About the programme
The Tony Elumelu Foundation's flagship programme selects African entrepreneurs with innovative, high-potential business ideas or young businesses. Selected participants receive business management training, mentor pairing, coaching masterclasses, business plan support and non-returnable seed capital, and join the TEF alumni network. Applications are made through the TEFConnect platform each year.
Eligibility
- Must be African, aged 18 or above
- Must reside in Africa and plan to establish the business in Africa
- Must have a business idea, or a business no older than 5 years
- Must never have benefitted from a previous TEF programme
- Must not have applied in the same application window of the same year
- Must pass the business assessment test with the minimum score
- Sign in to check these against your background.
What they look for
- Feasibility, market opportunity, financial understanding, scalability and leadership are considered in selection
What you receive
- Non-returnable seed capital of USD 5,000
- Business management training
- Mentoring (mentors pair with up to three mentees)
- Coaching masterclasses
- Business plan development support
- Professional networking and TEF alumni network access
What you will need
- Business assessment test
- Business idea and experience information
- Declaration
- High-resolution headshot
- Valid government-issued ID showing date of birth and photo
How to apply
- Register and submit application on TEFConnect (window opens 1 January, closes 1 March)
- Due diligence and third-party review
- Shortlisting and verification, including World-Check screening and physical verification
- Participation confirmation notified around 22 March
- Onboarding, business management training and mentoring
- Investment readiness: business plan, financial projections and pitch video
- Seed capital disbursement and alumni onboarding
Applications are submitted on Tony Elumelu Foundation’s own site. Open Doors helps you prepare; it is not the official application portal.
From people who applied
No notes yet.
Source and verification
- Official source
- Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme · Application
- Last checked
- 13 Nov 2026, read automatically from the official page
- Recently changed
- Funding updated. Eligibility updated. Requirements updated
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