Monday, November 17, 2025

Opening

• Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

• Leaders of government, of business, young entrepreneurs gathered here, all who are responsible for tomorrow’s possibilities — good morning.

• It is an honour to be here.

• Let me be blunt:

• The future of Nigeria is not going to be written in some far-off boardroom.

• It is being shaped, right now, by you, by us, by every passionate entrepreneur, who refuses to settle for average, who beats the odds and dares to dream big in this great country.

Nigeria is Entrepreneurial — But We Must Build to Last

• Too many of our businesses never get past the struggle.

• Too many great ideas fail because the system, the support, the ecosystem—wasn’t there for them.

• This must change. Starting businesses is good. But, sustaining them? This is critical. And that’s how we transform this economy.

• I started out just like many of you — restless, ambitious, ready to prove myself.

• But experience taught me: success isn’t about today. It’s about what remains when you’re gone.

• If you are chasing profit and nothing else — your journey will be short.

• If you’re driven by purpose and a vision to make lives better — your legacy will endure.

Private Sector: The Engine of Nigeria’s Renewal

• Here’s the bottom line:

• Nigeria will not be built by government handouts or foreign aid. Government’s role is critical, but:

• Nigeria will be built by entrepreneurs — by you, building businesses that create jobs, hope, and prosperity from the ground up.

• But you cannot do it alone.

• You need frameworks — clear governance, succession planning, and relentless focus on value.

• This is why at the Tony Elumelu Foundation, yes we give each beneficiary a non-refundable seed capital of USD5,000.00.

• But to us, our greatest catalytic impact is the 12-week business education class we organise for young African entrepreneurs.

• We do this to enlarge our private sector. Because we believe that the private sector is the engine of Nigeria’s renewal.

• That’s Africapitalism that drives us at Heirs Holdings — using business to build Africa, to build Nigeria, to do well and do good at the same time.

We Need the Right Environment

• We need a Nigeria where:

• Policies are predictable (investors love predictability—let’s give it to them).

• Infrastructure works.

• Financing is truly accessible.

• Our best brains aren’t stuck solving the same old problems— or leaving the country

• We know this can be done – we have done it!

• At the Tony Elumelu Foundation, we put our money where our mouth is.

• Over 24,000 young Africans — 9,229 from Nigeria — have received capital, mentorship, training, not just to start up, but to scale up.

• They are building businesses, creating jobs, exporting to new markets.

• That is the future.

Public and Private Sectors: Collaboration is Key

• Let me speak directly to Government, the private sector, institutions like SMEDAN — our work must be connected, not siloed.

• Let me commend Charles Odii – SMEDAN CEO/Director General for this and what he has been doing since his appointment.

• Let me also commend His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for believing in and appointing young Nigerians to steer critical national agencies and for all he does to support youth entrepreneurship in Nigeria.

• Let us cut the bureaucracy. Make finance and opportunity real, not theoretical.

• Design policies that spark innovation.

• Let’s help Nigeria’s entrepreneurs move from surviving – to winning.

• Every job we create fights insecurity.

• Every thriving business increases our tax base and accelerates prosperity for ALL.

Digital is the Game Changer

• Let’s talk digital.

• Today, a woman in Lekki or Oshodi can run a global operation right from her smartphone.

• Technology has levelled the playing field — opportunity is before us – if we build the infrastructure, if digital skills reach EVERY community, if no entrepreneur is left behind.

• We need the power that is so vital to the digital economy.

• Last month in Washington, at the IMF meetings, my message was straightforward.

• We Africans must be included in the AI revolution.

• My message in Nigeria is the same – without infrastructure, without power, Africa will be left behind once again. We need to act and now, for Nigeria, for Africa.

• We need a Nigeria that is built to last and built to succeed.

Call to Action: Build for Generations

• We — leaders, policymakers, business owners — must forge partnerships that set our entrepreneurs free to focus on GROWTH.

• We must turn pain into progress, hustle into history.

• Our entrepreneurs are tough, resilient — but hardship shouldn’t be our default strategy!

• Resilience must lead to innovation, not just survival.

• So, let me challenge every one of you:

• Don’t just start, SCALE.

• Don’t just build for profit, BUILD FOR PURPOSE.

• Don’t just think of today — think generations.

• Nigeria, it’s time to move from start-ups to scale-ups, from individuals to institutions, from small ventures to lasting legacies.

• That’s how we create a future where everyone

• That’s how we build a Nigeria that works — for ALL.

• I repeat, we need a Nigeria that is built to last and built to succeed.

• Thank

TOE

The post Keynote Remarks: Empowering Nigeria’s Entrepreneurs: Building Institutions That Last appeared first on The Tony Elumelu Foundation.

One of the highlights of the event was the Key Private Sector Remarks delivered by Dr. Awele V. Elumelu, OFR — Director at Heirs Holdings, Founder of Avon HMO and Avon Medical, and Co-Founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation.

Speaking on the theme, “Investing in Nigeria: The Challenges and the Opportunities – The Entrepreneur’s Perspective,”Dr. Elumelu shared insights on the realities of doing business in Nigeria, balancing both the hurdles entrepreneurs face and the immense opportunities waiting to be unlocked in Africa’s largest economy. Read her speech below;

▪ Good morning, Your Excellencies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen.

▪ I want to thank the Chamber for this invitation and for creating a platform where the private sector, policymakers, and global partners can come together to talk honestly about the opportunities on our continent.

▪ It is a pleasure to join you at this year’s International Business Conference, and I again thank the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

▪ Today, I have been asked to share my perspective on investing in Nigeria — and to shed light on both the challenges and the opportunities.

I stand here not just as a medical doctor, but as an entrepreneur, an investor, and above all, a strong believer in the power of the private sector to transform our economy.

The Nigerian Context

▪ Our country is blessed with abundant natural resources. But equally, we face enormous unmet needs. For investors, unmet needs are not barriers — they are business opportunities waiting to be unlocked.

▪ A few statistics frame this conversation:

− Nigeria is home to over 226 million people, Africa’s most populous nation and the 6th largest population in the world.

− Our median age is just 18 years.

− Over 60% of Nigerians are under the age of 30 — making us the youngest nation in the world.

− By 2025, our population will reach 237.5 million, and by 2050, we are projected to be the third most populous country globally.

▪ What does this mean? It means we are sitting on a goldmine: a massive market, a future workforce, and a generation of innovators waiting for someone to believe in them. But this can also become a challenge if not properly harnessed for human progress.

