The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) has announced the commencement of applications for its 2025 Entrepreneurship Programmes, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at empowering African entrepreneurs and fostering economic growth across the continent.
Applications, open from January 1 to March 1, 2025, must be submitted through TEF’s digital hub, TEFConnect. The programmes target entrepreneurs with innovative business ideas or existing businesses not older than five years. Applicants must be at least 18 years old to qualify.
TEF’s flagship Entrepreneurship Programme continues to offer support for scalable businesses, with a special focus this year on ventures leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and green initiatives. Successful applicants will receive world-class training, expert mentoring, and non-refundable seed capital funding.
Other programmes include the IYBA-WE4A Entrepreneurship Programme, focused on empowering women entrepreneurs in green business sectors in Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, Cameroon, Kenya, Mozambique, Malawi, and Togo. In addition, the Aguka Ideation Programme, developed in collaboration with UNDP Rwanda and Rwanda’s Ministry of Youths and Arts, provides $3,000 in seed capital to Rwandan entrepreneurs aged 18–30 to transform innovative ideas into viable enterprises.
Since its founding in 2010, the Tony Elumelu Foundation has trained over 2.5 million African entrepreneurs via TEFConnect, disbursed over $100 million in funding to 21,000 beneficiaries, and catalyzed the creation of over 800,000 jobs across Africa. The foundation’s work has generated over $4.2 billion in revenue, contributing significantly to the continent’s economic development.
With its emphasis on AI, green entrepreneurship, and women-led businesses, TEF’s 2025 programmes aim to inspire and equip a new generation of African innovators to drive sustainable development and create jobs.
Interested applicants are encouraged to visit TEFConnect to submit their applications and join a transformative network of African entrepreneurs.
