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 webinar themed ‘SME Industrial Investment Opportunities for Nigerian Entrepreneurs in 774 LGAs in Nigeria’ focused on ways to catalyse increased local production of quality goods with high local content for in-country consumption and export and ideas on how to urgently establish viable SME industries in every Local Government in Nigeria.

Okafor-Obi highlighted the importance of enabling small businesses to scale, the impact of the Tony Elumelu Foundation over the last ten years, the importance of public-private sector partnerships in empowering entrepreneurs.

“In 2014, our founder, Tony Elumelu announced the Entrepreneurship Programme which has been running for about six years now, and over those six years we have empowered, in Nigeria, almost 3,700 entrepreneurs,” she said.

“We are trying to start-up entrepreneurs and businesses that can stand the test of time, survive the founders, can compete anywhere in the world, and is a testament to the strength and versatility of Nigerians, and of course, Africans,” she concluded.

NESH Nigeria & Entrepreneurship Summit & Honours, is an indigenous platform that provides an avenue for thought leadership and appreciation of the contribution of entrepreneurs to national development.

The Tony Elumelu Foundation begins applications for the 2021 edition of the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme on January 1, 2020.

The post Ifeoma Okafor-Obi discusses opportunities for Nigerian SMEs at the 5th NESH-NXT Annual Conference for Young Entrepreneurs appeared first on The Tony Elumelu Foundation.

Here are some notable quotes from the event:

We need to do whatever it takes to empower our youths because they are the future of the continent – Wambui Gichuri, African Development Bank (AfDB)

Entrepreneurship is an essential part of Africa’s employment challenge and it is where we have to put our focus as a multilateral development bank – Wambui Gichuri, African Development Bank (AfDB)

It is important that governments start looking at entrepreneurship as a fundamental core topic that needs to be integrated into the educational system – Shoroke H. Zedan, World Youth Skills

We need to do whatever it takes to empower our youth because they are the future of the continent – Wambui Gichuri, African Development Bank (AfDB)

We need to acknowledge the fact that while there are a lot of issues in different African countries. We have to be able and willing to share knowledge and see how entrepreneurs can start connecting with others across the continent – – Shoroke H. Zedan, World Youth Skills

We need to rethink how incubators can function in a manner whereby the projects of young entrepreneurs will start complementing each other rather than each one going in a separate direction – Shoroke H. Zedan, World Youth Skills

I am a very proud Tony Elumelu Foundation beneficiary – Bilikiss Adebiyi-Abiola – Founder, Wecyclers and Fellow, Tony Elumelu Foundation

We are a unique continent and so we cannot take the kind of solutions that are working in Europe and America. We have to look at what issues we are facing and try to help out our young people – Bilikiss Adebiyi-Abiola – Founder, Wecyclers and Fellow, Tony Elumelu Foundation

Let us skill our youth, and provide them with the necessary support to improve their business concepts so that they can start to grow and scale their businesses in order to create jobs not just for themselves but for others.        Martha T.M. Phiri, PhD, African Development Bank (AfDB)

COVID-19 has brought to light the enormous vulnerabilities that we have if we don’t create jobs for the youth – Martha T.M. Phiri, PhD, African Development Bank (AfDB)

Let us support government policy measures that aim to strengthen and increase social protection but at the same time enhance governance systems – Martha T.M. Phiri, PhD, African Development Bank (AfDB)

The pandemic has in some ways leveled the playing field – Alexandra Robinson, AISEC

Young people are the ones that are really systematically deeply disproportionately impacted by this pandemic – Alexandra Robinson, AIESEC

Sharing ownership with policymaking and intervention creation and even in delivery interventions can give young people the opportunity to train others – Alexandra Robinson, AIESEC

I advocate for any policy that involves young people as co-owners of the policymaking process. I really believe that when young people are given co-ownership of the table, not just invited to someone else’s, they are able to have those meaningful conversations. Alexandra Robinson, AIESEC

The SMEs are the major contributors to African economies – Ifeyinwa Ugochukwu, Tony Elumelu Foundation

SMEs have a really big job to play in Africa – Martha T.M. Phiri, African Development Bank (AfDB)

I believe we should give more young people a safe place to fail and access to really learn, with real capital, real stakes, real opportunities through success but also through making mistakes to make them the active humble leaders we need in the world – Alexandra Robinson, AIESEC

Transparency is integral to good governance – Leroy Mwasaru – Founder, Greenpact Kenya and Tony Elumelu Foundation Alumnus

Governments must provide policies that enable businesses to thrive. If African countries come together, we will be able to grow resilient sustainable businesses that empower people while protecting the environment – Bilikiss Adebiyi-Abiola – Founder, Wecyclers and Fellow, Tony Elumelu Foundation

It is as a result of sharing what we have been doing that we hope there are less failures and more successes –     Leroy Mwasaru – Founder, Greenpact Kenya and Tony Elumelu Foundation Alumnus

We must not underestimate the level of disruption and uncertainty that young people all over the world have faced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa – Ifeyinwa Ugochukwu, Tony Elumelu Foundation

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