Tony Elumelu Foundation Announces 2018 TEF Fellowship
Today, the Tony Elumelu Foundation; one of Africa’s most audacious projects supporting entrepreneurship, announced that on 1st of January, 2018, it will begin accepting applications from outstanding African entrepreneurs who have a start-up or business ideas with high growth potential for the 4th cycle of the TEF entrepreneurship programme. The message read in full;
"On 1st of January 2018, at 12am, WAT, we will begin accepting applications for the 4th cycle of the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme. Outstanding African entrepreneurs who have start-ups or business ideas with high-growth potential are encouraged to apply".
The Programme is the Founder’s $100 million commitment to identify, train, mentor and fund 10,000 African entrepreneurs in 10 years; creating 1,000,000 jobs and $10 billion in social and economic wealth in the process.
After three cycles, the Programme – the only African-funded business development initiative of its kind – has received 158,000 applications from African entrepreneurs in 107 countries, including every nation of Africa,
Empowered nearly 3,000 businesses with 12-weeks of online training; world-class mentoring; access to TEF’s network of start-ups; and seed capital of $5,000.
It has also invested a total of $14,235,000, including $4,270,500 in agriculture; $1,285,000 in ICT, $1,245,000 in education and training; and $7,400,000 more in start-ups across 19 other sectors
Some of the inspiring testimonials shared by alumni include:
“Being a part of the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme has helped me become very bold and daring. The programme helped my networking skills and gave me the opportunity to think beyond my imagination. The funding helped me increase my business- I got more farming land and that’s how I also opened the fresh mart. I moved from being a venture with one employee to about 20 employees” – Vitumbiko Zgambo
“When my entrepreneurship journey started two years ago, it found me struggling as an entrepreneur to take my business to another level. Two years later with an injection of just 5000 dollars, I am quickly following in your footsteps and inspiring young people into entrepreneurship. I am now often invited to several youth conventions.” — Cherop Joel Zak
“The Tony Elumelu Foundation is one of the best Foundations I have come in contact with. Having participated in the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme in 2016 opened my eyes to what it means to run a business in the 21st Century. Thanks for having me as an Alumni of your Flagship Programme”. — Chikwe O.
The TEF Programme is open to citizens and legal residents of all African countries with businesses based in Africa, less than three years old, including new startups.
“As an entrepreneur myself, I understand what it feels like to yearn for a lifeline, to hope for a ‘big break. In turn, I have set out to institutionalize luck with the Foundation and give back to the continent of Africa. I am pleased the Programme is already unleashing Africa’s entrepreneurs and driving economic transformation,” said TEF Founder, Tony O. Elumelu, CON.
Comments