On January 23, 2024, The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), the leading philanthropy empowering young African entrepreneurs from across all 54 African countries, also announced the selected list for the 2023 TEF Entrepreneurship Programme.

• Tony Elumelu Foundation has now disbursed over $100million in direct funding to 20,000 young African entrepreneurs from across all 54 African countries.
• The Foundation recently published its Impact Report demonstrating beneficiaries have created over 400,000 jobs and generated $2.5billion in only a few years.
• The Foundation is currently receiving applications for its 2024 TEF Entrepreneurship Programme on TEFConnect.com

Top 5 Philanthropists Supporting Africa’s Development

In the Business Insider Africa article, Beny Steinmetz was also recognized for his philanthropic endeavours. Steinmetz, Chairman and Co-Founder of the Agnes and Beny Steinmetz Foundation, shares a commitment to advancing Africa’s development.

Another notable philanthropic couple featured on the list is Dr. Precious Moloi-Motsepe and Dr. Patrice Motsepe. Since establishing the Motsepe Foundation in 1999, they have been dedicated to uplifting impoverished communities in South Africa, Africa, and beyond.

Among the esteemed philanthropic organizations mentioned are The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, renowned for its global impact, and the TY Danjuma Foundation, which focuses on enhancing the quality of life for Nigerians.

However, it’s Tony Elumelu Foundation’s unwavering dedication to empowering African entrepreneurs and driving sustainable change that continues to make a profound impact on the continent’s development trajectory.

As Africa strives for progress and prosperity, the Tony Elumelu Foundation stands as a beacon of hope, catalysing transformative change and creating opportunities for generations to come.

This article highlights the Tony Elumelu Foundation’s significant contributions to Africa’s development while acknowledging other notable philanthropic efforts in the region.

About The Tony Elumelu Foundation

The Tony Elumelu Foundation is the leading philanthropy empowering a new generation of African entrepreneurs, driving poverty eradication, catalysing job creation across all 54 African countries, and ensuring inclusive economic empowerment. Since the launch of the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme in 2015, the Foundation has trained over 1.5 million young Africans on its digital hub, TEFConnect, and disbursed nearly USD$100 million in direct funding to 18,000 African women and men, who have collectively created over 400,000 direct and indirect jobs. The Foundation’s mission is rooted in Africapitalism, which positions the private sector, and most importantly entrepreneurs, as the catalyst for the social and economic development of the African continent.

The post The Leading Philanthropy in Africa: Tony Elumelu Foundation appeared first on The Tony Elumelu Foundation.

The number of undernourished people in sub-Saharan Africa rose from 181 million in 2010 to almost 222 million in 2016. Among children, although the prevalence of stunting decreased from 38.3% in 2000 to 30.3% in 2017, the numbers affected increased from 50.6 million to 58.7 million due to population growth.

How Lahja Started a Food Processing Business

Lahja Amakali is an inductee of the Namibia Business Hall of Fame as an emerging Agri-preneur. His business is aimed at supporting and encouraging people to get involved in agribusiness to reduce importation, poverty level, and malnutrition in Africa.

“What motivated me is to reduce importation of foods from other countries as if we do not have hands and we do not go to university to acquire knowledge like any other people. Many chronical diseases are prevailing, and it is worse when one eats what is produced and processed by another person.”

TEF Grant and Training for Food Processing Business

The training provided on the programme has been an eye opener for Lahja Amakali.

“The TEF classes we were given were my eyes opener. It pulls me closer to peers to discuss and share our challenges and success stories in our businesses. The seed capital pushed me to where I am today especially my 3 shareholders gave up and removed their cash. I could not make it if TEF was not there to rescue Niithete Agro-Business Investment cc (Nabi cc) Thumbs up to TEF. Now we have five flavours, sorghum mint, sorghum lemon, sorghum coffee substitute orange and the pure sorghum coffee substitute. And another research is on pipeline for the slimming group.”

African Success Story in Food Processing Business

The business supports 10 small scale lemon growers, 2 mint growers, 5 sorghum producers. They have 2 full time employees and 8 part time employees. Their products enter the national market through Local Product Merchant shop. They changed the attitude of not believing in blacks that they can process for national and soon International. Contract farmers who supply raw materials are expanding their areas of growing sorghum. Many farmers are starting to grow different varieties such as mint, gingers and so forth.

The business has created more opportunities for small scale growers. Training them on how to select products for marketing, empower them on backyard garden and produce biogas for cooking and manure for their small garden.

