This partnership is part of the overall IYBA-WE4A programme which will work to strengthen the entrepreneurship ecosystems, access to finance and capacities of women-led MSMEs and start-ups in selected countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The design of the IYBA-WE4A programme seeks to address the existing capacity, business services and funding gaps for its target group -women-led MSMEs and start-ups- and strengthen relevant networks and learning on successful pathways for women entrepreneurs. Overall, the IYBA-WE4A programme in encouraging and sustaining women entrepreneurs and their businesses contributes to the creation of employment and economic prosperity.

FAQs 2024: WE4A II

• What is IYBA-WE4A? IYBA-WE4A stands for Investing in Young Businesses in Africa – Women Entrepreneurship for Africa. The programme is aimed at empowering women entrepreneurs in selected Sub-Saharan countries through entrepreneurial skills and seed-funding.
• What are the goals of IYBA-WE4A? The initiative seeks to address economic challenges in Africa by empowering women and youth through entrepreneurship, with a focus on financial and digital inclusion and sustainable development goals.
• How does IYBA-WE4A support women entrepreneurs? This programme provides training, coaching, mentoring, and funding to women-owned businesses, with a special focus on green businesses and sectors contributing to the green transformation. It aims to increase the viability and survival rates of these enterprises.
• What are the sectors of focus? This programme will focus on green sectors and entrepreneurs working on greening initiatives through their businesses. Green sectors include the following and women operating in these sectors are welcome to apply –
  • i. Sustainable agriculture and agricultural processing
  • ii. Blue economy and aquaculture
  • iii. Renewable energy
  • iv. Circular economy and waste management including biomass
  • v. Eco-tourism
• What are the countries of implementation? Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Senegal, Cameroon, and Togo
• Who can apply for the IYBA-WE4A Entrepreneurial Skills and Seed-Funding programme? Women entrepreneurs in Cameroon, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo and Uganda with existing businesses or business ideas that drive the green transformation can apply for the programme.
• How does one apply for the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme under the IYBA-WE4A initiative? Interested individuals with existing businesses or business ideas can apply on TEFConnect. The application is currently open and closes on May 5^th, 2024.  
• What kind of support do selected women entrepreneurs receive from the WE4A II Entrepreneurship Programme? Selected women entrepreneurs will receive the TEF Business Management training. A bespoke Green Economy and digital inclusion training, mentorship. Also a non-refundable seed-funding grant of USD 5,000. They also get access to networking opportunities, additional funding possibilities, and are integrated into the TEF Alumni network. This is upon completion of the programme.

Updated: The Tony Elumelu Foundation Launches Its 2024 TV Commercial

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Angela Kimani is a 2019 Tony Elumelu Foundation Alumni and Founder of Ranks Leather.

Ranks Leather is a leather goods manufacturing and social enterprise company, specialized in making leather footwear and accessories. It is popularly known as ‘The World of Leather’ in Kenya, where the business is located.

Angela is one of 100 women entrepreneurs who are beneficiaries of the Foundation’s partnership with the European Union (EU) and the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS). Through this partnership, these100 women entrepreneurs have received training, mentorship, local ecosystem integration and network connections, and funding of €10,000. The top 30 start-ups will receive up to an additional €50,000.

Owing to the benefits of this partnership, Ranks Leather successfully set up a pop-up shop in Nairobi. The pop-up ran for 5 weeks and aims to give better understanding of Kenya’s leather market and evaluate whether it’s a potential space for a permanent shop. Angela has also been able to set up a temporary shop to sell her leather goods.

Princess Adeyinka Tekenah of Happy Coffee

Happy Coffee is an indigenous Nigerian coffee brand and coffee solution company. Its vision is to become the number 1 purveyor of coffee centered solutions in Africa. It was founded by Princess Adeyinka Tekenah, 2015 Tony Elumelu Foundation Alumni.

For over 6 years, the Happy Coffee Brand has advanced in its mission of creating awareness about the Nigeria Coffee value chain, whilst creating solutions that are improving the production and consumption of locally sourced Nigerian coffee.

