{"id":29146,"date":"2026-09-11T10:06:49","date_gmt":"2026-09-11T09:06:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tonyelumelufoundation.org\/?p=29146"},"modified":"2026-09-11T10:06:49","modified_gmt":"2026-09-11T09:06:49","slug":"rethinking-philanthropy-tef-ceo-somachi-chris-asoluka-calls-for-greater-global-south-collaboration-at-brazilian-philanthropy-forum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tonyelumelufoundation.org\/fr\/articles\/rethinking-philanthropy-tef-ceo-somachi-chris-asoluka-calls-for-greater-global-south-collaboration-at-brazilian-philanthropy-forum","title":{"rendered":"Repenser la philanthropie : Somachi Chris-Asoluka, PDG de TEF, appelle \u00e0 une plus grande collaboration au sein des pays du Sud lors du Forum br\u00e9silien sur la philanthropie"},"content":{"rendered":"

At the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum 2026 in S\u00e3o Paulo, Tony Elumelu Foundation CEO Somachi Chris-Asoluka shared an African perspective on the future of philanthropy, the role of entrepreneurship in development, and why stronger partnerships across the Global South can unlock greater impact.<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Philanthropy is changing.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Across the world,\u00a0organisations\u00a0working to advance the public good are confronting a rapidly shifting landscape shaped by technological disruption, climate change, economic inequality and changing social realities. For philanthropic institutions, the question is no longer simply how to respond to these challenges, but how to rethink the models,\u00a0partnerships\u00a0and instruments through which lasting impact can be created.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It was against this backdrop that leaders from across the philanthropic sector gathered in S\u00e3o Paulo on 27 August for the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum 2026<\/a>,\u00a0convened\u00a0under the theme\u00a0<\/span>\u201cPhilanthropy: Between Essence and Reinvention.\u201d<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Representing the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), CEO\u00a0<\/span>Somachi Chris-Asoluka<\/span><\/b>\u00a0brought an African perspective to the conversation, sharing lessons from the\u00a0Tony Elumelu\u00a0Foundation\u2019s work supporting entrepreneurs across the continent and making the case for a more inclusive, locally rooted,\u00a0and partnership-driven approach to development.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For\u00a0Somachi, reinvention must not mean losing sight of philanthropy\u2019s fundamental purpose.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It must mean finding better ways to advance it.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Shift from\u00a0philanthropy to agency<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Speaking during a panel discussion at the Forum,\u00a0Somachi\u00a0reflected on the origins of the Tony Elumelu Foundation and the philosophy of\u00a0Africapitalism, a word coined by our Founder, Tony O. Elumelu, CFR.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Established in 2010, the\u00a0Tony Elumelu\u00a0Foundation was built around a clear conviction:\u00a0<\/span>African entrepreneurs can and must play a leading role in transforming the continent.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That conviction is rooted in our founder\u2019s philosophy of\u00a0<\/span>Africapitalisme<\/span><\/b>: the belief that the private sector has a critical role in Africa\u2019s development by investing in strategic sectors not only for profit, but for shared prosperity.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The philosophy challenges the traditional separation between commercial success and social impact.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Businesses can generate returns for shareholders while creating opportunities for employees,\u00a0communities\u00a0and wider economies. Philanthropic capital, similarly, can do more than address immediate needs; it can help unlock the potential of individuals who can go on to create value for others.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This philosophy sits at the heart of TEF\u2019s approach to entrepreneurship.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

"<\/span>We believe that the transformation of the African continent will not come from the private sector, the corporate, government, and it will not come from international development agencies, but it will come from our entrepreneurs<\/span><\/i>,\u201d\u00a0Somachi\u00a0Chris-Asoluka<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Africa is the world\u2019s youngest continent, with a median age of 17. For its rapidly growing young population, the need for economic opportunity is immediate.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

"<\/span>These young people need economic opportunities. They need jobs, and they cannot wait for these jobs to come,\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u00a0she said.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The implication is clear: Africa\u2019s young people cannot simply be positioned as beneficiaries of development. They must be\u00a0recognised\u00a0as\u00a0<\/span>builders of it<\/span><\/b>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Investing in entrepreneurs, investing in economies<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Since 2015, the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship\u00a0Programme\u00a0<\/a>has sought to turn this philosophy into action by providing entrepreneurs with the combination of capital, knowledge,\u00a0mentorship\u00a0and networks\u00a0required\u00a0to build sustainable businesses.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The scale of the intervention is significant.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Through its\u00a0programmes, the Foundation has trained 2.5 million young Africans, funded 27,000 entrepreneurs with more than US$130 million in direct funding, and supported businesses that have collectively created 1.5 million jobs and generated more than US$4 billion in revenue.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For TEF, these figures\u00a0represent\u00a0more than\u00a0programme\u00a0outputs.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

