Africa, despite its low contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, remains the most vulnerable continent to climate change impacts under all climate scenarios above 1.5 degrees Celsius. One of the key takeaways from the conference (COP27) is the vital role that businesses and institutions will have to play to create a climate friendly ecosystem.

As our founder wrote in his piece which stemmed from his conversation with Senator John Kerry, “As the world continues to experience the daily impact of global warming, whether it is the tragic recent flooding in Pakistan, or the less covered, but equally harmful, persistent environmental degradation of Africa’s Sahel region, leaders need to act, not just talk. Equally, Africa should not just be in the conversation, but actively set the agenda.”

In another piece with David Miliband, our founder stated that green entrepreneurship and agripreneurship play critical roles in driving innovative solutions to environmental issues. It is crucial to invest in the people behind these ventures to attain climate equity on the micro level. There are bottom-up solutions that must be pursued.

There is a need for a focus on prioritization, accountability, and commitment on the part of these well-meaning public, private and development institutions.

It also hinges on the pertinence for the emergence of more entrepreneurs whose businesses speak to climate change issues; businesses that focus on Renewable energy, Climate smart agriculture and Landscape restoration.

Africa is rich in natural resources, and the green economy presents a significant opportunity for the continent to achieve sustainable growth and development while protecting the environment. Young entrepreneurs in Africa are well-positioned to take advantage of this opportunity and lead the way in developing innovative, sustainable businesses. There is a need for 21^st century entrepreneurs to diversify and explore terrains, such as the GREEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP.

Over the years, the Tony Elumelu Foundation has funded over 18,000 African entrepreneurs, and a recent report from our Monitoring and Evaluations team shows that we have funded about 818 number of green entrepreneurs in Africa: 441 and 377 in the Waste management and Energy & power sectors respectively. Majority of the empowered entrepreneurs, about 44%, are in the Agricultural sector, and this goes to show that there is a need for entrepreneurs to delve into other relevant sectors, especially with the current development in the world.

Opportunities for Youth Entrepreneurs in Green Businesses in Africa

• Growing demand for eco-friendly products and services: Consumers are becoming increasingly conscious of the impact of their consumption choices on the environment. Young entrepreneurs in green businesses can take advantage of this growing demand by offering eco-friendly products and services, such as organic food, sustainable energy solutions, and environmentally-friendly transportation.

• Access to finance: Green businesses are becoming more attractive to investors, and young entrepreneurs can take advantage of this trend to secure financing for their businesses. There are several funding opportunities available for youth entrepreneurs in green businesses, such as grants from development agencies such as the Tony Elumelu Foundation.

• Innovation: The green economy presents a significant opportunity for young entrepreneurs to innovate and develop new solutions to environmental challenges. The use of technology and innovation can help to improve the efficiency of green businesses, reduce their environmental impact, and improve their competitiveness.

• Public and Private Sector support: Many African governments, public and private sectors are recognizing the importance of the green economy and are providing support to young entrepreneurs in green businesses. This support can take the form of policy frameworks, tax incentives, business development services and grants

Challenges for Youth Entrepreneurs in Green Businesses in Africa

• Limited access to finance: Despite the growing interest in green businesses, young entrepreneurs in Africa still facing challenges in securing financing for their businesses. Many investors are still sceptical of green businesses and may be hesitant to invest in untested business models.
• Limited access to technology: Access to technology can be a significant challenge for young entrepreneurs in Africa. Without access to the latest technology, it can be difficult for green businesses to remain competitive and innovative.
• Lack of infrastructure: Inadequate infrastructure, such as poor transportation and energy systems, can make it difficult for green businesses to operate efficiently and cost-effectively.
• Limited market access: Green businesses often face limited market access due to regulatory barriers and high costs associated with certification and compliance. This can make it difficult for young entrepreneurs to scale their businesses and reach new markets.
• Lack of skills and experience: Young entrepreneurs may lack the necessary skills and experience to succeed in green businesses. This can make it difficult to develop and implement effective business strategies, manage finances, and navigate the regulatory landscape.

The green economy presents significant opportunities for young entrepreneurs in Africa to develop innovative and sustainable businesses. However, youth entrepreneurs in green businesses also face significant challenges, such as limited access to finance, technology, and infrastructure, and regulatory barriers.

To overcome these challenges, young entrepreneurs need access to finance, technology, and business development support, as well as policies that promote the growth of green businesses. With the right support, young entrepreneurs in green businesses can play a vital role in promoting sustainable economic growth and development in Africa.