The Challenges — and the Opportunities:

1. Economic Instability & Youth Empowerment

▪ One of our most pressing challenges is economic instability. Inflation erodes the purchasing power of families. Businesses struggle to survive. Unemployment, especially among youth, is a ticking time bomb. But this is also our greatest opportunity. Our young people are dynamic, ambitious, and entrepreneurial. If we give them the right tools — skills, access to capital, and an enabling environment — they will unleash one of the most vibrant workforces in the world.

▪ That is why my husband and I founded the Tony Elumelu Foundation in 2010, committing $100 million to empower African entrepreneurs.

Today, over 24,000 young entrepreneurs have received seed capital. Collectively, they have created over 1.5 million jobs and generated over $4.2 billion in revenue, pulling over 2 million Africans out of poverty.

▪ This is the power of the private sector — transforming lives, one entrepreneur at a time.

2. Power

▪ Despite our vast gas reserves, millions of Nigerians still lack access to electricity. The economy loses about $26 billion annually to poor power supply.

▪ Businesses spend more on self-generation than on innovation. Without reliable electricity, how do we grow industries? How do we create jobs?

▪ At Heirs Holdings, we invested in power through Transcorp Group, turning around dormant assets. This is Africapitalism in action — private capital aligning profit with purpose, filling gaps where others fail, and creating prosperity that is shared.

3. Healthcare

▪ This challenge is personal to me. Nigeria loses over $1.5 billion annually to medical tourism. That is capital flight — but also an opportunity.  Why should Nigerians travel abroad for treatment when we can build world-class facilities here? Why export patients and in addition, why lose manpower when we can retain skills and create jobs?

▪ Through Avon Medical and Avon HMO, we chose to act. We are building hospitals and clinics, and providing affordable health insurance — because access is as critical as quality.

▪ This is how entrepreneurs think: see the problem, create the solution.

4. Infrastructure

▪ Nigeria’s infrastructure gap is glaring. Roads, transport, clean water, sanitation — we are lagging behind. Poor infrastructure raises business costs and stifles growth.

▪ But again, this is an opportunity: for investors in logistics, transport, housing, and infrastructure development.

Conclusion & Call to Action

▪ Fellow business leaders, these challenges are real. But so is our capacity to overcome them.

− Africa has had sympathy from the international community. Now, Africa needs more investments.

− Africa has had handouts. Now, Africa needs more partnerships.

− Africa has had outsiders telling our story. Now, Africa needs entrepreneurs writing the future with our own hands, and through our successes

▪ So, my call to everyone is simple:

− To governments: create enabling environments, consistent policies, and encourage the private sector.

− To the private sector: do not wait for perfection — start, build, innovate, invest, and solve.

− To global partners: join us not as patrons, but as peers.

▪ The future of Nigeria — and of Africa — is not being written in New York, London, or Beijing. It is being written here: in Lagos, Nairobi, Accra, Johannesburg.

▪ And it will be written by those who see opportunity where others see obstacles, and who have the courage to act.

▪ That is the spirit that will define Nigeria’s transformation.

That is the legacy we must all commit to.

Thank you.

Dr. AVE

The post Investing in Nigeria: The Challenges and the Opportunities – An Entrepreneur’s Perspective appeared first on The Tony Elumelu Foundation.

• Your Excellencies, Ministers, Central Bank Governors, esteemed representatives of the IMF & World Bank, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen

• It is truly an honour to be here with you today. This gathering could not be timelier, as we work together to amplify Africa’s voice and shape a development path that reflects our unique needs and aspirations.

• We live in a highly volatile, complex world. It is a world where the rules-based order has been challenged, where we need to reaffirm our commitment to the idea of a global community.

• But as an African, I must be frank. This global community has not always served Africa interests, ensured that Africa’s voice is heard or delivered for Africa.

• And Africa’s voice not only needs to be heard, but has to be heard.

• Africa has solutions to so many of the world’s problems. Our young people are the answer to the world’s demographic crisis, our minerals power the extraordinary technological changes we are experiencing, our fields can feed the world.

• But these African solutions, this African opportunity, must be on African terms, benefit African people, catalyse true value creation on the African continent. And it must be based on true partnerships, partnerships of equality and mutual respect.

• We must also be realistic. African governments must do better. If we are to deliver that opportunity to our next generation – and if we are to be truly heard in the community of nations, Africa needs to step up.

• This year’s theme – ‘Resilient Infrastructure, Human Capital, and Green Assets’ – reflects what must be our shared priorities if Africa is to thrive.

• It captures the essence of what we must prioritise if Africa is to truly rise.

• Let me begin with infrastructure. Across our continent, we face a deep and persistent infrastructure gap. From roads to ports, power to internet connectivity – we lag behind. We cannot achieve prosperity without the foundations of modern development.  Without addressing these gaps, we cannot unlock the growth and prosperity our people deserve.

• To bridge this divide, we must do three things:

• Strengthen our fiscal capacity.

• Drive efficiency and

• Unlock innovative financing – especially by inviting and enabling private sector to co-lead infrastructure development.

• Energy access remains the biggest enabler — or barrier — to our progress.

• Up to 70% of our people lack electricity. My home country, Nigeria, generates less than 7,000 MW for over 200 million people.

• If we are to industrialize, create jobs, and participate meaningfully in the global AI revolution, we must invest aggressively in energy — from renewables to cleaner gas-based solutions.

• Imagine what Nigeria’s economy could become with 100,000 megawatts of reliable, affordable energy. That is the scale of transformation we need. And the story is not different across Africa.

• Through our investments in Transcorp and Heirs Energies, we are working to solve this challenge – generating power, exporting it through the West African Power Pool, and using gas from our oil operations to power our plants. This is Africapitalism in action: private capital solving public challenges.

• Africapitalism is the belief that the African private sector must take the lead in driving economic development. It is about long-term investments in key sectors that create both economic returns and social impact.

• But success requires collaboration.

• To succeed, we need strong partnerships. Governments must create the right environment. Private sector must bring capital and innovation. And our development partners must support Africa’s realities – including recognising gas as a viable transition fuel on our path to clean energy.

• No resource is more valuable than our people – especially our youth. Africa is the youngest continent on earth, with over 60% of our population under 35. This presents both our greatest asset or our greatest risk.

• If empowered, our youth can transform Africa. If neglected, they can become a source of instability.