About The Tony Elumelu Foundation

The Tony Elumelu Foundation is the leading philanthropy empowering a new generation of African entrepreneurs, driving poverty eradication, catalysing job creation across all 54 African countries, and ensuring inclusive economic empowerment. Since the launch of the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme in 2015, the Foundation has trained over 1.5 million young Africans on its digital hub, TEFconnect, and disbursed nearly USD$100 million in direct funding to 18,000 African women and men, who have collectively created over 400,000 direct and indirect jobs. The Foundation’s mission is rooted in Africapitalism, which positions the private sector, and most importantly entrepreneurs, as the catalyst for the social and economic development of the African continent.

The post Meet 2018 TEF Alumni, Lahja Amakali who started food processing and training services business appeared first on The Tony Elumelu Foundation.

• Tony Elumelu Foundation has now disbursed over $100million in direct funding to 20,000 young African entrepreneurs from across all 54 African countries.

• The Foundation recently published its Impact Report demonstrating beneficiaries have created over 400,000 jobs and generated $2.5billion in only a few years.

• The Foundation is currently receiving applications for its 2024 TEF Entrepreneurship Programme on TEFConnect.com

[Lagos, January 23, 2024] – The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), the leading philanthropy empowering young African entrepreneurs from across all 54 African countries, has announced the selected list for the 2023 TEF Entrepreneurship Programme.

The 2023 beneficiaries were chosen from a pool of over 400,000 applications, selected based on their innovative and impactful business ideas. In line with the Foundation’s mission to catalyse entrepreneurship in Africa, the selected beneficiaries consist of both new start-ups and existing young businesses in varying operational stages across different sectors.

As part of TEF’s objectives to ensure that African entrepreneurs are well equipped to build investable and profitable businesses, each beneficiary has undergone world-class business management training and mentorship conducted exclusively on TEFConnect, the Foundation’s proprietary digital platform that provides capacity-building support, advisory and market linkages to over 1.5million Africans and counting. The platform’s unique training curriculum covered insightful topics including Starting Your Business, Business Management & Fundamentals, Leadership & Business Growth, Marketing Strategy, Product Design, Selecting & Building a Team.

The Tony Elumelu Foundation has now funded over 20,000 young African entrepreneurs through its flagship programme including over 5000 entrepreneurs from Nigeria, 795 from Uganda, 748 from Kenya, 638 from Benin Republic, 418 from Cameroon, 331 from Ghana, 331 from Tanzania, 331 from Chad, 221 from Zambia, and 220 from Rwanda

Since 2010, the Tony Elumelu Foundation has played a transformative role in empowering a new generation of African entrepreneurs, to drive poverty alleviation, increase jobs creation in all 54 African countries, and ensure inclusive economic empowerment. The infrastructure and experience of the Tony Elumelu Foundation’s 10 year $100m flagship Entrepreneurship Programme has catalysed a generation of African entrepreneurs who are driving the wealth creation that Africa requires.  The Foundation’s unique approach of reaching and funding young entrepreneurs in every African country, with sector-agnostic seed funding, mentoring, and networking has delivered robust impact.

The Foundation’s ability to fund, train, mentor, and network young African entrepreneurs, has created a unique platform for catalysing growth across the African continent. The robust ability of the Foundation to reach entrepreneurs across geographies and sectors, has enabled it to conduct innovative partnerships with the European Union, the United Nations Development Programme, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the United States Government via the United States African Development Foundation (USADF), The Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), The French Development Agency (AFD), The German Development Finance Institution (DEG), The German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), The African Development Bank (AfDB), and Google, with bespoke programmes including targeting female empowerment and growth in fragile states.

“We are elated to have reached this significant milestone of empowering these young entrepreneurs across Africa. This achievement reinforces our belief in the boundless potential of the African youth and their capacity to drive positive change. As we launch the final cycle of our annual Entrepreneurship Programme, we are excited to build on the successes of our flagship initiative even as we look to the future with launching a Coalition for African Entrepreneurs” stated Somachi Chris-Asoluka, CEO of the Tony Elumelu Foundation.

The Tony Elumelu Foundation has also recently launched its impact report titled “Empowering African Entrepreneurs: A Decade of Impact”. This comprehensive assessment compiled in partnership with independent third-party researchers, showcases the impact of the Tony Elumelu Foundation: over 80% of beneficiaries are young people, between the ages of 18-35 at the time of funding; 45% of beneficiaries are women-owned businesses; TEF beneficiaries have collectively generated over $2.3 billion in revenue; 23% of beneficiaries are Africans living with disabilities; 83% of beneficiaries are implementing actions to minimise the carbon footprint in Africa; 91% of beneficiaries are focused on eliminating waste and are using sustainable materials; 69% of beneficiaries are contributing to safer energy sources; over 25% of beneficiaries have been able to acquire additional investments in their business because of the Foundation; the beneficiaries’ annual profits were over 22 times the average annual income per capita in their corresponding countries; and, since receiving the training, mentoring and funding from the Tony Elumelu Foundation.