The Tony Elumelu Foundation is making deliberate efforts to promote green entrepreneurship and foster an environment where green entrepreneurs can thrive, we are also calling on well-meaning private and public sectors to join us on this quest to promote an eco-friendly continent.

Here are some of the beneficiaries of the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme operating in the Green Industry:

Lombola Lombola started the Bamboo Express company to empower the youth and women locally. Bamboo Express is solving the problem of deforestation, youth unemployment, and lack of income alternatives for rural women. They run a youth apprenticeship program and purchase 90% of raw materials from rural women.

Bimpe Oni runs an eco-friendly company called D’Rose recycling that upcycles solid waste like old tyres, bottles, plastics into recycled furniture suitable for homes, offices, playgrounds, studios, etc. 

The company seeks to address the challenge posed by the tons of plastics and tyres which end up in the ocean on a yearly basis causing water pollution and which drive sea life into extinction. 

Richard Bbaale is a social entrepreneur from Uganda that founded BanaPads in 2010, a company using banana pseudostem wastes, which are usually left to rot after harvesting, to make sanitary towels. 

BanaPads is an award-winning social enterprise registered in Uganda and Tanzania with the aim of manufacturing affordable and eco-friendly (100% biodegradable) sanitary pads to keep village girls in school and create jobs for local women. The pads are also collected to be used as manure and this means that the waste that goes to the local landfill will be reduced since the banana pseudo-stem is a recyclable product. 

Letsogile Kennedy is an award-winning social entrepreneur, architect and founder of Ecohub, a start-up established that innovatively uses plastic waste to produce affordable, architect-designed flat-pack ecobricks and ecohouses. 

EcoHub is a local start-up company that makes eco-bricks from recycled materials. The plan is to manufacture ‘green’ building materials from waste, while at the same time providing affordable housing and sustainable housing that can last for 20 to 25 years. 

The company manufactures eco-bricks that are produced from special material using waste. 

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Mentorship involves pairing a less experienced entrepreneur with an experienced entrepreneur who can provide guidance, advice, and support as they navigate the challenges of starting and growing a business. Mentorship is crucial for young entrepreneurs in Africa because it can help them avoid common pitfalls and learn from the experiences of those who have gone before them. Mentors can provide insights into the industry, the market, and the regulatory environment, among other things.

On the other hand, entrepreneurial networks are groups of like-minded entrepreneurs who come together to share knowledge, resources, and support. These networks are critical for young entrepreneurs in Africa because they provide a space for entrepreneurs to exchange ideas, learn from one another, and collaborate on business opportunities. Networks can also help young entrepreneurs gain access to resources and opportunities they would not otherwise have.

These are a few reasons why Mentorship and Networks play crucial roles in grooming young African entrepreneurs:

Access to Capital

One of the biggest challenges facing young entrepreneurs in Africa is access to capital. Mentors and networks can help young entrepreneurs access capital by providing connections to investors, introducing them to potential partners, and helping them develop business plans and pitch decks that are more likely to attract funding. With the right mentorship and network, young entrepreneurs can gain the financial backing they need to get their businesses off the ground.

Access to Markets

Young entrepreneurs in Africa often struggle to gain access to markets. Mentors and networks can help them overcome this challenge by providing them with connections to potential customers and business partners. By leveraging the networks of their mentors and fellow entrepreneurs, young entrepreneurs can expand their reach and tap into new markets they would not otherwise have access to.

Mentorship for Personal Development

Mentorship is not just about business development; it is also about personal development. Mentors can help young entrepreneurs develop essential soft skills such as communication, leadership, and emotional intelligence. By providing guidance and support, mentors can help young entrepreneurs grow as individuals and become better equipped to handle the challenges of entrepreneurship.

Building Resilience

Entrepreneurship is a challenging and often unpredictable journey. As our Founder often says, “Entrepreneurship is not linear; there are ups and downs”

Mentorship and networks can help young entrepreneurs build resilience by providing a support system that can help them weather the ups and downs of starting and growing a business. By having someone to turn to for guidance and support, young entrepreneurs can maintain their focus and drive even when things get tough.

Encouraging Innovation

Innovation is a critical driver of economic growth and development in Africa. Mentorship and networks can help young entrepreneurs become more innovative by exposing them to new ideas, technologies, and business models. By connecting young entrepreneurs with experienced mentors and fellow entrepreneurs, networks can help spark new ideas and drive innovation across industries.

