General News
Elumelu Foundation Holds Bootcamo for 1,000 African Entrepreneurs
As part of Tony Elumelu’s $100 million commitment to empowering African entrepreneurs, 1,000 Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurs, representing 51 African countries from the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme (TEEP) Class of 2015, converged near Lagos, Nigeria for an intensive two-day bootcamp session, an unprecedented gathering of emerging African entrepreneurs, from 10-12 July, 2015.
The entrepreneurs travelled from across the continent – from as far as Madagascar and Morocco – and convened in Ota, Nigeria for an entrepreneurship bootcamp made up of interactive sessions with successful entrepreneurs, political and business leaders, and an open mic session with Tony O. Elumelu, founder.
Gambian Badje Modou Lamin, whose business is in the agricultural sector, said, “The bootcamp has been a great experience. I have been able to exchange ideas with a number of entrepreneurs. This has really changed my perspective on Africa.”
Maalainine Mohamed Bouya, from Morocco, said: “The bootcamp has been a blast! Right from our journey from the airport down to the bootcamp, we have been discussing and sharing ideas among ourselves. Africa has huge potential.”
Nigerian Obinna Chukwu, said: “The bootcamp has been a wonderful experience – I have met people from all over Africa. It makes me proud of being a Nigerian. I thank Tony Elumelu and the Tony Elumelu Foundation for making this happen.”
Mr. Elumelu, chairman of Heirs Holdings, spoke on his life experiences and the principles that he learned from mentors, such as Chief Ebitimi Banigo, that he applied towards his own successful entrepreneurship journey. He answered an array of questions during a two-hour question-and-answer session, offering perspective on innovation, strategy, governance, financial management and decision-making.
He said: “Entrepreneurship is not a short-term journey and I am pleased that we can help these emerging leaders, as they seek to join me in transforming Africa. My commitment towards creating a thousand new entrepreneurs who can change Africa forever, has now become a reality. This is only the beginning.”
Vice President of Nigeria Professor Yemi Osinbajo, welcomed the entrepreneurs from across Africa and called on them to take advantage of the networks built in Ota to develop pan African investment and trade networks.
According to Vice President Osinbajo, “This programme deserves all the commendation it is getting. Tony Elumelu has courageously put his money where his mouth is. Societies can’t develop without social entrepreneurs. I charge you to be little Elumelus and create opportunities for others.”
The Vice President was joined by other senior political leaders including Kaduna Governor Nasiru El Rufai, and Lionel Zinsou, the Prime Minister of Benin Republic.
Other speakers included Parminder Vir, OBE, CEO of the Tony Elumelu Foundation; Mo Abudu, Founder/CEO of Ebony Life TV; Nollywood screen icon Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde; Nimi Akinkugbe, CEO, Bestman Games; Rasheed Olaoluwa, CEO of the Bank of Industry; former SEC DG Arunma Oteh; inspirational coach Lanre Olusola; Martin Eigbike, Accenture Development Partnerships; governance expert Angela Aneke; playwright and producer Adewale Ajadi; Sam Nwanze, the Heirs Holdings Director of Finance and Investments; and David Rice, Director of the Africapitalism Institute.
The Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurs of the TEEP Class of 2015 represent 51 African countries and territories. They cover all of Africa’s geopolitical regions – North, East, Southern, Central and West Africa – and major language blocs – Anglophone, Francophone, Lusophone, and Arabic Africa – as well as every state in Nigeria.
They represent a diversity of sectors that range from agriculture to education to energy, fashion and ICT, emphasising Africa’s potential.
In his goodwill message to the visiting Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurs, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR wrote, “I am proud that Nigeria (and a Nigerian) is taking the lead in this effort to promote self-worth, encourage entrepreneurship, create jobs, build and promote networks for intra-African trade, business collaboration and investment. Our Administration is committed to unlocking all such opportunities to restore dignity to our people. This programme is one example I hope others will emulate and I commend Tony Elumelu and his Foundation for their endeavor and leadership in this area. “
As he closed the bootcamp, Mr Elumelu challenged all the entrepreneurs by saying, “I want to go to Zambia when I am 80 years old and meet someone who shows me their manufacturing business or financial institution and tells me that it was built starting with $10k from Tony Elumelu. That’s what this is about and that’s what you owe me.”