They\u00a0demonstrate\u00a0what can happen when philanthropic capital is deployed to unlock entrepreneurial\u00a0agency.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

"<\/span>This is revenue that did not exist before we intervened in these young people,\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u00a0she said.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The point speaks directly to the Forum\u2019s central conversation about reinvention.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The question is not only how much capital philanthropy deploys, but what that capital makes possible after it is deployed.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When an entrepreneur receives funding, develops a business, employs people, and generates revenue, the impact can extend far beyond the original intervention. Capital begins to circulate through communities and economies, creating\u00a0additional\u00a0opportunities along the way.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This is the catalytic potential of philanthropy: using\u00a0relatively targeted\u00a0interventions to unlock much broader economic and social value.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Technology\u00a0Should Widen Opportunity, Not Deepen Divides<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Our CEO\u00a0Somachi\u00a0Chris-Asoluka\u00a0also reflected on one of the defining forces reshaping development today: technology.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As a last-mile implementer, The Tony\u00a0Elumelu Foundation\u00a0works directly across all 54 African countries. This requires both a deep understanding of local realities and the ability to connect entrepreneurs across vast geographical, economic,\u00a0and cultural contexts.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Technology has become an important part of that equation.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Foundation developed\u00a0<\/span>TEFConnect<\/span><\/b><\/a>, its proprietary digital platform connecting African entrepreneurs and members of the diaspora to business tools, knowledge, mentors, investors, partnerships,\u00a0marketplaces\u00a0and one another.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But Somachi stressed that digital transformation must be approached with intentionality.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

"<\/span>We don’t want to use technology to deepen divides that already exist, to deepen inequalities that already exist,\u201d she said. \u201cWe want to make sure that we’re using technology to make opportunity more inclusive and more widespread<\/span><\/i>.\"<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That principle has shaped the evolution of\u00a0TEFConnect.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The platform has been designed to accommodate entrepreneurs living with disabilities, who\u00a0represent\u00a0<\/span>15%\u00a0of TEF\u2019s entrepreneurs<\/span><\/b>, ensuring that accessibility is embedded into the digital experience rather than treated as an afterthought.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Foundation has also adapted the platform in response to the experiences of women entrepreneurs.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When TEF first launched its entrepreneurship\u00a0programme, applications were initially being completed by young men and women in\u00a0roughly equal\u00a0numbers. Yet while 70 per cent of male applicants completed their applications, fewer than 30 per cent of women did.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The disparity prompted a closer examination of the barriers women were facing.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The answer was not simply to encourage more women to\u00a0participate. It was to\u00a0<\/span>redesign the system around their realities<\/span><\/b>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Women entrepreneurs explained that they were balancing entrepreneurship with childcare, household responsibilities,\u00a0and other demands on their time. A training platform designed primarily around conventional working hours therefore created an\u00a0additional\u00a0barrier.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

TEF responded by making its learning content self-paced, enabling entrepreneurs to access training around their lives rather than requiring their lives to conform to the platform.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It is a small but powerful illustration of human-centred\u00a0thinking in development: sometimes the barrier is not a lack of ambition or willingness to participate, but a system that has been designed without sufficiently understanding the people it is meant to serve.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The same principle applies to entrepreneurs in rural and underserved communities.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Where digital penetration and affordability remain challenges, technology must not become another mechanism for exclusion.\u00a0TEFConnect\u00a0has therefore been designed to be low-data and accessible, helping entrepreneurs in remote communities\u00a0participate\u00a0in the digital economy.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Scale\u00a0Should Not Come\u00a0At\u00a0The\u00a0Expense\u00a0Of\u00a0Context<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Operating across 54 countries presents another challenge:\u00a0<\/span>how can an\u00a0organisation\u00a0achieve\u00a0continental\u00a0scale while\u00a0remaining\u00a0responsive to local realities?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There is no single African entrepreneurial experience.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Markets differ. Regulations differ. Infrastructure differs. Languages,\u00a0cultures\u00a0and economic conditions differ.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Yet the need for opportunity is remarkably universal.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAfrican entrepreneurs are no different from the entrepreneurs here in Brazil and in Latin America,\u201d\u00a0Somachi\u00a0observed. \u201cAll entrepreneurs need the same things.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

They need funding.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

They need people willing to believe in them.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