• At the Tony Elumelu Foundation:

• We have empowered over 24,000 young entrepreneurs across all 54 African countries.

• Each with a non-refundable seed capital of USD5,000.00.

• Trained 1.5m youth.

• Catalysed 1.2m jobs.

• These entrepreneurs are creating jobs, building businesses, and changing lives.

• Let me leave you with three massages:

• Africa’s development is our responsibility.  No one else will do it for us.  Africa’s future is in our hands. No one will build this continent for us. We must lead.

• Power is everything. No industrial revolution can happen without electricity. We must prioritise energy. Without power, there can be no progress.

• We must invest in our youth. They are not just our future – they are our present.

• Together, by working across public and private sectors, and in partnership with institutions like the IMF and World Bank, we can build an Africa that is resilient, inclusive, and full of opportunity.

• I commend the growing focus of global institutions on Africa. I sit on the IMF Advisory Council on Entrepreneurship and Growth, and I’m pleased with our emphasis on job creation as a path to lasting growth. I also applaud Ajay Banga’s ‘Mission 300’ initiative at the World Bank – an ambitious goal to connect 300 million Africans to power.

• Africa is ready. Let’s seize this moment – and build the prosperous, empowered continent our people deserve.

• Thank you.

The post Tony Elumelu’s Keynote Address at the 2025 African Caucus Meeting appeared first on The Tony Elumelu Foundation.

Founder, The Tony Elumelu Foundation.

Chairman: Heirs Holdings Group, UBA Group, Transcorp Group.

At the 2024 LBS Alumni Day.

Opening Remarks 

• Distinguished ladies and gentlemen. 

• The Lagos Business School has been a beacon of learning and thought leadership, equipping business leaders for success. A role model for business education in Nigeria, in Africa and globally. 

• I have great admiration for this institution, and I commend its leadership and my big brother Prof. Chris Ogbechie. 

• Congratulations to the new President of the LBS Alumni Association, Owen Omogiafo, the Group CEO of Transcorp Plc. 

• This gathering is yet another opportunity to engage in conversations that are relevant in today’s world. The theme of this conference “Navigating Disruptions: Harnessing AI for Business and Economic Success” is so pertinent in these rapidly changing times. 

As business leaders, we all know that change is inevitable. But it is important how we approach change, manage change, master change. 

• I see change as an opportunity to reinvent ourselves, especially in Africa. We cannot be left behind. In this era of Artificial Intelligence, Africa must play a leading role, not as a bystander, but as an active contributor and a leader. 

• And how do we achieve this? It starts with us – all the leaders gathered here; this is our collective responsibility. This is why I am impressed by the topic and look forward to the thoughts that arise from this Forum. 

• We must ensure AI serves, not only our business goals, but also the broader good of our country and continent. I believe in Africapitalism, that business should do good and do well.  With AI it is no different. 

• Our response to AI, will be based on the values we hold and those values that have been shown to be the foundations of success, that provide the capacity to thrive in times of enormous change. 

• Let me share the values that have helped us in Heirs Holdings achieve the phenomenal growth we have achieved in less than 15 years:  

1. Adaptability 

• As business leaders, we must have a mindset that is both forward-looking and flexible, armed with the knowledge that what is novel today may become outdated tomorrow. 

• There would always be disruptors – it is inevitable, but what makes the difference is how we position our businesses to adapt to changes. 

2. Excellence 

• Excellence is not just about meeting expectations, but surpassing them. Excellence is about setting new standards, exceeding them, and inspiring others. 

3. Commitment to Lifelong Learning 

• As leaders, this must be our predisposition. We must remain informed and open-minded, accepting that continuous learning is essential. 

In my experience, leaders who are more receptive to lifelong learning are best positioned to maximise new opportunities. This is why again I salute LBS. This is what we need in Nigeria – leaders who reinvent themselves, who drive transformation, never settle for the ordinary, and who are committed to the development of our great country.  

Conclusion 

• Today, I encourage everyone to adopt a mindset that is both curious and courageous.  

AI is a vast field, and while it might be intimidating, we must approach it with curiosity—exploring its possibilities, learning its intricacies, and seeking ways to implement it meaningfully. 

• Let us master change, rather than be mastered by it! 

• Let us embrace change, not shy away! 

• Be solution oriented. Instead of being overwhelmed by what AI might replace, think of what it might enable. 

• I encourage you to leverage the opportunities in this conference for the exchange of ideas, learning from one another, and creating a roadmap that launches our businesses, and by extension, the economy of Nigeria, forward. 

• I am confident that soon, with all our contributions and all our resilience, Africa will be the continent we know it can be. 

• Thank you. 

TOE 

The post Navigating Disruptions: Harnessing AI for Business and Economic Success  appeared first on The Tony Elumelu Foundation.

Understanding the Disruptive Age

• We indeed live in a disruptive age—an age with rapid technological advancements, shifting societal norms, and a heightened awareness of our environmental responsibilities.
• We have never seen a pace of change like this. It is completely unprecedented, and it is reshaping industries, economies, and the very fabric of our society.
• But as challenging as this disruption might seem, we must embrace it, not as a threat, but as a catalyst for innovation and growth.
• We will all agree that in the last few decades, strides have been made concerning women.
• Women are no longer just participants in the technological revolution, but we are pioneers, innovators, and leaders driving change across industries.
• This new era offers us a chance to step into spaces that were previously inaccessible – the glass ceilings.
• We know the challenges; however, we lead with a vision that is inclusive, equitable, and sustainable.
• But what does it really mean when we say we want to lead in a disruptive age?
• It means anticipating changes and preparing for them.
• It means leveraging the tools and technologies at our disposal to not only survive but thrive in a world that is constantly evolving.
• It means being agile and innovative.
• For women, particularly, it also means breaking down the traditional barriers and stepping into leadership roles with confidence and purpose.
• This digital revolution has ushered in a new wave of emerging technologies—from using AI to enhance our decision-making processes and how we analyse data, to employing blockchain for greater transparency in operations, the possibilities are endless.
• These technologies are not just transforming industries, they are reshaping the way we live, the way we work, and the way we interact with the world around us.
• It is critical that we are well positioned to champion their use.

