About The tony elumelu foundation
The Tony Elumelu Foundation: Empowering African Entrepreneurs to Create Jobs
The Tony Elumelu Foundation is a private-sector-led philanthropy that aims to empower African entrepreneurs and create jobs on the continent. Founded by Nigerian businessman and philanthropist Tony Elumelu, the foundation provides training, mentorship, funding, and networking opportunities to aspiring entrepreneurs across Africa.
The foundation's mission is to catalyze economic growth in Africa by empowering its young people through entrepreneurship. By providing access to capital, skills training, mentorship, and other resources, the foundation seeks to create a new generation of African entrepreneurs who can drive innovation and job creation on the continent.
One of the key initiatives of the Tony Elumelu Foundation is its Entrepreneurship Programme. This programme provides seed funding of up to $5,000 per entrepreneur as well as business training and mentoring for 12 weeks. The programme has already supported over 9,000 entrepreneurs from all 54 African countries since its inception in 2015.
In addition to its Entrepreneurship Programme, the foundation also runs several other initiatives aimed at promoting entrepreneurship in Africa. These include:
- TEFConnect: an online platform that connects African entrepreneurs with mentors, investors, and other resources.
- TEF Forum: an annual gathering of African entrepreneurs where they can network with each other as well as with investors and policymakers.
- TEF Alumni Network: a community of past participants in the Entrepreneurship Programme who continue to receive support from the foundation even after completing their training.
The impact of these initiatives has been significant. According to a report by Accenture Development Partnerships (ADP), businesses supported by the Tony Elumelu Foundation have created over 2000 jobs across Africa since 2015. In addition, these businesses have generated over $100 million in revenue during this period.
But perhaps even more important than these numbers are some of the individual success stories that have emerged from the foundation's work. For example, there is the story of Temitope Ogunsemo, a Nigerian entrepreneur who founded Krystal Digital Solutions with the help of funding and training from the Tony Elumelu Foundation. Today, Krystal Digital Solutions is a leading provider of educational technology solutions in Nigeria and has expanded to other African countries as well.
Another success story is that of Nneka Mobisson-Etuk, a Nigerian entrepreneur who founded mDoc Healthcare with support from the Tony Elumelu Foundation. mDoc Healthcare provides digital health services to patients across Africa and has been recognized by Forbes as one of Africa's most promising startups.
These are just two examples among many others that demonstrate how the Tony Elumelu Foundation is making a real difference in Africa. By empowering entrepreneurs with skills, resources, and funding, the foundation is helping to create jobs and drive economic growth on the continent.
In conclusion, if you are an aspiring African entrepreneur looking for support to start or grow your business, then The Tony Elumelu Foundation should be at the top of your list. With its Entrepreneurship Programme and other initiatives aimed at promoting entrepreneurship in Africa, this private-sector-led philanthropy offers a unique opportunity for young people across Africa to realize their dreams and make a positive impact on their communities.
tonyelumelufoundation.org
