All African entrepreneurs with business ideas or already-existing companies are eligible to apply for the TEF Flagship Entrepreneurship Program.
TEF welcomes applications from companies using AI as well as eco-friendly companies. Business registration for already-existing companies cannot be more than five years old at the time of application. Candidates must be at least eighteen.
You will learn more about the eligibility criteria, benefits and how to apply for the 2025 Tony Elumelu Foundation TEF Entrepreneurship Programme in this post.
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Summary of 2025 Tony Elumelu Foundation TEF Entrepreneurship Programme
| Company | Tony Elumelu Foundation TEF |
| Category | Grants |
| Eligible Countries: | African Countries |
| Benefits: | $5,000 | Business Training |
| Start Date: | Tue Dec 31 2024 |
| End Date: | Fri Feb 28 2025 |
About Tony Elumelu Foundation TEF
The Tony Elumelu Foundation is a major philanthropic organization that empowers a new generation of African entrepreneurs, drives poverty eradication, catalyzes job creation in all 54 African countries, and increases women’s economic empowerment.
Since the inception of the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme in 2015, the Foundation has trained over 1.5 million young Africans on its digital hub, TEFConnect, and provided over USD$100 million in direct funding to 20,000 young African women and men, who have created over 400,000 direct and indirect jobs.
The Foundation’s mission is based on Africapitalism, which sees the private sector, particularly entrepreneurs, as a catalyst for Africa’s social and economic growth.
Available programmes for application in January 2025?
The following programmes Tony Elumelu Foundation TEF will/are open(ed) to apply for January 2025
TEF Flagship Entrepreneurship Program:
Open to all African entrepreneurs with company ideas or established firms. We encourage applications from both AI-enabled and green businesses.
Existing enterprises must have a business registration that is less than five years old when they apply.
The applicant must be at least 18 years old.
The IYBA-WE4A Entrepreneurship Programme
This Programme is only open to women entrepreneurs with green business ideas or current green firms in Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, Cameroon, Kenya, Mozambique, Malawi, and Togo. Existing enterprises must have a business registration that is less than five years old when they apply. The applicant must be at least 18 years old.
Aguka Ideation Programme:
Open to Rwandan entrepreneurs aged 18 to 30 who are in the idea stage of their firms.
BeGreen Africa Programme:
This program is open to entrepreneurs with green businesses in Nigeria, Senegal, and South Africa, as well as waste management businesses in Kenya.
For existing businesses, registration must not be more than five years old at the time of application. Applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 35.
Eligibility Criteria For Businesses
Businesses that are between 0 and 5 years old at the time of application are eligible for all programs.
Companies that are more than five years old are ineligible. However, only Rwandan business owners whose ventures are still in the idea stage are eligible for the Aguka Ideation Program.
How Do I Apply For 2025 Tony Elumelu Foundation TEF Entrepreneurship Programme?
- Applications will be accepted online at www.tefconnect.com from January 1st until midnight on March 1st, 2025.
- Please make sure to finish your application well in advance of the deadline.
- You can apply for any of the programme depending on your country or gender, kindly read each of the eligibility for business applications
Step By Step Application Guide for the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme
Kindly follow the steps below to apply for the 2025 Tony Elumelu Foundation TEF Entrepreneurship Programme
- Click on the “Apply Now” button below to access the TEF connect application page
- Read through the requirements for the various programme available
- Click on “Start Application” under the program you are qualified to apply for
- Click on Create an account to sign up for an account with TEF connect portal and complete the account sign up form
- You will receive a confirmation message to Verify your email, go to your email inbox and click on the verification link sent to you
- Now your account has been opened, you can now login to your account using your email and password, once you login, you will be asked to choose a Prefered Language
- Please select a language you are most fluent in, this will be the default language for assessing your application
- Select profile type by choosing entrepreneur, then proceed
- You will be taken to your dashboard, click on Start Application under the programme that you are eligible for
Other Important information
- 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 an Applicant to an extension of the Application deadline, or to make any other type of claim.
- 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 does not include any personal costs.
- 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.
Application closing date: Fri Feb 28 2025