Embracing Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI):

• For me as an African-Nigerian woman, I am very aware of the challenges that we face—ranging from gender bias to limited access to opportunities.
• However, I am also aware of the immense strength that lies in our diversity.
• 13 years ago, my husband and I set up the Tony Elumelu Foundation.
• As the Co-founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), I have seen first-hand the impact of equipping women.
• At the Foundation, we are committed to empowering and uplifting young African entrepreneurs across all African countries – both men and women.
• When we first commenced with the first round of applications, we had very few women. Less than a fraction of one third were women.
• But we understand the importance of women empowerment and inclusion and so, we made sure to go out of our way to get more women to apply and be funded.
• What we do in the Foundation, we identify these young Africans with business ideas, train them, mentor them, and give them a non-refundable $5,000 for their businesses.
• I am glad to say that 10 years later, we have funded over 8,000 women-owned businesses across all 54 African countries.
• That is an impressive 46% of the total number of entrepreneurs we have funded on our continent.
• We have seen that truly when you empower a woman, you empower the nation.

• We believe in the abilities of women to multiply, nurture, and transform their nations.
• In 2021, we partnered with Google and Women Entrepreneurs for Africa (WE4A) to provide funding exclusively for women entrepreneurs because we believe we can do more.
• We know we should indeed do more.
• Interestingly, on average, the female beneficiaries of the Foundation reported making slightly more profit from their business than did male beneficiaries in a typical month in the past year.
• We know that women bring unique perspectives, experiences, and ideas to the table.
• Over the years, we have come to see our softness and perceived weaknesses as strength.
• We are more likely to invest our earnings in our families’ health, education, and well-being, lifting entire communities out of poverty in the process.
• This goes without saying that empowering women has a ripple effect that extends far beyond individual benefits.
• When women thrive, they become role models and change agents in their communities, inspiring others and catalysing positive social change.
• Take, for instance, the success stories of some female entrepreneurs who have been empowered by TEF, the impact they have made, and innovative technology they have employed to drive change:

1.  Olamide Ayeni, a 2016 beneficiary of the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme, is leveraging technology for waste management innovation

• Background: Olamide is a Nigerian entrepreneur and the Founder of Hopcyku (formerly Pear Recycling), a company that transforms waste into valuable products and promotes environmental sustainability.
• Impact: Under Olamide’s leadership, Hopcyku has become a pioneer in innovative waste management, creating high-quality products from textile and rubber waste while promoting climate literacy.
• Her company uses AI and predictive analytics to optimise waste transformation processes and anticipate consumer preferences, significantly improving their operational efficiency and product development.
• Innovation: By way of innovation, she has demonstrated how technology can be leveraged to revolutionise waste management, ensuring it is both profitable and environmentally sustainable.
• They also leverage open-source software to keep costs down while improving efficiency.

2. Nana Amoako-Anin – Leveraging Technology to Transform Yoga in Ghana

• Background: Nana Amoako-Anin, a 2016 beneficiary of the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme, is the Founder of Bliss Yoga Accra and, one of the few full-service yoga studios in West Africa.
• After moving back to Ghana from New York City, she established her business to make yoga more accessible and popular in Ghana.
• Impact: Bliss Yoga Accra has been instrumental in popularising yoga in Ghana, offering group and private classes, yoga teacher certifications, and stress relief programs.
• As one of the few African, woman-owned established studios, it’s changing the narrative on the accessibility and face of yoga in the region.
• Innovation: Nana is leveraging technology in several keyways to drive her business success: She employs a custom app and database to track client preferences and class popularity, enabling data-driven decision-making that keeps the studio responsive to customer needs. 
• When faced with pandemic restrictions, Nana quickly pivoted to offer yoga teacher training entirely online, opening new opportunities for scaling operations, attracting a diverse, global clientele.

These examples are a testament to what is possible when we embrace technology and use it as a tool for empowerment and leadership.

• However, for these technologies to be truly transformative, we must ensure that its adoption is inclusive, and that it offers equal opportunities for women to participate, innovate, and lead in this digital era.

• In my capacity as Chairperson of Avon Healthcare and Avon Medical Practice, I have witnessed the transformative power of these technologies in the healthcare sector.

• At Avon HMO, we are at the forefront of utilising advanced data analytics and digital solutions to revolutionise healthcare delivery.

• By harnessing the capabilities of big data and machine learning, we can gain deeper insights into patient needs, accurately predict health trends, and personalise healthcare plans more efficiently and effectively.

• By monitoring these metrics, we can pinpoint areas for improvement, implement best practices, and ultimately improve service quality.

• It is also worth noting that this dynamic transformation is being spearheaded by a team led by female leadership, under the able leadership of the CEO, Adesimbo Ukiri and her team.

• This, again, underscores the significant contributions that women bring to the table.

• All of these cannot be overstated.

• While we focus on empowering women, it is equally important to acknowledge the role men play in this journey.

• Men must be allies in the pursuit of inclusion and women empowerment, understanding that true equity benefits everyone.

• You see, in the medical line, nursing was long perceived as a female-dominated profession, and this idea was deeply rooted in the traditional view of women as the caregivers.

• However, this bias began to shift due to several factors.

• Societal attitudes towards gender roles began to evolve, recognising that caregiving is not inherently feminine but a human trait.

• Over time, male nurses have become more visible and respected, helping to dismantle the stereotype that nursing is a “woman’s job.”

• Today, men are increasingly recognised as integral members of the nursing profession, contributing to diverse perspectives and approaches in patient care.

• It is no longer just a moral imperative; it is a strategic advantage.

• It is about creating an environment where every individual, regardless of their gender, can contribute their unique perspectives and talents.

• Diverse teams are more innovative, more resilient, and better equipped to navigate complex challenges as we know.

• Studies have shown that companies with higher levels of gender diversity are more likely to outperform their peers.

• But we must be prepared. We must be ready to contribute our own quota.

Conclusion

• In closing, I want to emphasise that this disruptive age presents us with an unprecedented opportunity to lead.
• By leveraging emerging technologies, embracing and driving inclusion, we are one more step close to overcoming the barriers that have historically held women back and seize the leadership opportunities that lie ahead.
• As female directors, we are not just participants in this transformation; we are leaders.
• We have the power to shape the future, to create organisations that reflect our values, and to inspire the next generation of women leaders.
• I would like to charge everyone to remain committed to continuous learning.
• We must always seek to learn and improve.
• I find that keeping up with emerging technologies isn’t just a professional necessity—it’s a personal one, too.
• As a mother of five young girls, I continue to learn from them and grow.
• These girls are extremely digitally savvy and always talking about a new trend, I often find myself learning new things just to keep pace with them!
• This constant learning is not just vital for staying relevant in our careers but also in our daily lives.
• I encourage each of you to embrace this moment, to lead with courage, and to use your influence to drive positive change.
• Together, we can create a world where women are at the forefront of innovation, and inclusive change.