They need opportunities to\u00a0demonstrate\u00a0what they can do.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And they need ecosystems that allow their businesses to grow.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This creates an important distinction between\u00a0<\/span>standardisation\u00a0and scale<\/span><\/b>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Scale does not necessarily require every entrepreneur,\u00a0community\u00a0or country to receive the same intervention in\u00a0exactly the same\u00a0way. Rather, it can mean creating systems and infrastructure that are sufficiently strong to\u00a0operate\u00a0at scale while\u00a0remaining\u00a0adaptable enough to respond to local realities.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For\u00a0organisations\u00a0working across different contexts, flexibility becomes essential.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As Somachi later noted,\u00a0organisations\u00a0should remain committed to their missions while being willing to adapt how they pursue them.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat I think is important is that you should be flexible, you should be adaptable,\u201d she said. \u201cI don’t think that it’s as important as how you get there, as long as the results are identical to what you want to see for your community.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The principle is particularly relevant to philanthropy, where complex social problems rarely have neat or linear solutions.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Impact\u00a0Must Be Built\u00a0Into\u00a0The\u00a0DNA<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Somachi\u00a0also offered a practical message for smaller\u00a0organisations\u00a0working to create change.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Impact measurement and communication should not be treated as something reserved for\u00a0organisations\u00a0that have already achieved scale.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cImpact should be in the DNA of the\u00a0organisation,\u201d she said. \u201cEverything that you do, you should create the data, create the records, and create the visibility platforms to show the world the impact that you\u2019re creating in your own small corner.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The advice speaks to an increasingly important reality within the philanthropic sector.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Impact\u00a0is not only about what an\u00a0organisation\u00a0achieves. It is also about its ability to understand,\u00a0demonstrate\u00a0and communicate that achievement.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Building these systems from the beginning enables\u00a0organisations\u00a0to learn from their work, strengthen\u00a0accountability\u00a0and make a stronger case for future investment and partnerships.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But Somachi paired this emphasis on evidence with another principle: humility.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Organisations\u00a0must continue to learn.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNever be satisfied or complacent with what you know,\u201d she urged, encouraging smaller\u00a0organisations\u00a0to remain open to other experiences,\u00a0perspectives\u00a0and approaches.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Expertise\u00a0in a particular community or terrain is valuable. But it becomes even more powerful when combined with the willingness to listen, adapt and learn from others.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Africa is open for partnership<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As the Forum explored the balance between philanthropy’s enduring purpose and the need for reinvention,\u00a0Somachi’s\u00a0message offered a distinctly African proposition.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Africa does not need to be viewed solely through the lens of its challenges.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It is a continent of young people, entrepreneurs, markets,\u00a0ideas\u00a0and possibilities \u2014 and its development will increasingly be shaped by Africans themselves.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAfrica is the future for the world,\u201d\u00a0Somachi\u00a0said. \u201cAnd we\u2019re open for business, open for partnerships, open for investment, open for dialogue.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That openness extends beyond the continent.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The future she envisages is one in which Africa and Latin America, alongside other regions of the Global South, can build stronger relationships, exchange\u00a0knowledge\u00a0and create new pathways for shared prosperity.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It is also a future in which philanthropy is not defined solely by the act of giving, but by its ability to\u00a0<\/span>catalyse\u00a0agency, unlock potential and build systems that allow people to create lasting value for themselves and their communities<\/span><\/b>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That may\u00a0ultimately be\u00a0what reinvention means.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The essence\u00a0remains\u00a0the same: advancing the public good.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But the tools,\u00a0partnerships\u00a0and people at the\u00a0centre\u00a0of that work are evolving.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And as Somachi reflected at the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum, the opportunity is not to build that future in isolation.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe can achieve much more by coming together than doing it in isolation.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For the Tony Elumelu Foundation, that means continuing to invest in Africa’s entrepreneurs while building bridges with partners and institutions around the world.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Because the future of philanthropy may be global.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But the solutions will be stronger when they are\u00a0<\/span>locally rooted, entrepreneur-led and built together<\/span><\/b>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Watch her session here : https:\/\/youtu.be\/7-jZzq4G9DM?si=8cno8HUQZ-ufCcy9<\/a><\/span><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Lors du Forum br\u00e9silien de la philanthropie 2026 \u00e0 S\u00e3o Paulo, Somachi Chris-Asoluka, PDG de la Fondation Tony Elumelu, a pr\u00e9sent\u00e9 une perspective africaine sur l\u2019avenir de la philanthropie, le r\u00f4le de l\u2019entrepreneuriat dans le d\u00e9veloppement et les raisons pour lesquelles des partenariats plus solides au sein des pays du Sud peuvent g\u00e9n\u00e9rer un impact plus important. La philanthropie est en pleine mutation.\u00a0 Partout dans le monde, les organisations \u0153uvrant pour le bien commun sont confront\u00e9es \u00e0\u2026<\/p>","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":29148,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[20,18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29146","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tonyelumelufoundation.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29146","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tonyelumelufoundation.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tonyelumelufoundation.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tonyelumelufoundation.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/30"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tonyelumelufoundation.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29146"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.tonyelumelufoundation.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29146\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29149,"href":"https:\/\/www.tonyelumelufoundation.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29146\/revisions\/29149"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tonyelumelufoundation.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29148"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tonyelumelufoundation.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29146"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tonyelumelufoundation.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29146"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tonyelumelufoundation.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29146"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}