Calling Start-up African Entrepreneurs: Apply for the 2020 Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme

· Sixth Year of Programme and Tenth Anniversary of Foundation see Significant Enhancements to the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme

· Creating a Personalised Entrepreneurship Journey for Applicants and Greatly Increased Access to Programme and Knowledge Base

· Applications made through TEFConnect, Africa’s largest digital entrepreneurship network

The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) has opened its application portal ( www.tefconnect.com ) for applications from African entrepreneurs across all African countries, for the 2020 cohort of the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme. In 2019, 3,050 African entrepreneurs benefited from the Programme, a number which will meaningfully increase in 2020.

The TEF Entrepreneurship Programme is open to startup entrepreneurs, with innovative business ideas or businesses that have been in existence for less than 3 years, in any sector, from across Africa. The Programme is the $100 million commitment by African investor and philanthropist, Tony O. Elumelu to empower 10,000 entrepreneurs in 10 years, with the goal of creating millions of jobs and new revenue on the continent. The programme implements Mr Elumelu’s Africapitalism philosophy, which positions the private sector as the catalyst for African economic transformation, and an investment approach that values the creation of both social and economic wealth.

Tony O. Elumelu, CON, Founder, Tony Elumelu Foundation and Dr. Awele Elumelu, Trustee, Tony Elumelu Foundation surrounded by African Entrepreneurs at the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Forum.

In commemoration of its 10th year anniversary, the Foundation will announce further enhancements to the Programme, providing additional benefits to Africa’s rapidly growing youth demographic. The changes in the 2020 TEF Entrepreneurship Programme emphasise a personalised entrepreneurship journey for every applicant and opening the platform to ensure a higher number of people trained, amplifying the Programme’s impact and reach. In just five years, the Programme has empowered over 9,000 beneficiaries from all 54 African countries, with training, mentorship and seed funding.

Speaking at the launch of the 2020 TEF Entrepreneurship Programme, Ifeyinwa Ugochukwu, CEO of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, said: “The transformation of Africa begins with empowering our young African entrepreneurs. With the recent enhancements made to our Programme and our growing list of partners, the Tony Elumelu Foundation is significantly increasing its impact across the continent. We encourage all startup African entrepreneurs across the 54 African countries to apply for the Programme, as we continue to empower the very best ideas that will create the much needed employment and revenue on the continent”.

The multilingual Application Portal is open on TEFConnect.com, the digital networking platform for African entrepreneurs, from January 1 to March 1, 2020.