am proud that Nigeria (and a Nigerian) is taking the lead in this effort to promote self-worth, encourage entrepreneurship, create jobs, build and promote networks for intra-African trade, business collaboration and investment. Our Administration is committed to unlocking all such opportunities to restore dignity to our people. This programme is one example I hope others will emulate and I commend Tony Elumelu and his Foundation for their endeavor and leadership in this area.
President Mohammadu BuhariPresident of Nigeria
As U.S. Secretary of Commerce, I know how entrepreneurs drive economic growth around the world. I am pleased to see Tony Elumelu investing in entrepreneurs through The Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme across Africa to work towards fostering communities of innovation.
Penny PritzkerU.S. Secretary of Commerce
TEF’s approach to entrepreneurship development is a genuinely innovative approach to philanthropy in Africa – an African offering African solutions. What is unique about this programme is that it not only provides a platform for entrepreneurs to build connections, but they are also being taught how to build their businesses in a sustainable way. Other philanthropists will be inspired to support and promote this philosophy.
Ernest Bai KoromaFormer President of Sierra Leone
The Tony Elumelu foundation entrepreneurship programme will certainly foster entrepreneurial development across Africa, providing the much-needed funds, training and mentorship of commercial enterprises that promote social and economic change, support growing African businesses through dynamic programmes that provide capital and human resources to budding entrepreneurs.
H.E Aisha BuhariWife of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
“I salute this programme because it is going touch on mindset change of our young people to look at Africa as their home as their continent and there for this programme is promoting Pan-Africanism.”
Ruhakana RugundaPrime Minister of Uganda
Let me use the opportunity to thank my dear brother Tony Elumelu, he’s done a fantastic job to put all this together, he has faith in confidence in the youth of Africa and that’s fantastic.
Akinwunmi AdesinaPresident AfDB

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