The Tony Elumelu Foundation Appoints New Advisory Board Member from the UAE
The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), Africa’s leading philanthropy dedicated to empowering African entrepreneurs, has announced the appointment of His Excellency Badr Jafar, Special Envoy of the UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs for Business and Philanthropy, and CEO of Crescent Enterprises, to its Advisory Board. This appointment signifies TEF’s commitment to fostering cross-regional collaborations that drive inclusive economic growth.
The Tony Elumelu Foundation is committed to catalysing inclusive economic growth, eradicating poverty, and expanding job creation across all 54 African countries. Since launching its flagship Entrepreneurship Programme in 2015, the TEF has empowered over 2.5 million young Africans with access to training via its digital hub, TEFConnect, and disbursed over $100 million in direct funding to more than 21,000 entrepreneurs. Collectively, these businesses have generated $4.2 billion in revenue and created more than 1.5 million direct and indirect jobs. Through its support for African entrepreneurs, TEF has lifted 2.1 million people out of poverty and championed gender parity, with 45% of supported entrepreneurs being African women.
The appointment of H.E. Badr Jafar further reflects the Foundation’s growing strategic engagement with the UAE and broader Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. This deepening relationship is exemplified by TEF’s recent partnership with the UAE Office of Development Affairs and Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation, an affiliate of Erth Zayed.
Tony O. Elumelu, Founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, commented: “At the Tony Elumelu Foundation, we believe that entrepreneurship is the most sustainable solution to youth unemployment and economic transformation in Africa. We welcome His Excellency Badr Jafar to our Advisory Board – his experience in championing innovative solutions and strategic philanthropy will be instrumental as we scale our mission and bridge Africa with global partners who share our commitment to economic inclusion.”
H.E. Badr Jafar joins the TEF Advisory Board at a time of growing recognition of Africa’s entrepreneurial potential, and amid the UAE’s increasing role as a convening hub for capital, innovation, and expertise across emerging markets. Commenting on his appointment, Badr Jafar said: “I am honoured to support the important work of the Tony Elumelu Foundation at a time when Africa’s entrepreneurial drive is inspiring new approaches to sustainable development. The UAE has emerged as a global platform for cross-sector collaboration, and I look forward to helping build bridges between regions, sectors, and generations to drive sustainable impact at scale.”
With over $1 trillion in wealth expected to transition in the Middle East over the next five years, and a rising focus on strategic philanthropy, the opportunity to align capital with purpose has never been more urgent. This appointment underscores a shared commitment to advancing youth opportunity, innovation, and inclusive prosperity, not only within Africa, but across the Global South.
Published by Dubai Diaries.