What started off as just an idea, has since grown to 10 coffee retail products and 3 coffee experience centers in Lagos, Nigeria, after undergoing the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme in 2015 and receiving the seed capital of $5,000. Happy Coffee also pioneered the 1st ever Lagos Coffee Festival in 2019.

Princess is also one of 100 women entrepreneurs who are beneficiaries of the Foundation’s partnership with the European Union (EU) and the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS). She has been trained, mentored, integrated into the local ecosystem and network connections, and will receive funding of €10,000.

Rita Idehai of the Ecobater Company

Rita Idehai, 2017 TEF Alumni is on a mission to build to phase out the “waste” idea, and create a zero-waste world, where at the initial end of life every material is 100% reintroduced into another production line or biodegrades. She is able to achieve this through her social enterprise known as Ecobarter.

Ecobarter operates integrated waste management schemes- a cost effective recycling collection system that places young people on the frontline to connect more communities to its recycling network via the Independent Recycling Hub and Affiliate Vendor Programs. Through her business, Rita is also empowering women and youths in local communities to start microbusinesses in waste management under the Waste to Resource Empowerment Program (WREP).

To further advance its mission to build a culture of responsible consumption and production across Africa, Ecobarter is installing a community recycling collection hub in one of Abuja’s biggest housing Estates- Sunnyvale Estate. This adds 1,500 households to its network with the potential to remove more than 9,000kg of household wastes from the environment.

Grace Bwogi of Bwogi Farms

In February, we were lucky enough to be featured by the BBC!! Additionally, once a year, we mobilize goat and sheep farmers all over East Africa to bring in the best breeds of Boer, savanna and karahari reds from South Africa. It’s a costly venture that the farmers themselves cannot embark on single handedly. We pool resources and Bwogi Farms spearheads the process of bringing in the animals. On 25th

January, we brought in 30 goats and sheep from South Africa to Uganda. Why these goats and sheep? These goats and sheep, once crossed with our local breeds, give us offspring that mature faster, add on meat fast and bring in big returns as compared to our local goats that take years to reach a market slaughter weight of 30kgs. We are counting on the government of Uganda to build a facility where all farmers can get semen straws and training at an affordable price.

Nkem Okocha of Mama Moni

Nkem Okocha, 2015 TEF Alumnae and Founder of Mama Moni, grew up with a widowed mother who had to raise four children singlehandedly, with no vocational skill or source of income. Living through a childhood where feeding and access to education were major challenges for her family, she was inspired to empower the poor women in her community and other communities she had visited.

In 2013, Nkem established Mama Moni, a Fintech Social Enterprise that is closing the credit gap for low-income female entrepreneurs in rural and urban slum communities in Nigeria through easy access to finance. Mamamoni’s web platform enables socially conscious individuals to invest in low-income women by lending to them to fund their businesses.

More recently in January 2022, MamaMoni has received international recognition for its impact with low-income women in Nigeria. Nkem has also been recognised internationally for her spirit of support and success in elevating women to be empowered.

Mama Moni is also one of 100 women owned businesses to benefit from the Foundation’s partnership with the European Union (EU) and the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS). She has been trained, mentored, integrated into the local ecosystem and network connections, and will receive funding of €10,000

Jacqueline Bakari of Jbbling Business Portfolio

Jacqueline Bakari, CEO Jbbling Business Portfolio, developed a comprehensive learning program for skills development for entrepreneurs in Cameroon and other neighbouring countries.

She has now been confirmed as a 2022 Tony Elumelu Foundation Mentor and invited to join the Global Tony Elumelu Mentorship Guild.

“I am humbled and ready to support the foundation in their mission to guide young Africans towards business success in a bid to facilitate the social and economic development of the continent. Being a mentor for TEF also aligns with our start up goals of unlocking the potential of African entrepreneurs through a comprehensive learning programme.” Jacqueline said.

Idayat Briggs of Ibeez Gems

Idayat Briggs created Ibeez Gems with a vision to create affordable furniture and home decor without sacrificing quality. The furniture company specializes in customized office and home furniture solutions. They also offer reupholstery services, furniture cleaning services and workspace redesign.

