TEF Opens Applications For 2025 Entrepreneurship Programmes

The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), has said it has begun receiving applications for its 2025 Entrepreneurship Programmes, as it called on aspiring and existing entrepreneurs from across Africa are invited to apply for a chance to receive world-class training, expert mentoring, and non-refundable seed capital funding to scale their businesses.
In a statement by the foundation, the foundation said it opening applications for different programmes this year. Among the programmes open for application is the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) Entrepreneurship Programme which is the flagship TEF Entrepreneurship Programme is open to all entrepreneurs across Africa with innovative business ideas or existing businesses not older than five years. The foundation noted that this year, there is a special emphasis on businesses leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) and green initiatives. Applicants must be at least 18 years old.
Applications are also being received for t the IYBA-WE4A Entrepreneurship Programme. Launched by the Tony Elumelu Foundation in partnership with the European Union (EU) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), IYBA-WE4A stands for Investing in Young Businesses in Africa – Women Entrepreneurship for Africa and is exclusively for women entrepreneurs with green business ideas or existing green businesses in Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, Cameroon, Kenya, Mozambique, Malawi, and Togo. For the IYBA-WE4A, applicants must be at least 18 years old, with businesses not exceeding five years in operation.
There is also the Aguka Ideation Entrepreneurship Programme which is a partnership with the Tony Elumelu Foundation, UNDP Rwanda and the Rwandan Ministry of Youths and Arts to support young Rwandan entrepreneurs between 18 -30 with business ideas with a seed capital of $3000, with the aim of nurturing and developing innovative concepts into viable enterprises.
Eligible to African entrepreneurs with scalable business ideas or existing businesses not older than five years. Applications which opened on January 1, 2025 and remain open up till March 1, 2025, are to be submitted through TEF’s proprietary digital hub, TEFConnect.