He added, “The return I want from this $100 million investment is your success, because your success is Africa’s success.”
After the bootcamp, the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme will focus on providing the seed capital and support for the entrepreneurs to put into practice the knowledge gained from the bootcamp and the 12 weeks of training carried out prior to the event.
It will also continue to foster increased collaboration between them and the rest of the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Network as it seeks to promote cross-border trade within the continent.
The application portal will re-open on January 1, 2016 for emerging entrepreneurs across Africa to compete for places in the TEEP Class of 2016.
Abba Aliyu, the Chief Executive Officer, Rural Electrification Agency (REA), says the agency has provided electricity access to about eight million Nigerians out of the 90 million people said to be without electricity supply.
He stated that the electricity provision was made under the Nigeria Electrification Project in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to close the energy deficit gap. He added that the agency planned to ensure that many more Nigerian benefit from the scheme in 2025.
Aliyu said: “There are reports that many Nigerians don’t have access to electricity. But under the Nigeria Electrification Project, we have provided electricity to eight million Nigerians. We also have a programme that is targeting 17.5 million people. So, in three years 17.5 million people will also be out of darkness.
“We are currently working on deploying 42 interconnected mini-grids, and six have already been completed in Osun, Plateau, Cross River, and Niger State. “We are moving away from the traditional concept of government issuing contracts. What we are doing is incentivising the private sector to deploy infrastructure.
This ensures sustainability because they have their own money at stake.” He added: “It is a myth to continuously think that government infrastructure is deployed and not working. The projects we are deploying, more especially those under the private sector, are working.
“Part of the discussion during the President’s visit to Japan was a $190m co-financing agreement with JICA for the distributed access programme. That will provide electricity to an additional 1.83 million Nigerians.
“Before this administration, the country only had 120 megawatts of solar assembly capacity. Today, we have over 600 megawatts, and with new projects signed, Nigeria will soon hit close to three gigawatts. This shows that dependence on imported panels is being reversed.”
Exhibitors at the recently concluded Fidelity Nigeria International Trade & Creative Connect (FNITCC) in Atlanta, Georgia have lauded the event as a transformative platform for showcasing Nigerian non-oil exports and businesses on the global stage.
Hosted by Fidelity Bank Plc in collaboration with AFRICON from September 18 to 20, 2025, FNITCC brought together innovative, export-ready Nigerian enterprises across diverse sectors—including fashion, arts, manufacturing, and technology—creating a vibrant space for commerce, connection, and cultural celebration.
Praised for its energy and flawless execution, FNITCC Atlanta 2025 marked a significant leap forward from previous editions. With increased attendance, enhanced booth setups, and deeper engagement, participants described the experience as “a clear step up” and “more impactful than ever.”
“It was an honor to exhibit among such a vibrant community of creatives, entrepreneurs, and cultural ambassadors. We left FNITCC 2025 with new customers, meaningful connections, and a renewed sense of purpose. Well done to Fidelity Bank for championing Nigerian businesses and bridging global markets,” shared the By Nuga Designs team.
Exhibitors also highlighted the power of community and resilience, recounting moments of spontaneous international deals and heartfelt support.
“Last year, I was devastated when our goods didn’t arrive on time,” one exhibitor recalled. “But this year, even in my absence, my fellow AWE sisters stepped in. A surprise visit from a buyer led to an impromptu video-call deal that changed everything. FNITCC reminded me that connections often matter more than sales.”
Gratitude flowed freely for the Fidelity Bank team and the behind-the-scenes contributors who ensured the event’s success.
“On behalf of FSGF AFRICA LTD, I extend our deepest gratitude to Fidelity Bank for hosting such a wonderful event,” said another exhibitor. “To the Fidelity team—your warmth, professionalism, and commitment made this experience truly remarkable.”
FNITCC 2025 also celebrated Nigerian excellence and the rising influence of women-led businesses.