Speaking on the impact of the Foundation’s Entrepreneurship Programme on her entrepreneurial journey, Idayat said “…our business eventually took off after we won a $5,000 grant from the Tony Elumelu Foundation. Since then, we have grown. Now we don’t only make furniture, but we also refurbish to clients’ taste.”

Through the WE4A programme, Idayat has been able to define the value proposition and has identified Africans in Diaspora as a new customer segment for her company, Ibeez Gems.  

“We just exported our first set of African Print Duvet Covers to Delaware, USA.” Idayat also added.

Onyinye Oguego of MyStash

Onyinye Oguego launched MyStash in August 2021, along with her co-founders. MyStash lets users choose a percentage of their spending or their earnings for saving.

When asked about her biggest takeaway from participating in the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme, Onyinye stated that it was certainly the network she built with fellow TEF Alumni. “There were entrepreneurs at different stages so there was experience to draw from. My biggest win from that experience is the people I met” she said.

MyStash is also one of the selected start-ups for the Women Entrepreneurship for Africa (WE4A) program, where they qualified for a grant of $10,000 and have undergone training, mentorship, local ecosystem integration and network connections.

Thanks to the grant received from this partnership, MyStash will be investing in its product and talent acquisition to enhance efficiency.

“We have over 5,000 users now. We know that people need, like and enjoy our products but we need to be able to create a seamless product. That’s the goal. We want to expand our engineering team and ensure that the product is top notch.” Onyinye added.

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The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) convened sector champions in various industries to be a part of a Regional Business Forum in Lagos structured around high-level meetings and consultations with youth and women in the West African business ecosystems.

In her keynote address, Ifeyinwa emphasised the Foundation’s commitment to foster gender inclusion, through the gender mix of our workforce, mentors, and TEF alumni.

Ifeyinwa commented:

“The reason our Entrepreneurship Programme is arguably the most ambitious Youth focussed Pan-African entrepreneurship programme on the continent is because it is a direct response to the transformation Africa needs. It a programme that is sector and gender agnostic; a programme that recognizes the equal potential of us, as Africans.  Women make up 58% of the continent’s self-employed population. Yet they seldom get the recognition they deserve for their role in sustaining local economies/informal industries. They also do not receive the appropriate support they need to take their businesses to the next level. Some of the challenges faced by women in Africa and youth come from lack of access. Access to networks, funding, and market linkages.”

Recognized as the leading philanthropy committed to empowering the growth of women and youth entrepreneurship, as well as linking them to quality markets and dedicated support:

“Although we launched the programme, we knew that a sustainable digital infrastructure was needed to support the lifespan of these business.  As a continent, we cannot afford to miss the fourth industrial revolution. The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the immense value in digital connectivity. If you are not connected, it’s almost like you do not exist. That’s the problem African women and African entrepreneurs face, and it’s one that governments across Africa must tackle immediately. We need an immediate, massive rollout of connectivity and cheap access to the internet across every village, town, and city.”

She also illustrated the Foundation’s holistic approach to empowering African entrepreneurs through training, funding, mentorship, and resource mobilization. Touching on the immeasurable value of TEFConnect.com in supporting African entrepreneur, Ifeyinwa said:

“On our end, we are contributing to digital upskilling and capacity building around digital entrepreneurship through our digital infrastructure, TEFConnect.com. TEFConnect is the largest online network of African entrepreneurs who are interested in connecting with key players from the larger ecosystem of investors, business leaders, etc.  The platform empowers young entrepreneurs to build investible businesses by training and mentoring, provides them with easy access to market, and connects them with other African Entrepreneurs and ecosystem players.”

Ifeyinwa touched on the main thrust of the Regional Business Forum, which was focused on how support for the socio-economic empowerment of women and the youth will be essential to achieving socio-economic transformation across the continent:

“When we first started the programme, our goal was to achieve 50% women’s participation, and we began at 25%. Today, we’re at 40%. This year, the Foundation will fund over 3,000 women owned businesses across the continent. This will not be possible without some of our partners who believe that women, when empowered, can contribute to socio-economic prosperity.