Tony Elumelu Entrepreneur from Madagascar in the green economy, Marie-Christiana Kola, shared: “As a beneficiary of the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship programme, I was able to create a recycled and 100% biodegradable hand soap made with waste cooked oil – the number one water polluter of water in African urban cities.  These soaps do not only protect the environment, but they are also solidarity soaps.  I was also able to attend the COP27 conference in Egypt, where I won the Innovation Prize.  Today, I have employed over 30 people because of the Tony Elumelu Foundation.”

The full impact report is linked HERE on the Tony Elumelu Foundation’s website.

As a part of the Tony Elumelu Foundation’s commitment to foster innovation and economic growth across the continent, the following further opportunities have been made available to young entrepreneurs across Africa on TEFConnect in 2024:

• 2024 TEF Entrepreneurship Programme, open from January 1 – March 1
• Women Entrepreneurship For Africa (WE4A), open from January 1 – March 1
• Aguka Entrepreneurship Programme, open from March 25 – May 10

All African entrepreneurs are encouraged to seize these transformative opportunities to embark on a life-changing experience of training, mentorship, access to networks, and funding.

About the Tony Elumelu Foundation:

The Tony Elumelu Foundation is the leading philanthropy empowering a new generation of African entrepreneurs, driving poverty eradication, catalysing job creation in all 54 African countries, and ensuring inclusive economic empowerment. Since the launch of the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme in 2015, the Foundation has connected over 1.5 million young Africans on its digital hub, TEFConnect, and disbursed nearly USD$100 million in direct funding to 18,000 African women and men, who have collectively created over 400,000 direct and indirect jobs. The Foundation’s mission is rooted in Africapitalism, which positions the private sector, and most importantly entrepreneurs, as the catalyst for the social and economic development of the African continent.

Contact Information:

Moyo Awotile

Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications, Tony Elumelu Foundation

Email: moyo.awotile@tonyelumelufoundation.org

The post The Tony Elumelu Foundation Announces Selected 2023 TEF Entrepreneurship Programme Beneficiaries appeared first on The Tony Elumelu Foundation.

Identifying this problem

While growing up, Jonathan saw his mom engaged in petty trading in a bid to make ends meet, while his brothers were actively engaged in schooling with the aim of improving their chances in order to get good jobs. At the same time, he saw his mom and other traders make wholesome daily profits, as a result he decided to be an entrepreneur so that he will not only make money but provide jobs for the people around him.

Jonathan Azua owns a Luxuriant cleaning and maintenance company the company that aims at giving customers a higher cleaning experience, this clear promise of value helped to incentivize their first users, even today, this has remained their message and an integral part of their organizational culture. The nexus and common theme of the organization is how to make a difference in the lives of customers, users, and stakeholders.

Seed Capital for Cleaning and Maintenance Business

For Jonathan, the training and the seed capital provided by the programme was a turning point in his entrepreneurship journey.

“Two things stood out for me in the TEF program, the training and the seed capital. Before the training I was managing a business in the informal sector, while I was largely successful at that level, I never knew there were things I was doing wrong, for example, the training helped me to understand important concepts such as corporate governance and structure, it kind of covered something small about everything a business is all about, the training armed me with the knowledge I needed to succeed at scale.

Also, he believes seed capital was a huge leverage, which was a tool for him to achieve his dream. When he started out, he made up his mind that this may be the only business fund he may ever have, so he would not fail himself. He went about investing with that mindset, and as of today, he has about 5 companies in his group just from a single seed, and he believes that the future holds much more for his business in abundance in terms of revenue generation and impact.

“The seed capital changed my life forever, all that I will ever become in life is tied to that seed capital.”

The group makes in excess of $10,000 annually in revenue generation, with over 20 direct and indirect employees.

Currently, they are expanding beyond their primary geographic market segment (Yobe state), as they attempt to become a national player by opening outlets in strategic markets.

“We are proud to be an employer of labour seeing that our country is grappling with an unprecedented unemployment rate, while making money is good business, beyond that, we are proud of being able to gainfully employ people and taking them out of the street, as a result. We see our contributions to the country’s GDP as the hallmark of our work, while our ability to provide goods and services that solve customers’ problems daily has been resounding and encouraging.”

ABOUT THE TONY ELUMELU FOUNDATION


The Tony Elumelu Foundation is the leading philanthropy empowering a new generation of African entrepreneurs, driving poverty eradication, catalysing job creation across all 54 African countries, and ensuring inclusive economic empowerment. Since the launch of the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme in 2015, the Foundation has trained over 1.5 million young Africans on its digital hub, TEFconnect, and disbursed nearly USD$100 million in direct funding to 18,000 African women and men, who have collectively created over 400,000 direct and indirect jobs. The Foundation’s mission is rooted in Africapitalism, which positions the private sector, and most importantly entrepreneurs, as the catalyst for the social and economic development of the African continent.

