Tony Elumelu Foundation Flagship Entrepreneurship Program 2025

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This is to announce to the individuals that Tony Elemelu Flagship Entrepreneurship application form for the year 2025 is out.

Tony Elemelu Flagship Entrepreneuship-Program

Through the TEF Flagship Entrepreneurship Programme, the Foundation supports African entrepreneurs and the entrepreneurship ecosystem in 54 African nations. The training is open to all entrepreneurs with enterprises that are between 0 and 5 years old. We encourage applications from both AI-enabled and green businesses.

The Tony Elumelu Foundation was established in 2010 with the objective of accelerating Africa’s economic transformation through entrepreneurial development. Since the inception of the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme in 2015, the Foundation has reached over 1.5 million young Africans through its digital hub, TEFConnect, and disbursed USD$100 million in direct funding to 20,000 young African women and men, who have collectively created 400,000 jobs and generated US$2.5 billion in revenue.

The TEF Entrepreneurship Programme seeks out exceptional African entrepreneurs with start-ups or business ideas that have the potential for growth. The TEF Entrepreneurship Programme will be given in various phases, as indicated below:

  • Application phase
  • Training Phase
  • Business Plan, Financials,  Pitch Video Submission and Review Phase
  • Sees Capital Phase

TEF Flagship Entrepreneurship Program

  Application Deadline   March 1, 2025
  Funding type   Entrepreneurs
  Sponsor   Tony Elemelu Foundation

 

Benefits of TEF Flagship Entrepreneurship Program

Business Training: Once Successful Applicants are onboarded, they will progress to the training stage and be provided access to attend the Foundation’s exclusive TEF Business Management Training Program

  • The selected entrepreneurs from the Pitching Competition will be contacted by email.
  • The Seed Capital will be disbursed electronically into the selected entrepreneurs’ business bank accounts. Banking and other charges may apply and will not be funded by the Foundation. As a result, the total amount received may be less than $5,000 USD equivalent. TEF Partner-supported entrepreneurs will receive seed funding in accordance with partner commitments, which will be disclosed in due course to Program Participants who will be sponsored by partners.
  • Within 60 days of receiving complete and accurate business registration paperwork and business bank account data, as well as for any future initiation of Seed Capital, the Seed Capital will be disbursed by payment into the Selected Entrepreneurs’ Business Bank Account.
  • It will be necessary for selected entrepreneurs to open business bank accounts. The business bank account must be opened in the African nation where the business is registered and should be in the name of the business or business idea for which the applicant was accepted into the program.The promoter is prohibited from paying the funds into a personal bank account or any other bank account that does not have the same name as the business for which the program participant completed the program or that differs from the business registration name supplied. The funds may only be paid in US dollars or the local currency of the country where the business bank account is held.
  • To obtain seed capital, the Promoter will use a globally recognized Know-Your-Customer (KYC) renowned risk intelligence platform, among other things, as part of a mandated due diligence procedure for selected entrepreneurs.
  • All applicable program conditions, such as submitting the necessary paperwork by the deadline and adhering to all due diligence procedures, must be met by the chosen entrepreneurs.

Selection Process

The Programme is made up of the following stages all of which form the Programme cycle:

Application Process:

  • Successful applicants are those who complete the application form, meet the minimal application score requirements, and are accepted into the programme.
  • Successful applicants will be enrolled in the TEF Business Management Training Program.
  • Unsuccessful applicants will be directed to do the TEF General Business Training on TEFConnect and will be able to reapply to other TEF programmes.

Verification & Onboarding:

  • The Promoter will verify and onboard the applicants. Verification will entail the Applicant submitting the relevant documentation in order for the Promoter to determine the status of the Business or Business Idea, as well as the applicant’s identification.
  • Successful applicants who do not meet the verification standards will be removed from the programme and notified by email.
  • Programme Participants are not permitted to appoint their Business Partners to carry out any aspects of the Programme. All trainings, duties, and activities associated with the Programme will be carried out solely by Programme Participants. However, Programme Participants may share training points with their business partners in order to institutionalize the training for the success of the business or business idea.
  • TEF Business Management Training Programme™ participants’ progress will be tracked and assessed. The training will be provided in English, French, Portuguese, and Arabic.
  • After the final week of the TEF Business Management Training Programme, participants will be evaluated, and the top scorers will be notified via email that they will be moving on to the Business Plan preparation stage.
  • Participants who do not complete this stage or do not go beyond this stage of the Programme will be withdrawn and notified via email.