Thank you

Dr. Awele V. Elumelu, OFR
Chairperson, Avon Healthcare Limited
Avon Medical Practice
&
Co-founder, The Tony Elumelu Foundation

The post Keynote Speech Delivered By Dr. Awele V. Elumelu, OFR At The 2024 Women Directors’ Conference Of The Chartered Institute Of Directors Nigeria appeared first on The Tony Elumelu Foundation.

The first guest at the event themed “Resilience in Entrepreneurship”, Kasarachi Innocent, shared valuable tips on building a successful lasting enterprise.

Kasarachi is the founder and CEO, StandingTall Foundation (which caters to the academic needs of the challenged and less-privileged students and maintains outreaches to Nigerian prisons) and StandingTall Books (a publishing outfit that also organises creative writing and public-speaking seminars for budding writers and speakers).

Best Quotes from the first edition of the TEF Impact Series:

“My mind was always on the fact that I knew that I will survive even though I wasn’t physically fit, and I was ready to put up with any hardship.”

“I believe that failure is part of success. You can’t succeed until you have failed.”

“Resilience is the ability to build a cathedral from the rubble of a house that has collapsed.”

“You cannot force somebody to see value in you. But each time you get rejected, find out why you were disqualified. Work on that, and launch out”.

“You shouldn’t be desperate over anybody. What is yours must be yours. The person who sees your value is coming”

“Standing Tall means whatever you have gone through in life, you might have lost something, but you can still stand. As long as you believe, even if you are sitting on the ground.”

“For me, resilience is the ability to withstand being stretched. The ability to make mistakes and refuse to give in. Resilience is the ability to build cathedrals from the rubbles of the house which has collapsed”

“Life is not about speed, but about focus on where you are going”

“The key to doing well in life is sincerity and knowing what you want. The key to everything in life is relationships. You can’t choose a mentor until you know who you are in life and what you want”

We hope these quotes inspire you to always Stand Tall!

Watch the full event on Youtube.

The post TEF features Guest Speaker, Kasarachi Innocent, on the launch of its TEF IMPACT SERIES appeared first on The Tony Elumelu Foundation.

Good morning All,

• The Primate of all Nigeria, His Grace, The Most Reverend Henry Ndukuba;

• The representative of the host Governor for the youth conference, Governor of Enugu State, His Excellency, Mr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi;

• The representative of the Governor of Delta State, His Excellency, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa;

• The Vice Chancellor of University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Professor Charles Arizechukwu Igwe;

• The eminent dignitaries from the Church of Nigeria gathered here today;

• And to the thousands of young ones gathered here at the University of Nsukka for the Joshua Generation International Youth Conference, all twenty-one thousand of you, I say well done for participating at this important event coming immediately after Easter.

• I must begin by thanking the Primate of all Nigeria, The Most Reverend Henry Ndukuba, for several reasons:

• First, for his organising this timely and important event, and for ensuring its great success. Looking at the crowd present here as I have been following the programme online.

• The youth are our greatest force on the African continent, and events like this that prioritise our youth must be commended.

• So thank you Big brother, thank you great man of God.

• I also thank the Primate for his warm invitation to me and indeed your consistency in following up with me to ensure that I deliver the opening keynote of this conference.

• Thank you also for the apt choice for the topic and theme of this event: ‘Africa: unlocking our potential, securing our future’.

• Let me introduce myself, I am Tony Elumelu, Chairman of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc.

• UBA operates in 20 African countries and this is a wonderful opportunity to talk with the youth of Africa.

• In Nigeria, UBA operates close to 700 branches in every part of the country, we serve 25 million customers and most of them are young ones across Africa.

• Our young Africans are proud customers of UBA, they use our platforms, cards and digital bot Leo for their transactions.

• When I got this invitation, I thought what a wonderful way to speak to these young ones.

• I am also the Chairman of the Heirs Holdings Group. And most importantly to me, I am the Founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation.

• And because of this session, I will speak briefly about what we do at the Foundation.

• The kind speaker that introduced me spoke about more people to signing up to the Foundation’s Entrepreneurship Programme on tefconnect.com.

• And I firmly believe that applying to the Tony Elumelu Foundation is one of the ways to be empowered as youth, and I want to encourage everyone here to apply.

• Take advantage, visit TEFConnect.com and be guided on how to apply.

• Apply for the non-refundable $5000, which is our own commitment to actually empowering young Africans which we believe at TEF at the future of the continent.

2. Context

• Let me therefore to set some useful context to guide our discussion today:

• Africa is the world’s youngest continent.

• Almost 60% of Africa’s population is under the age of 25.

• In Nigeria, youths of 35 years and under are estimated to constitute 70% of the population of the country.

• However, the jobless rate in Nigeria has now risen to about 30% in March 2021.

• Some states have as high as 56% of all their youth population as unemployed.

• In Africa, the situation is not much different:

• We have 65% of all Africans below the age of 35 and many of these people are not gainfully employed. 

• The Covid pandemic and resulting lockdowns have exposed the vulnerabilities in our population structure.

• We now have, as a continent, the largest young generation in history – this youthful population is Africa’s hope, it is our pride, and it is our potential.

• The urgency and need to unlock the potential of this generation is imperative for the security of our collective future.

• This is why I commend all of you and the Primate for choosing this topic.

• What should we do? How do we unlock the potential of African youth to catalyse the socio-economic development of the continent.

• Youth Restiveness is a ticking timebomb and we continue to face issues daily around:

• Extremism
  • Banditry
  • Robbery
  • Senseless killing
  • Kidnapping
  • Political thuggery, to mention just a few

• The question becomes: what are we doing to stem this?

• What are we doing to secure our own future?

• First, there must be a high sense of urgency.

• A dissatisfaction to what is happening, a commitment to improving things.

• We must accept that we face a crucial period in our history where youth issues must be the main and central issue of our time.

• Millions of our young people are entering the job market every year;

•  20 million jobs are needed to be created annually to absorb new entrants in the labour market.

• Only about 3 million formal jobs are being created annually across Africa and this was even before the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic outbreak.

• The estimated annual growth of labour force is 5% whilst employment growth rate is less than 2% across Africa.

• There is huge and shocking deficit.