The post Meet 2017 TEF Alumni, Jonathan Azua Who is creating jobs through cleaning and maintenance business appeared first on The Tony Elumelu Foundation.

The demand for African designs, textiles, and garments is increasing within and beyond the continent. Currently, in sub-Saharan Africa, the combined apparel and footwear market is estimated at USD 31 billion. The textile industry in Africa is estimated to grow at a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of ~5% over the forecast period of 2019–2024. 

Identifying this problem

Gladys is a young award-winning creative entrepreneur who is well known for her bespoke, eco-friendly, handmade Ankara notebooks and gift set. She has managed to use her love for art in an extraordinary way. In her quest to challenge the status quo, fighting against discrimination and stigma, Gladys successfully elevated the crafts industry, proving that it is a viable industry and that the craft business can be a profession. Having been raised in an entrepreneurial family, she implemented her experience and knowledge by starting her own business. She used her artistic abilities to develop a firebrand called Krafted Ink, innovative art and craft-oriented organization.

Specializing in African textile journals and gift packaging, mastered the art of combining colors in making gift packaging to ensure lasting smiles in the lives of people. The handmade products include journals, diaries, gift bags, and gift boxes using African print fabric. Gladys started her journey at the age of 21 out of her desire to uphold the African ideals of sharing presents. She has been crafting memories ever since.

Making Handmade Ankara Crafts

Gladys achieved this feat thanks to the TEF program, which helped in achieving her dreams as an entrepreneur.

“Without the Tony Elumelu Foundation Programme, there was no way, not a chance that my business idea was going to take off. The program not only helped the business plan, but it also put me through how to evaluate customer acquisitions, and the business canvas helped me to break down where I was going to get resources. Furthermore, I learned how to establish smart partnerships with Entrepreneurs across Africa because I was exposed to the network during the program.”

“We had an increased visibility that helped our users from 50 per year to more than 50,000 users now and still counting with more than 10 distributors across the 36 states.”

She recently launched an impact project titled ‘Dignity for her product’ to provide a holistic approach to drive change through product, education, and Advocacy, bundled alongside comprehensive menstrual hygiene management and sexual reproductive health programming for adolescent girls. So far, 300 girls have been trained with the hope of training 2000 by the end of 2022.

A revenue model allowing these girls to earn commissions from the sale of Virtuous Reusable Pads was established, empowering them, and making them less vulnerable. The innovation is to assign the girls’ guardians as drop shippers for reusable pads in the community. The girls then sell these pads within their community, creating economic opportunities and helping break the poverty cycle.

She pitched for another grant and won an additional $15000, $5000 from AGS tribe Enterprise Challenge, winning first place during the pitch competition (Now Herconomy E), and $10000 from the funding space 2019   through the Rising tide Africa during the pitch competition.

ABOUT THE TONY ELUMELU FOUNDATION


The Tony Elumelu Foundation is the leading philanthropy empowering a new generation of African entrepreneurs, driving poverty eradication, catalysing job creation across all 54 African countries, and ensuring inclusive economic empowerment. Since the launch of the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme in 2015, the Foundation has trained over 1.5 million young Africans on its digital hub, TEFconnect, and disbursed nearly USD$100 million in direct funding to 18,000 African women and men, who have collectively created over 400,000 direct and indirect jobs. The Foundation’s mission is rooted in Africapitalism, which positions the private sector, and most importantly entrepreneurs, as the catalyst for the social and economic development of the African continent.

The post Meet 2019 TEF Alumni, Gladys Chibanda Who is into the Production of handmade Ankara crafts appeared first on The Tony Elumelu Foundation.

Identifying this problem

Drawn to the need of adolescent girls, Tabitha Abimiku decided to become a social entrepreneur. She discovered that only one out of ten girls use a sanitary pad; others settle for more unhygienic options like rags and banana leaves which have serious adverse health effects, with some girls missing school during this period. Driven by the need to provide a lasting solution to this problem, she did her research and developed Virtuous core Reusable Pad in 2018.

Making Reusable Sanitary Products

Before her encounter with the TEF program, she never got the validation, support, or acceptance she needed; on the verge of giving up her dream, she got selected for the 2019 TEF program. She got visibility and validation for business; it gave her confidence that her company could transform Africa, which increased her confidence level and knowledge and capacity building during the program.

The seed funding has been very crucial in scaling her business by enabling her increase production.

“With the seed funding of $5000, she was able to purchase machinery and increase her turn out from 10 from 5000 pieces of pad per day; with this, she expanded the business and moved from producing at home to a NAFDAC-approved factory.”