Community Building

Mentorship and networks can also help build stronger communities of entrepreneurs in Africa. By bringing together young entrepreneurs, mentors, investors, and other stakeholders, networks can foster collaboration and encourage the sharing of knowledge and resources. This, in turn, can help build a more robust and supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem in Africa.

Knowledge Transfer

Mentorship and networks can help transfer knowledge and experience from one generation of entrepreneurs to the next. By providing guidance and support to young entrepreneurs, mentors can help ensure that the lessons learned by experienced entrepreneurs are not lost. This can help create a culture of entrepreneurship in Africa that is grounded in the experience and wisdom of those who have gone before.

Mentorship and networks are essential for supporting youth entrepreneurship in Africa. By providing guidance and support, it makes it less difficult for them to develop the skills and knowledge needed to grow their businesses. Many entrepreneurs require handholding and strategic linkages to be able to grow and scale their businesses. It is also very important that this handholding and coaching come from a professional or an expert in a field that an entrepreneur is operating in.

The Tony Elumelu Foundation sees Mentorship and Networking as key pillars for African entrepreneurs and equipping them for their entrepreneurial journeys.

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Since the launch of the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme in 2015, over 1000 mentors from 33 countries in Africa and 23 countries worldwide, representing over 20 sectors have participated in the programme. They have provided guidance to 3000 entrepreneurs from 54 African countries, helping them to build businesses from the ground up. Today these entrepreneurs are deploying their skills, creativity, and innovations for the economic development of Africa. Tinashe Gombiro is a mentor on the programme, who is passionate about guiding Africa’s future business titans.

Tinashe Gombiro is the managing consultant of TFG consulting group operating in Zimbabwe and South Africa. Starting his entrance into business consultancy in 2012, he discovered he had a gift and passion for performance and training and this he harnessed by becoming a mentee to established business practicioners “I began to seek mentoring from established consultants and coaches who had experience in leadership development, analytics, change management and organizational culture transformation”

With little capital to do business and no capacity to get loans from financial institutions, Tinashe started by offering business development, company registration, tax advisor and corporate branding services in 2013 and this helped him to build a reputation and slowly gain an audience for training activities. He has now further introduced program curriculums, impact assessments and consulting specialization alongside goal setting and career development trainings. Over the past five years he has witnessed steady growth and satisfactory business expansion and this he says he owes to perseverance “My biggest success driver has been perseverance. Consulting services in a developing economy are not valued and appreciated as in developed countries. This means consultants need to work very hard to prove their value and worth to corporate clients and government departments that would need their services. Perseverance helped me to stand out and distinguish myself in a dormant market.”

With financial and operational challenges along the way occasioned by unpredictable cashflows, he has had to develop robust financial planning and modelling to keep his business running and he remains inspired by testimonials of change, improvement and transformation in organizations and individual lives and by the evident impact on the lives of his clients.

Passionate about sharing his experience with upcoming African entrepreneurs and help them become successful without struggling in the areas that he did, Tinashe took to mentoring on the TEF programme. “This program keeps me responsive to my goal of sharing my entrepreneurial experience with those who has business ambition and hope to become future entrepreneurs. As a consultant, I am committed to empowering people and this mentoring engagement fits perfectly into that commitment. Being a mentor benefits me through the learning opportunity from my mentees stories of triumphs and difficulties. TEF mentoring experience has been good with several learning points particularly on the matching of mentors with mentees. I feel that while every mentor may have some useful information to share with their mentee, they may not be the most ideal to develop the mentee holistically. I believe a matching system along business or career lines would go a long way in mentee, mentor alignment. “

Currently a mentor to Albert Olodi, Agriculture , (Agri-business,. Farming), Tinashe openly shares his personal and professional values with his mentee as he believes sharing values gives an opportunity to appreciate other cultures, industries and nationalities on the African continent. For Tinashe, Time management is essential in mentoring. Balancing mentoring duties with a demanding personal schedule requires a regimented approach to time and maintaining exceptional levels of organization consistently. He is however appreciative of the benefits that come with mentoring on the programme, “TEF entrepreneurship programme has helped me to appreciate the opportunities in other parts of the continent and challenged me to broaden my horizons for business growth and expansion. My business has adopted a renewed philosophy of warming up to potential African clients starting with offering services in Portuguese, French and Arabic. I am grateful for the opportunity of mentoring African Entrepreneurs”

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