• How do we unlock the power of our youth? How do we harness their energy for good instead of wasting it?

The Power of Entrepreneurship

• For me and my colleagues at UBA, at TEF and the across the HH Group, we have come to believe that entrepreneurship-the power of entrepreneurship- is key to harnessing the potential of these young Africans.

• By so doing, we secure our own future.

• This comes from our own experience, first as entrepreneurs ourselves.

• And secondly as people that have committed a lot of resources at TEF (capital, time, personnel) in helping create a new generation of African entrepreneurs.

• We are helping to give economic hope and opportunities to young Africans.

• And we speak not just as people that do this in Nigeria but in all 54 African countries, the TEF intervention cuts across all sectors and gender across the 54 African countries.

• Because we believe that prosperity should be shared as much as possible across board and that poverty anywhere is a threat to us all everywhere

• We must prioritise our support for small-scale businesses given the enormous potential of our youth.

• Corporate organisations do well in employing people but there is a limit on how much corporates can do in employing the huge numbers of our unemployed youth.

• Therefore, capacitising and supporting small businesses, empowering our young ones and their businesses, in our own view is the most powerful means to reduce unemployment on the continent.

• It is the most impactful way to reduce the ills such as banditry, thuggery etc.

• Because people with economic hope, do not want to take the lives of others unnecessarily.

• People that have hope will preach peace and security.

• People that do not have economic hope, will begin to question the essence of their existence.

• We saw during the pandemic how young people showed us with their actions that yes, life is important, but livelihood is more important.

• This is why we must embrace entrepreneurship and work together to fix the issues we live with today.

• We need to improve access to electricity if we must empower our people.

• I also wear another hat as the Chairman of Transcorp Group and as the last speaker said, we have invested massively in the power sector in Nigeria.

• Collectively over $1bn has been invested in the power sector because of our belief that the economic transformation of Nigeria and Africa will rest on the availability of power.

• We cannot have our SMEs spend their profits on buying power for their businesses, we need large scale infrastructural support to provide sustainable and constant power for our people.

• One of the major complaints we get from our TEF entrepreneurs is about a lack of access to electricity and how it takes a lot of their capital.

• We cannot make progress, if we do not fix power.

• Let us provide electricity for our young ones and they will do great things before our very eyes.

• We need to create hubs and zones in every LGA starting from Nigeria to be able to empower our young ones.

• If the government, and when we say government here, we refer to the LGA, were to create small business hubs where people can go in with their ideas and have a platform to convert their ideas to real life, it can make the difference.

• We need tax friendly policies that encourage our entrepreneurs, we need to reduce taxes for SMEs, and one must commend the Federal government, it has done good work in this area in terms of tax waivers for Micro-businesses, but still, much more is required but good work has been done and the government should be commended.

• We must create access to, access to finance is crucial, young people have the ideas, what they lack is the training and financing needed for their businesses to take off.

• At the TEF, we provide non-refundable seed capital, but that alone is not an end.

• We have long realised that for you all to succeed, mentoring and business education is required. And this is why we have the 12-week training programme and I want you all to take advantage of this.

• Go to TEFConnect.com to sign up so you are trained, the knowledge you get from there will help you in becoming entrepreneurs and for those that are entrepreneurs already, the training will help scale your business to the next level.

• We must create economic ecosystems and platforms to support small businesses.

• There are government policies needed for our young ones to prosper:

• Low tax rate regimes,
  • training,
  • and mentoring support to entrepreneurs.

• It is a source of pride to my colleagues and I that entrepreneurship is one way to realise the potential of young Africans.

• We must create the right environment; we must commend the Primate for the foresight and ingenuity in the framing of this conference the way he and his colleagues have done.

• The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) which my family and I founded in 2010 is the leading African philanthropy empowering young African entrepreneurs. TEF is empowering a new generation of African entrepreneurs, catalysing economic growth, driving poverty eradication, and driving job creation across all 54 African countries.

• Since inception, the Foundation has funded about 10,000 young men and women and created a digital ecosystem of over one million Africans, as part of our ten year, US$100m commitment through our TEF Entrepreneurship Programme.

• You can and must apply today at tefconnect.com to access this life transforming opportunity.

• The $5000 non-refundable seed capital, the business training and mentoring is part of our holistic approach to build the long-term capacity of our young ones.

• The importance of the training is vital as young entrepreneurs need to know the principles of business in order to scale their enterprises and increase the impact felt in their communities.

• So that when success eventually comes, and it will come, you will know how to manage success and not let success manage you.

• We need more functional and Vocational Training programmes as the second way of making Africa realise the full potential of our young ones.

• We need more vocational training programmes, we are not just being prescriptive, I spent a bit of time explaining wat TEF does so the opportunity is available to all 21,000 here and also those of you watching.

• We want to catalyse other endowed Africans to look into the area of entrepreneurship, we all have a role to play in making a difference in Africa.

• Some labour is imported in Africa, doing things that we can have Africans do. By getting them employed, we are giving them a sense of self-dignity as they work and earn a living and by so doing, improving their families, the communities and contributing in their own way to the economic prosperity of the continent.
• I daresay that our young people want to be counted, they want to be part of the solution.

• Let us help created functional and vocational training programmes.

A third solution is the Moral Rejuvenation and reorientation of our young ones:

• We need our young ones to embrace hard work, be disciplined, to believe that success comes from commitment, hard work and making sacrifices.

• My late dad told me that if you earn 1 naira and you don’t save, if you earn 1 billion naira, you still will not save!

• We need to change the way our young ones see life.

• We need to give them economic hope, they need to know that you don’t have to turn commit fraud to succeed.

• We need to have our:

• Our Religious leaders,

• Community leaders

• Teachers,

• Lecturers,

• Traditional Leaders,

• Governments,

• Role models and mentors lead this crusade of changing the mindset of our young ones.

• They must know that the key to success is hard work, commitment, and being laser focused on what you consider important.

• Our young ones must learn about perseverance, patience and must think long-term, they must know that quick gains/wins can create more problems later on in life.

• I believe that a combination of some of this,

• The right moral foundation

• A reorientation of our value system

• Training and adjusting our education system to be more functional

• Above all, all the things earlier mentioned on entrepreneurship

• If these are well planned and sequenced, it can help to a large extent to change the future trajectory of our continent.

• Across board, we need to have a moral rejuvenation of our people.

• This cuts across all segments, spheres, and demographics of our society.