Tabitha Abimiku has created 8 new jobs since funding and has increased her annual revenue from $6,000S to $47,000 since funding.

Furthermore, her business has gotten more visibility across the country and have produced sanitary products for reputable organizations like EHA clinic and Urban Shelter Limited.

“We had an increased visibility that helped our users from 50 per year to more than 50,000 users now and still counting with more than 10 distributors across the 36 states.”

She recently launched an impact project titled ‘Dignity for her product’ to provide a holistic approach to drive change through product, education, and Advocacy, bundled alongside comprehensive menstrual hygiene management and sexual reproductive health programming for adolescent girls. So far, 300 girls have been trained with the hope of training 2000 by the end of 2022.

A revenue model allowing these girls to earn commissions from the sale of Virtuous Reusable Pads was established, empowering them, and making them less vulnerable. The innovation is to assign the girls’ guardians as drop shippers for reusable pads in the community. The girls then sell these pads within their community, creating economic opportunities and helping break the poverty cycle.

She pitched for another grant and won an additional $15000, $5000 from AGS tribe Enterprise Challenge, winning first place during the pitch competition (Now Herconomy E), and $10000 from the funding space 2019   through the Rising tide Africa during the pitch competition.

ABOUT THE TONY ELUMELU FOUNDATION


The Tony Elumelu Foundation is the leading philanthropy empowering a new generation of African entrepreneurs, driving poverty eradication, catalysing job creation across all 54 African countries, and ensuring inclusive economic empowerment. Since the launch of the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme in 2015, the Foundation has trained over 1.5 million young Africans on its digital hub, TEFconnect, and disbursed nearly USD$100 million in direct funding to 18,000 African women and men, who have collectively created over 400,000 direct and indirect jobs. The Foundation’s mission is rooted in Africapitalism, which positions the private sector, and most importantly entrepreneurs, as the catalyst for the social and economic development of the African continent.

The post Meet 2019 TEF Alumni, Tabitha Abimiku Who is Making Reusable Sanitary Products Accessible & Affordable to Girls appeared first on The Tony Elumelu Foundation.

Identifying this problem

Olabisi Akanbi decided to provide a solution by setting up a business that collects, reuses, recovers, and recycles waste products. EMSMAT uses branded metal drums, plastic wheeled bins, and cellophane waste bags as storage devices and to evacuate solid waste from their clients every 7 days interval. We have started operation on a pilot scale since September 2012 by using hired vehicles before procuring our own truck which are been loaded and offloaded manually. Every client gets registered by filling out our registration form with a registration fee of N3,000 and receives the waste bin in less than 24 hours.

The Integrated Waste Business Solution

Our price range according to a major market segment in our customer base is as follows: Single Household/family dwelling (N500), Multifamily dwellings (N1,000), Light industries like bakeries, eateries, etc (N2,000), Small Hotels, banks, mini estate (N5,000), Big Hotels, Hospitals (N10,000) and among others. There are 4,197 clients in the area.

At full capacity by procuring at least two (2) numbers of fairly foreign used (Tokunbo) waste compacting trucks at (N4,900,000) each totalled (N9,800,000) to evacuate at least 1,200 Clients on weekly basis with the support of TONY ELUMELU FOUNDATION PROGRAMME, the company will realize a monthly turnover of (N4,111,200) with about 15 employments will be newly created.   

“My business is changing the attitude of indiscriminate dumping of refuse on waterways, drainages, uncompleted buildings and even on roads by the citizens of Keffi Nasarawa State Nigeria. We offer waste bins to Keffi community to curb the menace caused by the indiscriminate dumping of refuse, we collect this waste on weekly basis from individual premises, sorting, processing the recyclable waste materials and dispose non-recyclable materials for farmers as fertilizers.”

Although his business operation started on a pilot scale in 2012, there was need for funding to scale up his business and increase his revenue. The $5000 TEF grant has been the beginning of his business success. He has created 6 new jobs and has increased his revenue to $4500. His waste management business has also been beneficial to the environment as the child mortality rate has been reduced as over 10,000 people in the communities where they work now have access to a safe, clean and healthy environment. He also conducts public sensitization about how to maintain personal hygiene and safe environment.

ABOUT THE TONY ELUMELU FOUNDATION


The Tony Elumelu Foundation is the leading philanthropy empowering a new generation of African entrepreneurs, driving poverty eradication, catalysing job creation across all 54 African countries, and ensuring inclusive economic empowerment. Since the launch of the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme in 2015, the Foundation has trained over 1.5 million young Africans on its digital hub, TEFconnect, and disbursed nearly USD$100 million in direct funding to 18,000 African women and men, who have collectively created over 400,000 direct and indirect jobs. The Foundation’s mission is rooted in Africapitalism, which positions the private sector, and most importantly entrepreneurs, as the catalyst for the social and economic development of the African continent.

