Founder, Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), Tony Elumelu said the foundation has trained 1.5 million young Africans on entrepreneurship.
Speaking yesterday at the Hybrid Launch of Generation Unlimited (GENU) Sahel: ‘A Leap for Sahel Youth’, he said TEF remains grassroots galvanizer for entrepreneurship development.
“We have trained 1.5 million young Africans across the continent. TEF provides $5,000 non-refundable fund to the youths for entrepreneurship. The young Africans have created direct and indirect jobs across the continent,” he said.
He explained that the Tony Elumelu Foundation is pleased to be co-implementors and grassroots galvanisers for this critical Gen-U Sahel Programme.
“Through our TEFConnect.com platform, we have trained 1.5million young Africans across the continent. Through our annual TEF Entrepreneurship Programme which provides $5000 non-refundable seed capital, business management training and mentorship for young entrepreneurs to scale their enterprises, we have funded 10,898 entrepreneurs across Africa,” he said.
Elumelu said that the young African entrepreneurs have gone on to create over 400,000 direct and indirect jobs across Africa.
“Through our intervention, we were able to create small businesses, and generate economic hope in the youth, channeling their creativity and skills to transform the Sahel region. More than two million people in this region have been forced to flee their homes, with millions more losing their sources of livelihoods,” he stated.
Elumelu said that the Sahel region is one of the world’s most challenging and complex contexts.
According to him, the event will mobilize key partners to address the critical role of youth in contributing to peace, security, stability, and economic growth in the Sahel.
“Generation Unlimited (GenU) Sahel will upscale youth programs and initiatives in the Sahel region under the aegis of the United Nations Secretary General’s Special Coordinator for the Sahel and the GenU CEO. The public and private sector will partner with youth to connect 100 million Sahelian youth (50 per cent of whom are young women) to skilling, employment, entrepreneurship, and social impact opportunities by 2030,” he said.
