 We are pleased to announce that applications are now open and that applications are now available for the 8th edition of the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Program. African entrepreneurs can now apply to receive a $5000 grant to scale their businesses.
If you’re a young African entrepreneur with great start-up ideas, the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Program is your golden ticket to achieving your business goals and dreams.
Read on to discover how to apply for this life-changing opportunity as we share all the juicy details about the application process, from eligibility to a successful application.
Let’s get started!
The Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Foundation: What is it About?
The Tony Elumelu Foundation, backed by Tony Elumelu Investment Company heirs holdings, is a non-profit empowerment organization with the aim to train, coach, fund, and introduce African youth to the world of entrepreneurship so as to enhance the development of the African continent.
As a young African entrepreneur with business ideas or an existing business that hasn’t exceeded five years of existence, the Tony Elumelu $5,000 seed capital entrepreneurship program is a great opportunity for you to take your business to the next level.
The foundation was founded in 2010 by Nigerian investor Tony Elumelu and has empowered over 9,000 young entrepreneurs in its previous editions ever since its launch in 2015.
The foundation selects its candidates from applications they receive from all 54 countries in Africa.
The shortlisted candidates are then trained and mentored throughout a 12-week program, at the end of which finalists are funded with a non-refundable first-stage seed capital of $5,000 to set up their planned businesses, and another second-stage returnable investment is made available to candidates whose businesses become successful.
The 2024 ( 8th edition) edition of the TEF program application opens on January 1, 2024, and closes on March 1, 2024.
In this edition of the TEF Connect program, the foundation has decided to carry out the training and funding of 2,000 candidates, 1,000 of whom will be from the 2020 batch that did not commence in previous years after 2020.
Now that you know all about the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Program and how it works, let’s walk you through a simple and straightforward application process.
Keep reading to learn more.
How to apply for the Tony Elumelu $5000 Entrepreneurship Program 2024
- Visit the official TEF Connect website and register.
- After registration, log in to the site,click on programs, and then click on apply for the TEF 2024 program on the homepage.
- Fill out the application form and ensure that you provide the mandatory and updated details required of you. Then click submit.
- An eligibility status that will direct you to whether to proceed with the application process or not will display on the screen and be sent to your email as well.
- If you’re eligible, an email will be sent from the TEF team to guide you on how to kick-start your training.
Note: The application form is divided into personal, business, declaration information, and cognitive assessment. The application form is only available in Arabic, French, and Portuguese.
Members of the TEF team or affiliate companies in the heirs holdings group and their family members are not eligible to apply.
Eligibility for Tony Elumelu $5000 grant
- Applicants must have already established innovative businesses in their early start-up stages for not more than five years or have a very productive business idea.
- Applicants must be African start-up entrepreneurs who have a business or a business idea based in Africa.
- Applicants must be 18 years of age or older and not be considered minors in their country of residence.
Conclusion
As you prepare to apply for the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme, remember that this is more than just a chance to receive funding; it’s an opportunity to join a community of like-minded entrepreneurs who are committed to making a difference in Africa and beyond. Ensure you meet the eligibility criteria before applying, and make sure you provide all the mandatory information about your personal life and business to make your application process hassle-free.
The application process may seem daunting, but it’s worth it to have the chance to turn your ideas into reality and take your business to greater heights.