• All concerned stakeholders must come together to play their role and ensure this collective reorientation.

Conclusion

• In conclusion, I would like to reiterate my message:

• When do we nurture and prioritise our youth?

• The answer is now, there is no better time than now to bring our youth to the forefront

• Any further delays will be extremely catastrophic

• We cannot afford to waste the demographic dividend especially as we have millions of youth entering the job-market place yearly

• How do we nurture them?
  • The answer is entrepreneurship, functional and vocational training and moral rejuvenation/moral re-armament and a shift in our value orientation.

• Who will nurture, support and guide our youth?

• The answer is all of us working together for their greater good.

• The future of our Africa, as I say always, truly lies in the hands of these young ones but we all have a responsibility in making this happen.

• Thank you.

Tony O. Elumelu, CON
Chairman, Heirs Holdings
Chairman, United Bank for Africa (UBA)
Founder, Tony Elumelu Foundation

The post Tony O. Elumelu: Youth Restiveness Ticking Time Bomb for Nigeria, Others appeared first on The Tony Elumelu Foundation.

The event, which was organised by the Church of Nigerian (Anglican Church) and the Primate, The Most Rev’d Henry Ndukuba, The Archbishop, Metropolitan & Primate of All Nigeria sought to proffer solutions to advancing the state of African youths.

During the conference, Tony Elumelu emphasized the importance of youth empowerment and the role entrepreneurship and the private sector has in delivering a better future for Africa. He reflected deeply on the situation on the continent, calling to action young Africans to socio-economically transform the continent.

“We have 65% of all Africans below the age of 35 and many of these people are not gainfully employed.  The Covid pandemic and resulting lockdowns have exposed the vulnerabilities in our population structure. We now have, as a continent, the largest young generation in history – this youthful population is Africa’s hope, it is our pride and it is our potential. The urgency and need to unlock the potential of this generation is imperative for the security of our collective future.”

He highlighted how the Tony Elumelu Foundation invests in structures, resources and platforms that empower entrepreneurs and enable them build businesses that are sustainable and add economic value to their communities.

“We are helping to give economic hope and opportunities to young Africans. And we speak not just as people that do this in Nigeria but in all 54 African countries, the TEF intervention cuts across all sectors and gender across the 54 African countries because we believe that prosperity should be shared as much as possible across board and that poverty anywhere is a threat to us all everywhere.”

On the essentials needed to improve the performance of SMEs in order to reduce unemployment on the continent, he identified the following:

Constant power supply: “We cannot have our SMEs spend their profits on buying power for their businesses, we need large scale infrastructural support to provide sustainable and constant power for our people. One of the major complaints we get from our TEF entrepreneurs is about a lack of access to electricity and how it takes a lot of their capital.

Tax friendly policies: “We need tax friendly policies that encourage our entrepreneurs, we need to reduce taxes for SMEs, and one must commend the Federal government, it has done good work in this area in terms of tax waivers for Micro-businesses, but still, much more is required.”

Access to finance: “We must access to finance; this is crucial, as young people have the ideas, what they lack is the training and financing needed for their businesses to take off. At the Tony Elumelu Foundation, we provide non-refundable seed capital for entrepreneurs.”

Employ more Africans: “Some labor is imported in Africa, doing things that we can have Africans do. By getting them employed, we are giving them a sense of self-dignity as they work and earn a living and by so doing, improving their families, the communities and contributing in their own way to the economic prosperity of the continent. I daresay that our young people want to be counted, they want to be part of the solution.”

Moral Rejuvenation and reorientation of young ones in Africa: “We need our young ones to embrace hard work, be disciplined, to believe that success comes from commitment, hard work and making sacrifices. Our young ones must learn about perseverance, patience and must think long-term, they must know that quick gains/wins can create more problems later in life.”

He concluded with an urgent call to action for all relevant stakeholders to combine forces towards the advancement of youth for the future trajectory of Africa, “The answer is now, there is not better time than now to bring our youth to the forefront. Any further delays will be extremely catastrophic. We cannot afford to waste the demographic dividend especially as we have millions of youth entering the job-market place yearly. The answer is entrepreneurship, functional and vocational training and moral rejuvenation/moral re-armament and a shift in our value orientation. The answer is all of us working together for their greater good.”

The 2021 Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme runs on www.tefconnect.com.

The post Tony Elumelu delivers poignant Keynote speech on Youth Empowerment at the Joshua International Youth Conference appeared first on The Tony Elumelu Foundation.

Here are 10 fun facts we learned from our #TEFLiveSeries!

On the last book he read:  There was a time in his career he used to read voraciously. But increasingly, with the weight of his responsibilities as the chairman of Heirs Holdings and United Bank for Africa, his reading habits have been altered. However, he is re-reading “The Prince” by Nicolo Machiavelli, reminding us all that reading is important and that re-reading a book is so much more fun.

On whether red is his favourite colour: Interestingly, red is not his favourite colour. Whenever he socialized during the pre-covid era, he leaned towards black ensembles. However, the reason red is the corporate colour for the Heirs Holding group is because it depicts warmth, friendship, freshness, fertility, and strength.

On how many red ties does he own:  As expected, he does not know exactly how many it is, but he (and so do we) know that it is a lot. He often tells himself, “okay, no more red ties”, but then enters a store and sees another red tie and then starts a new journey with it.

On his favourite sports team:  Although he has a tennis court at his residence, he cannot quite remember when he last played a game of tennis. However, he loves lawn tennis and football and even served as a goalie in in primary school!

On how many minutes he can plank for:  His new planking routine is to strengthen his upper body core. He can do a 2-minute straight plank, and then 30 seconds on each side. He tries to do 5 minutes in total and confesses that the toughest part of planking is the first 2 minutes.  

On what age he started his first business:  One of the most poignant things he said was that the route that one takes to setting up a business is more important than the age they were. For some, this route could emerge from as young as when they were in primary school, or secondary school, or even college or university. For him, it was in his university era. He emphasized the importance of being present and pursuing whatever it is one is passionate about, in order to identify the right time to pursue that path. It is not mathematical or mechanical that you start at 20, or 30, or 40, but to strategically pursue that which you are passionate about. 

On why he is called Lion King: There are many reasons he is called the Lion King. The lion is agile. The lion is a big animal, but extremely fast, especially when he is running to feed. A lion also moves strategically, while also knowing how to take care of his cubs. A lion knows when to strike at the right time, and that is what makes the lion the king of the jungle. 