The post Meet 2015 TEF Alumni, Olabisi Akanbi Who is Improving the environment through integrated waste management practice appeared first on The Tony Elumelu Foundation.

The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) is calling on all aspiring African entrepreneurs seeking to turn their business dreams into reality to apply to the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme (TEF2024), for the opportunity to receive a non-returnable seed capital of $5,000.  

A Legacy of Empowering Entrepreneurs 

Since its inception in 2010, the Tony Elumelu Foundation has been at the forefront of empowering African entrepreneurs, and since the launch of its flagship Entrepreneurship Programme, the Foundation has partnered with numerous organisations to support entrepreneurship across the continent. These partnerships include collaborations with the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Sémé City, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and many others. Partnerships with regional and international organisations pave the way for collaboration and strategic networking, enhancing market access for entrepreneurs across Africa. 

In 2021 alone, the Tony Elumelu Foundation disbursed an impressive $24.75 million to 5,000 African entrepreneurs, making it one of the largest private sector responses to the economic challenges faced by African youth, women, and SMEs in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Notably, beneficiaries of the programme have collectively created over 400,000 direct and indirect jobs, contributing significantly to the economic recovery and development of the continent. 

Testimonials: Voices of Impact 

The impact of the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme goes beyond statistics; it transforms lives and businesses.  

Here are a few testimonials from entrepreneurs who have experienced the transformative power of the programme: 

1. Paul Depooter Kabeya 

• Business Name:  KPD Technology Pty Ltd
• Country: South Africa 
• Impact Area: Upskilling and Women’s Economic Empowerment

Paul’s Testimonial

Paul Depooter was passionate about impacting his community and how he could bring a positive way of attaining financial freedom to the most vulnerable in South Africa. 

“I wanted to change the mindset of the African, by not looking at jobs as the only way of surviving but to believe in their own ability in order to let their talents express themselves into manufacturing of garment and fashion accessories made in Africa by Africans.” 

Paul believes the TEF program did not only bring a financial boost to his business but has been a game changer in terms of personal development. Through the garment and fashion accessories he makes in South Africa, he has empowered 20 women who, through their businesses, can use their skills to make a difference in their respective communities in South Africa.   

“Through the TEF Entrepreneurship program, networking has been the most valuable opportunity I have explored in this journey. I have been able to meet with different entrepreneurs learning from them to see things differently.” 

Paul believes the only way to enable gender balance in his society is to upskill the women and empower them to become independent. Through his fashion line, he produced not only garments but tailors and female fashion designers. 

2. Freddie Shava 

• Business Name:  African Heritage Clothing 
• Country: Ghana 
• Impact Area: Poverty alleviation for young people through training and employment 

Freddie’s Testimonial

“My vision was to create wealth and social impact for Africa which l could not do while full time employed. l could only earn a living for myself and family on a full-time job but without impacting the wider community. l measure success on social impact-profitability model. First impact then profit later”.

So far, the enterprise has impacted 120 youths, trained and released to start their own business. They currently employ 20 workers directly. They service a client base of over 120 corporate clients buying from them through local production for import substitution.  Also, they have generated revenues of $600,000 over a six-year period. In line with their business model, they have created more impact than profitability, but are on course to wealth creation now with the business more stable and readying itself for expansion to expand the market to AfCFTA. Currently, they are serving the local market in Ghana and their strategy is to go for the intra-Africa business back riding on AfCFTA. 

“We (AHC) have created a name for ourselves as a leading producer of uniforms in fulfilment of our tagline “The Uniform People”. We are known for quality and efficiency. On the back of this our business comes through referrals (indirect opportunities) from satisfied customers without much advertising. The bulk of our business comes from indirect opportunities which builds our success.” 

Freddie Shava has attributed the successes of his business to the training and mentoring he received on the programme. 

“The training was a game-changer for me as it equipped me with the necessary skills to survive the business turbulence for example the Covid-19. Without the training and the grace of God l would not have survived Covid-19. Training and mentorship is important for upstarts. The USD5,000 was a bonus to support my start-up. Training first – capital later. This matches my business model of impact first – profitability later. TEF really put me on the right path and changed my life. Thank you TEF. Thank you, boss Tony.” 

3. Mechi Amaah

• Business Name:  Black and Natural Cosmetics
• Country: Cameroon
• Impact Area: Production of organic and eco-friendly cosmetics

Mechi’s Testimonial

After losing her father in his early life, Mechi Amaah had to look after pigs and sell them under her mother’s supervision to provide for their necessities. Upon getting to the university, she did business selling various things to make ends meet and decided to settle on manufacturing and selling hair products solely.