How can Africa harness its demographic dynamics for sustainable development?

It is by empowering our younger demography, knowing fully well that the future belongs to them, and we owe them the support require to define it in a manner that guarantees prosperity. It is by teaching a woman how to fish, and not giving her fish, or giving her male counterparts the fish to hand out whatever he can afford to her.”

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Since inception, The Tony Elumelu Foundation has directly empowered over 3,000 female entrepreneurs. TEF Alumni have gone to directly create an additional 35,000 jobs for women. Our position is clear and actionable: create an ecosystem where everyone, regardless of their gender benefits from equal opportunity to scale and thrive.

Google.org, shares a similar vision. Earlier this week, we announced a $3Million grant from Google.org to complement the 2021 TEF Entrepreneurship Programme. 500 additional rural-based aspiring women entrepreneurs will receive seed capital of $5,000. These 500 aspiring African women entrepreneurs will come from Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and select Francophone countries. The objective is to increase economic inclusion, improve economies and further empower these rural-based women to lift them from poverty, strengthen their livelihoods and incomes, while creating more decent jobs in the African economy.

Addressing this announcement, our CEO, Ifeyinwa Ugochukwu commented, “As Africa’s leading philanthropy empowering young African entrepreneurs, this grant support will provide financial and technical support for additional women-owned businesses and marginalized groups in the informal sector through the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme. There is no better time to invest in women’s economic participation on the continent than now. Through this support, women will drive growth for local economies and enable better living conditions for their communities. We are delighted to disburse the Google.org grant to scale our ongoing work to empower young African entrepreneurs as we believe this will be instrumental in building much-needed businesses and resilient economies”.

This announcement directly correlates with our mission to catalyze economic growth, drive poverty eradication, and ensure job creation in Africa. Selection would prioritise informal businesses, further equipping them with digital skills through TEFConnect, our proprietary digital platform supporting millions of African entrepreneurs with access to free resources for professional development, knowledge sharing opportunities and quality market linkages.

Nitin Gajria, Managing Director of Google Sub-Saharan Africa echoed a dedication to building a world where all women can thrive. Looking at data collected by the World Bank across 10 African countries, he revealed that male-owned enterprises have six times more capital than female owned enterprises. For him, “The huge capital gap is not stopping the rise of female entrepreneurs, but it slows them down and makes their journeys that much more challenging. We hope that the support to The Tony Elumelu Foundation will help accelerate the growth of women tech-makers and entrepreneurs in Africa”.

Today, women-led businesses are disproportionately at risk as a result of the pandemic that has led to economic strife. This is unsurprising, given that they had very limited support to begin with. Female African Entrepreneurs require access to knowledge, skills, tools, and funding in order to navigate the changing operational landscape.

Rowan Barnett, Head of Google.org EMEA, agrees to this. He says, “we support organizations that offer financial and training resources to underserved small business owners to improve their economic livelihoods and create opportunity for themselves, their employees, and their communities. As one of the leading pan-African philanthropies empowering a new generation of African entrepreneurs, we are delighted to support the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme created to empower, invest in and create opportunities for African entrepreneurs”.

Update: About The WE4A II (Women Entrepreneurship for Africa, 2024 Application Process)

Following the successful pilot of the WE4A programme in 2021, the Foundation in partnership with the European Union (EU) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) has launched the WE4A II for sustainable and inclusive growth. Application for the WE4A II is ongoing, Read about the WE4A II FAQs here

This partnership is part of the overall IYBA-WE4A programme which will work to strengthen the entrepreneurship ecosystems, access to finance and capacities of women-led MSMEs and start-ups in selected countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The design of the IYBA-WE4A programme seeks to address the existing capacity, business services and funding gaps for its target group -women-led MSMEs and start-ups- and strengthen relevant networks and learning on successful pathways for women entrepreneurs. Overall, the IYBA-WE4A programme in encouraging and sustaining women entrepreneurs and their businesses contributes to the creation of employment and economic prosperity.

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