On how he ensures a good work-life balance:  It is about “the genius of and”, a life hack he once read in a book. For him, it is about making sure work does not suffer and at the same time, your wellbeing as an individual, as a family man, and as a member of society is continually sustained. It is the realization that if you are not healthy and mentally balanced, you cannot be a productive member of the society. If there is harmony across board, you will be able to work better.  

On if he has mentors:  He does have mentors, role models, and people who have influenced him greatly. His biggest mentor is Ebitimi Banigo, who gave him a career opportunity and changed his life. However, he has other people who have also influenced him, including Michael Jackson, who was a perfectionist. He loves how disciplined and dedicated Michael Jackson was to his craft. Another musical artiste he admires is Bob Marley. He flew to Jamaica two years ago with a single mission to step on the soil/and enter the house of Bob Marley. He is also influenced by Steve Jobs for his great mind and endless ideas. He is influenced by people who, despite challenges, make a difference and leave lasting legacies.

On his love of corn:  When it comes to eating corn, he keeps it simple: boiled with a pinch of salt. Sometimes he pairs it with coconut. But he has not eaten corn in a couple of months, and he is beyond thrilled as the corn season approaches. 

**** 

If you missed our #TEFLiveSeries chat with T.O.E, be sure to check out the full video on our YouTube page HERE. 

The post 10 Fun Facts We Learned about our Founder, Tony O. Elumelu, during the #TEFLiveSeries! appeared first on The Tony Elumelu Foundation.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Global Development Network and the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) – the leading champion of entrepreneurship in Africa – recently opened applications for the TEF Entrepreneurship Program-UNDP Mali to train, supervise and finance 10,000 young Malian entrepreneurs over a period of 3 years, as part of a major economic recovery intervention in Mali.

How does this fit into the UNDP agenda and how can the private and public sectors work more collaboratively to achieve sustainable goals?

The Sustainable Development Goals cannot be realized without leveraging the collaborative advantages of the private and public sector. The UNDP-TEF Entrepreneurship Program in Mali is an extension of the ongoing collaboration between our two organizations to support entrepreneurship development across the continent within the framework of the MoU signed in 2017.

The partnership with TEF is a strategic first step towards more effective collaboration with the private sector and non-state entities to empower vulnerable and under-served communities in rural and border areas through capacity building/training, mentoring and providing access to innovative financing schemes for promising young start-ups.

Similar to the previous 2 pilot programmes implemented in 2019 that supported 755 entrepreneurs from across the continent and over 2,000 entrepreneurs in the Sahel, the Mali programme seeks to harness the abundant entrepreneurial, creative and innovative spirit of its youth population in order to generate productive employment opportunities for a more inclusive economic recovery.

The UNDP has a large portfolio of work across Africa. What real challenges are there to achieving sustainable development in Africa?

The challenges in achieving sustainable development are complex and multi-dimensional. Issues of governance, inequality, peace and security, infrastructure, climate change, and many more, present serious impediments to realizing the SDGs.

Within the framework of UNDP’s Renewed Strategic Offer for Africa, a wide range of programmes, initiatives and interventions are being undertaken under 6 strategic impact areas (natural resource governance, youth and women employment and empowerment, structural economic transformation, climate change mitigation and adaption, affordable and sustainable energy, and peace and security). The objective of this framework is to leverage UNDP’s position as Africa’s leading enabler and integrator for the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and the AU 2063 Agenda. It seeks to respond to the challenges faced on the continent by disrupting the way in which UNDP thinks, invests, manages and delivers- so that African countries can perform faster and better than ever to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.

What role can African governments play on the road to recovery, especially considering the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic?

The coronavirus pandemic continues to have serious socio-economic and political effects that could reverse human development for the first time in 30 years. It has further exposed inequalities globally and continues to hit poorer economies and vulnerable populations harder. It is therefore the responsibility of governments, supported by development organizations, private sector and civil society, to respond effectively to the shocks caused by the pandemic and ensure that recovery is efficiently achieved.

The UN Secretary-General launched a $2 billion global humanitarian response fund for the most vulnerable countries, including many in Africa. UNDP plays a technical lead role in the UN’s socio-economic framework for post-pandemic recovery. This support ensures that governments have additional capacity and resources to effectively collect data, assess COVID-19 pathways and impact, and design integrated, effective and sustainable policy and programmatic responses.

The need for young people to be present and equally active where decisions are made cannot be overemphasised. How can we ensure that this is the case in every sector? 

Youth inclusion in decision making processes and leadership remains critical for sustainable development. In Africa, youth constitute more than 60% of the population. Disenfranchising this majority has been demonstrated to have dire long-term consequences. Ensuring that youth inclusion is mainstreamed in all areas for development calls for a combination and implementation of effective policies, programmes, and partnerships.

UNDP takes an innovative approach in addressing the challenges of youth inclusion. Our engagements ensure meaningful civic engagement, inclusion of youth in decision making processes, and the strengthening of youth-led interventions for conflict prevention, reconciliation and climate action. Working with government and non-state partners such as TEF enables us to execute improved catalytic effort and impact at scale.

What would success look like regarding youth development and entrepreneurship on the continent?

I would define successful youth development and entrepreneurship as equal access to socio-economic opportunities and resources for young people in a conducive and enabling environment. This includes enabling policy and regulatory frameworks, equal access to entrepreneurship and employment opportunities, development resources (such as information/knowledge, financing and technological tools), representation of young people in leadership and decision-making processes, strong youth civic engagement, and many more. The overall UNDP approach is to ensure youth participation as active agents of change rather than passive recipients of development assistance.

How does the partnership with the Tony Elumelu Foundation align with the purpose of empowering young Africans?

The UNDP partnership with TEF has been mutually reinforcing in efforts to empower young Africans. In prioritizing youth empowerment as a key focus area, the two organizations effectively collaborate on promoting and implementing projects on entrepreneurship development, Business Development Services (BDS), innovation, technology development, as well as fostering networks and market linkages. The collaboration aims to strengthen partnerships with state and non-state actors, engage private-sector corporations, and jointly develop structures for systematic monitoring and evaluation.

The entrepreneurship programme with TEF further compliments other UNDP youth development initiatives such as YouthConnekt and the Sahel Youth Programme.

The post Making Impactful Strides in Africa – UNDP Regional Director for Africa, Ms Ahunna Eziakonwa appeared first on The Tony Elumelu Foundation.