Mechi founded Black and Natural Cosmetics, a 100% organic cosmetic manufacturing company aimed to encourage the consumption of organic hair cosmetics, initially and subsequently, skin cosmetics. To join environmental protection and sustainable development, Black and Natural Cosmetics derives all its ingredients from plants, some of which are organically processed. 

Mechi Amaah was about expanding his business when COVID-19 pandemic hit the world and everywhere was under lockdown. However, the seed capital she got from the foundation enabled her to diversify and employ 2 more workers, thereby saving her business from liquidation. Coupled with the training received on the programme on business management, she has been able to take her business to another level and created a high level of impact in her community. 

“The training the program offered, helped me to keep tabs on my mission, vison and most importantly, my finances. Ever since the program, I can proudly say the books of my businesses are in order.” 

Since getting the grant, she has employed 4 more staff to help with her business and now has 7 employees working directly under her. Also, her annual revenue has increased by 70%, with her opening two other companies and awards to her name.  

“To give back to my community, i have created jobs and am currently working on an accelerator program to train young girls with vocational training skills that can enable them gain employment or start up their own business. This will go a long way to reduce unemployment in my community and country.” 

These testimonials showcase the tangible and lasting impact of the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme, demonstrating its effectiveness in empowering entrepreneurs across Africa. As the Programme considers its future, it is poised to continue changing lives and catalysing economic growth. Be part of this transformative journey—apply now for the 2024 Entrepreneurship Programme and unlock the potential within you! 

A Glimpse into the Future: Coalition for African Entrepreneurs 

Looking ahead, the Tony Elumelu Foundation is set to enhance its commitment to empowering African entrepreneurs. In a groundbreaking move, the foundation has announced its Coalition for African Entrepreneurs. This initiative aims to support 100,000 young African entrepreneurs, including 50,000 women, by 2033. The focus will be on fragile states, women’s entrepreneurship, and green entrepreneurship. 

The Tony Elumelu Foundation’s Coalition for African Entrepreneurs invites collaboration from development agencies, the private sector, philanthropic organisations, and governments, reinforcing its role as a leading philanthropy dedicated to eradicating poverty, catalysing job creation, and increasing women’s economic empowerment. 

Assessing TEF’s Impact: A Resounding Success 

To assess the Programme’s impact, expert researchers focused on its contribution to local entrepreneurship ecosystems across Africa and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The analysis demonstrated that the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme was highly effective at providing multi-sector support to diverse groups of new entrepreneurs, addressing barriers such as funding and knowledge. Findings suggest that TEF and its partners are successfully providing inclusive, multi-sector support that maximizes the potential of African entrepreneurs, regardless of sector. 

As the Programme considers its future, there is a renewed focus on sustainability and policy advocacy. The emphasis is on finding the best ways to allocate funding, ensuring the continued success of the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme and its pivotal role in empowering the next generation of African entrepreneurs. 

Apply Now for TEF2024 – Seizing the Opportunity:

As the flagship TEF Entrepreneurship Programme nears the end of its 10-year lifespan, it is an opportune moment to reflect on the organization’s remarkable accomplishments. The Tony Elumelu Foundation, building on this success and its robust delivery process, will deepen its commitment to reach across sectors and geographies to identify and support young African entrepreneurs, targeting female empowerment and growth in fragile states, through its soon-to-be-launched Coalition for African Entrepreneurs. 

Apply now and be part of a transformative journey towards entrepreneurial success! 

About The Tony Elumelu Foundation


The Tony Elumelu Foundation is the leading philanthropy empowering a new generation of African entrepreneurs, driving poverty eradication, catalysing job creation across all 54 African countries, and ensuring inclusive economic empowerment. Since the launch of the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme in 2015, the Foundation has trained over 1.5 million young Africans on its digital hub, TEFConnect, and disbursed nearly USD$100 million in direct funding to 18,000 African women and men, who have collectively created over 400,000 direct and indirect jobs. The Foundation’s mission is rooted in Africapitalism, which positions the private sector, and most importantly entrepreneurs, as the catalyst for the social and economic development of the African continent.

The post Empowering African Entrepreneurs: Apply Now for $5,000 in the 2024 Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme  appeared first on The Tony Elumelu Foundation.

1. Q: How do I apply for TEF grant?

A: The Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme is open to Africans from all 54 African countries with scalable business ideas or a business that has been operational for no more than 3 years. Applicants must be 18 years of age and above. Interested applicants may register on www.tefconnect.com 

2. Q: Is there a registration fee to be paid before TEF Application? 

A: TEF has NOT appointed anyone to act on her behalf to conduct any part of this Programme. This Programme is online, and it is FREE! If anyone is asking you to pay any amount of money in exchange for developing your business plan or pitch, it is a scam. Please report it immediately by sending an email to tefimpact@tonyelumelufoundation.org. We will ensure the confidentiality of your information. 

