The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) has announced that it will soon commence activities for its flagship entrepreneurship programme for the 2025 cohorts, as revealed in a recent statement from the foundation.

TEF is driving a new wave of entrepreneurship across Africa, equipping ambitious men and women with the resources to tackle challenges, create wealth, and transform their communities.

With the 2025 cohort of Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurs now launched, the foundation reaffirms its commitment to fostering a generation of business leaders who will shape industries, drive innovation, and redefine Africa’s economic landscape.

Ahead of the upcoming announcement, Tony Elumelu, Founder of TEF and Group Chairman of Heirs Holdings, reiterates his unwavering belief in the potential of Africa’s entrepreneurs.

“I believe that Africa’s transformation will not be led by aid, but by empowering the next generation of African entrepreneurs—giving them the tools, the funding, the training, and the networks to build sustainable businesses that create jobs and drive economic growth,” Elumelu stated.

“Over the past decade, we have nurtured entrepreneurs from inception to success, scaling our impact across all 54 African countries. We have provided capital and also developed a robust monitoring and evaluation framework that allows us to track the progress of our entrepreneurs and measure their contributions to their communities and economies.

“No other organisation is implementing entrepreneurship development at this scale across Africa. We have learned, we have refined, and we continue to improve, ensuring that African entrepreneurs—women and men—are at the forefront of solving our continent’s challenges and creating wealth for themselves and their communities,” he added.

Since the inception of its flagship Entrepreneurship Programme in 2015, TEF has lifted over two million Africans out of poverty, providing 2.5 million young entrepreneurs with training through TEFConnect while disbursing more than $100 million in direct funding.

These investments have translated into over 1.5 million direct and indirect jobs, generating more than $4.2 billion in revenue. Across all 54 African countries, TEF continues to break barriers, proving that entrepreneurship is the key to unlocking sustainable economic growth.

Beyond funding, the foundation’s support extends to mentorship, training, and access to global networks, ensuring that African entrepreneurs are not only creating businesses but also leading the charge in economic transformation.

With each new cohort, TEF strengthens its mission to build a self-reliant Africa where entrepreneurship is the driving force behind prosperity.

Source: