Alumni of the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) Entrepreneurship Programme have applauded the founder and chairman of Heirs Holdings, Mr. Tony Elumelu, on his 60th birthday, for impacting  their lives and businesses through his foundation. 

The alumni, who came from different parts of Africa to grace a Symposium organised in honour of the Africapitalist, at the United Bank for Africa(UBA) headquarter in Marina, Lagos, yesterday, acknowledged the impacts of the funding they got from TEF on their respective businesses, disclosing that, their  ventures have expanded as a result of the financial support, thereby, creating thousands of direct and indirect jobs across Africa. 

The foundation was launched in 2010 while Tef Entrepreneurship Programme was launched in 2015, and from then till now, Tony Elumelu Foundation has trained over 1.5million young Africans on its digital hub-TEFConnect- and disbursed over $100 million in direct funding to 18,000 young African women and men who have collectively created over 400,000 direct and indirect jobs. 

Speaking at the event, one of the funding beneficiaries, Mr. Temitayo Johnson Olaleye from Nigeria said, his firm specialises in youth empowerment and that, through the funding he got from TEF, his business is expanding to Ghana, UK, US, among others. 

Similarly, Gloria from Congo said, her firm is into fabrics in 2016. In 2018, she got seed capital of $5,000 from TEF which has allowed her grow the business to an enviable height, even though, the business faced distortion during Covid-19, she has restrategised, using the knowledge she earned through the Tef Entrepreneurship programme.

Moreover, Monica Bolingo from The Gambia said, through the foundation’s funding support, her firm has expanded and has now employed 21 people, thereby, creating jobs for the Gambians. 

In the same vein, Sadiq Badamosi from Benin, said, his company, So Clean, has tripled sales through the $5,000 funding he got from the foundation in 2021. 

There were testimonies from other entrepreneurs who came from Cameroon, Ghana, Liberia, among others, to appreciate Elumelu for the impact his foundation have had on their respective businesses, praying that, he lives more years on earth to continue to provide financial and moral supports to African entrepreneurs in a bid to create wealth, provide jobs and reduce poverty across countries on the continent.

However, his wife, Dr. Awele Elumelu, applauded her husband for the impact he has made in the lives of people across African continent with his philanthropic gesture as well as his investment acumen, that have created several business empires out of his investment. 

Stating that, despite his tight schedule, he always finds time for his family, she gave glory to God for giving her such a person as husband, assuring that, her husband is not tired to continue to expand his kind gesture to create many entrepreneurs out of Africa. 

Meanwhile, his daughter, Oge Elumelu said, her dad has also been a good adviser to her, socially, academically and career-wise. As her dad turns 60, she prayed to God to continue to grant him many more years, doing what God calls him to do. 

TEF is a leading philanthropy empowering new generation of African entrepreneurs, catalysing job creation across all 54 African countries and increasing women economic empowerment. 

Tony Elumelu is regarded as one of Africa’s leading investors and philanthropists.  Aside being the founder and chairman of Heirs Holdings, he is also the chairman of UBA, a bank that operates in 20 countries across Africa, United Kingdom, France, UAE and United States. He is equally the founder and chairman of Heirs Oil and Gas, among.