3. Q: I have signed up on tefconnect.com but no confirmation email received? 

A: Kindly ensure to check your inbox, spam, promotional and junk mailboxes for confirmation emails. Be sure to send an email to enquiries@tonyelumelufoundation.org for any further assistance.  

4. Q: While filling my application on tefconnect.com, I am unable to click on ‘’CONTINUE’’ to move to the next part of my application, please help? 

A: If you experience any issues with filling your application, kindly send an email to  enquiries@tonyelumelufoundation.org 

 with detailed reference either with text, image or video and we will resolve immediately.  

5. Q: Can I use a student ID to apply? 

A: We are only able to admit government issued ID, any other ID will render the application null & void. 

6. Q: I am unable to upload my ID/photo. Why? 

A: Kindly ensure that you are uploading a Jpeg/png file no more than 1mb in size. If issue persists, kindly send a screenshot of the error message to enquiries@tonyelumelufoundation.org 

7. Q: Who is eligible to apply? 

A: The Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme is open to Africans from all 54 African countries with scalable business ideas or businesses from 0 – 5 years.  

8. Q: What is the next step after applying on TEFConnect? 

A: Once you have successfully submitted your application, you will get a notification about your status. 

9. Q: I am unable to log in with my registered email address, what do I do? 

A: If you experience any log-in issues, kindly send an email to enquiries@tonyelumelufoundation.org with detailed reference to the issue and we will resolve immediately. You could explain to us in detail the problems you face when trying to log in? If you can, please also send us error screenshot. 

10. Q: Can I reapply after being rejected in previous years? 

A: Yes, we encourage you to reapply to our programme until you are successful.  

11. Q: Is it possible for couple to apply for TEF Entrepreneurship Programme separately?  

A: Members of the same family are not allowed to apply to the Programme, doing so would result in disqualification.   

12. Q: I have two ideas. Can I submit them separately?  

A: Unfortunately, this is not allowed by the Foundation. Applicants are expected to apply with only one existing business or business idea. Applicants found to have applied multiple times in the same cycle or in different cycles will be disqualified.  

13. Q: What documents do we need to upload when applying?  

A: When filling the application form on TEFConnect, you will be required to upload the documents below.  Also, please ensure to use valid phone numbers that are on WhatsApp to apply to the programme. The documents are: 

1. Valid Government-issued Identification- This applies to everyone.  

2. Official Business Registration Certificate- Businesses already operational  

3. Official Evidence of Business Ownership- Businesses already operational  

4. Official Evidence of Directors- Businesses already operational  

5. Official Consent by Partners to apply- This applies to businesses with partners 

Updated: The Tony Elumelu Foundation Launches Its 2024 TV Commercial

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The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) has given $2 million to nearly 400 entrepreneurs in Rwanda as seed capital.

The global ambassadors praised the Foundation’s great impact in Rwanda and all 54 African countries.

The TEF is a famous charity founded by Mr. Tony O. Elumelu, a respected and influential business figure. The foundation operates with the primary objective of empowering and supporting African entrepreneurs in their journey towards success and economic development.

One of the key ways in which TEF achieves its mission is by providing seed capital to aspiring entrepreneurs. TEF provides money to help entrepreneurs start their businesses and make their creative ideas come true.

In addition to financial assistance, the foundation also offers mentorship programs to its beneficiaries. Through these programs, experienced and successful entrepreneurs provide guidance, advice, and support to the emerging business owners. This mentorship is important for entrepreneurs to overcome business challenges and complexities, improving their chances of long-term success.

TEF’s commitment to empowering African entrepreneurs extends beyond just financial support, mentorship, and training. The foundation also fosters a vibrant and dynamic community of entrepreneurs, facilitating networking opportunities and collaboration among its beneficiaries. This community-driven approach encourages knowledge sharing, idea exchange, and the formation of valuable partnerships, further enhancing the prospects of success for African entrepreneurs.

The foundation has given $2 million to nearly 400 entrepreneurs in Rwanda to help them start their businesses.

The foundation’s work extends beyond Rwanda and has had an extraordinary impact across all 54 African countries. The global ambassadors, including Amb. Cui Jian Chun, Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, and Amb. Christophe Bazivamo, Rwandan Ambassador to Nigeria, have praised the foundation’s efforts and its contribution to entrepreneurship in Africa.

More pictures with the global Ambassadors below:

People often highlight the foundation’s initiatives with hashtags such as #EmpoweredByTEF and #TEF2024.

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