Business Plan Preparation & Submission

  • Participants in the TEF Business Management Training Programme will be provided with a business plan template to help them create a business plan document for review and assessment. This review and assessment will use appropriate measures such as feasibility and sustainability. Programme participants must submit their Business Plans by the deadline in order to be considered for the next round of the program.
  • The scoring Programme Participants from this stage will be notified by email and will move on to the Pitching Competition round.
  • Any Programme Participant who does not complete this stage of the Programme or is not successful at this stage will be removed from the Programme and notified of removal via email.

Pitching Competition

  • Top-scoring programme Participants who are selected from the business plan stage will compete in the Pitching Competition, where they will pitch their business plans to a panel of judges or submit their pitch videos to the Promoter.
  • Top-scoring Programme Participants in the Pitching Competition will be chosen based on predetermined criteria and will be eligible to receive Seed Capital.
  • Programme Participants who were not chosen for the Pitching Competition to receive Seed Capital will be notified via email and classified as TEF Trainees.
  • Any Programme Participant who does not complete this stage of the programme will be removed from the Programme and notified by email.

Application Documents

The other documents required are listed below:

  • Business Registration Document/ Certificate
  • Evidence of tax registration (Must include business name)
  • Bank reference letter (The name on the business registration certificate must match the name on the bank reference letter)
  • Partner’s Consent form (If you run your business with a partner) and the ID card of your partner must be provided.
  • Medical report from a reputable hospital for participants who thrive with disability.

Upload an original government-approved ID card (it must be one of the following).

  • National Identity Card Date of birth and photo must be visible)
  • National Driver’s license
  • Permanent Voters’ card
  • International passport

Application Deadline

March 1, 2025

How to Apply

Interested and qualified? Go to Tony Elumelu Foundation on tefconnect3production.azurewebsites.net to apply

  •  Applications for the Programme shall open on TEFConnect from 12.01 am (GMT + 1) on January 1, 2025 (GMT + 1) and close at midnight on the 1st of March 2025(the “Application Window”).
  • Applicants must create an account and fill out an online admission form, which includes answering mandatory questions and uploading required documents. During the application procedure, applicants must provide email addresses; however, email addresses once provided cannot be changed for the duration of the programme.
  • After submitting the application, the Applicant will receive an email confirming receipt within one business day. Once submitted, applications cannot be changed or edited.
  • Only applications received during the Application Window will be considered. No corruption, flaw, failure, or delay in the delivery of any email, text, or other form of communication to or from the Promoter shall entitle.
  • Applicants are not needed to make any purchases or payments in order to use TEFConnect, submit an application, or become eligible for the Programme. To be clear, the Programme excludes any personal charges that are not clearly stated in these Terms and Conditions.
  • The Promoter does not employ third parties to act on its behalf, to help or support Applicants’ participation in any of the Programme stages or to complete any assigned assignment for them.
  • Each Applicant is only entitled to submit one Application for a Business Idea or Business.
  • All applications must be filed directly by the Applicant whose Business Idea or Business is being submitted to the Programme.
  • The Applicants are responsible for ensuring that they can participate in the Programme as described in these Terms and Conditions. They must also give evidence of consent from partners, directors, and shareholders for their participation as business representatives.

The following Applications shall be rejected and not considered:

  • Multiple applications for the same program submitted by the same applicant, whether using the same or different identities, email addresses, Business Idea, or Business.
  • Applications from TEF Alumni or their Business Partners.
  • Applications from individuals who have been disqualified from any previous TEF programme.
  • Applications created with means such as a macro, script, automated devices or processors, or another type of digital instrument to get an unfair edge.
  • Bulk and third-party entries.
  • Incomplete and inaccurate applications.
  • The Promoter accepts no responsibility for Applications that are late, lost, misdirected, damaged, or delayed due to any type of network, computer hardware, or software problem.
  • The Promoter maintains the right to verify the validity of entries and disqualify any Applicant who tampers with the entry process.
  • By applying, Applicants accept that other Applicants may have developed ideas and concepts identical to their entry, and that they will not be entitled to any remuneration or the opportunity to negotiate with the Promoter on such concerns.
  • Incomplete and incorrect applications.
  • Applications which contain illegal or unethical Businesses or Business Ideas.

For more enquiries, visit TEF webpage

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