“Wow! Sisters online, making the impossible possible! This is the Africa we want. Nigerians are believing in Made-in-Nigeria products—and that belief is powerful,” shared one emotionally moved participant.
“Fidelity is carving out a big slice in Nigeria’s story of entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship—and doing it with focus,” added another.
Reflecting on the vision behind FNITCC, Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, Managing Director and CEO of Fidelity Bank Plc, reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to expanding Nigeria-U.S. trade beyond oil. She noted that while Nigeria’s non-oil exports currently stand at under $5 billion annually, the potential is immense. “At Fidelity Bank, we believe access to global markets is a pathway to shared prosperity. That belief inspired the creation of FNITCC,” she said.
FNITCC 2025 demonstrated that when Nigerian innovation meets global opportunity, extraordinary outcomes follow. As Fidelity Bank continues to invest in platforms that amplify local talent and drive cross-border growth, the future of Nigerian enterprise shines brighter than ever.
Ranked among the best banks in Nigeria, Fidelity Bank Plc is a full-fledged Commercial Deposit Money Bank serving over 9.1 million customers through digital banking channels, its 255 business offices in Nigeria and United Kingdom subsidiary, FidBank UK Limited.
The Bank is the recipient of multiple local and international Awards, including the 2024 Excellence in Digital Transformation & MSME Banking Award by BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards; the 2024 Most Innovative Mobile Banking Application award for its Fidelity Mobile App by Global Business Outlook, and the 2024 Most Innovative Investment Banking Service Provider award by Global Brands Magazine. Additionally, the Bank was recognized as the Best Bank for SMEs in Nigeria by the Euromoney Awards for Excellence and as the Export Financing Bank of the Year by the BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards.
BlackHouse Media (BHM) in partnership with Allison Worldwide, and The King’s Trust Group has announced the stellar line-up of speakers for the second edition of the exclusive Africa Breakfast Conversations (ABC), taking place on Friday, 26 September 2025 at the World Trade Center, New York, on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 80).
Headlining the event is an exclusive fireside chat featuring one of Africa’s most influential business leaders, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede — Chairman of Access Bank, CEO of Coronation Group, and a member of The King’s Trust Africa Advisory Board. Aig-Imoukhuede, one of Africa’s most respected bankers and investors, and his session will focus on Africa’s Investment Landscape, exploring high-impact investment opportunities, bridging African entrepreneurs to global capital, and unlocking Africa’s youth as an investment engine.
Under the theme “African Innovation: Building Together for Sustainable Development,” this high-level gathering will unite influential voices from business, government, technology, media, and philanthropy to explore how African-led innovation and cross-sector partnerships can fast-track progress toward the UN SDGs.
The 2025 edition features high-level conversations, including a panel titled, Generation Potential — Powering Africa’s Youth Through Nutrition, Skills, Access & Opportunity. This panel session will feature bold conversation on fueling Africa’s future through nutrition, education, and opportunity and will feature the following panelists:
- Wawira Njiru, Founder & CEO, Food4Education; delivering 500,000+ daily subsidised school meals in Kenya while building local supply chains and creating jobs for youths and women.
- Geoffrey Kasangaki, CEO, Asante Africa Foundation; equipping 800,000+ rural youth with life skills, leadership training, and job readiness training to accelerate classroom learning and develop future leaders, confident job seekers and innovative entrepreneurs.
- Abeiku Greene, Outgoing Executive Director, Junior Achievement Ghana; preparing over 200,000 youth for the future of work through financial literacy and entrepreneurship education.
- Ben Ovio, Chief Responsibility Executive, ENDIP International, advancing education, youth enterprise development, technical vocational skills training, and community empowerment to create sustainable impact across West and East Africa.
The panel will be moderated by Claudine Moore, Managing Director, Africa, Allison Worldwide and one of ABC’s hosts.
Panel two will focus on Africa’s Role in the Future of Technology, Media, AI & Finance, exploring how Africa’s tech and creative ecosystems are shaping global influence. This will be led by leading industry experts and business leaders including:
- Iyin Aboyeji, Founding Partner, Future Africa; co-founder of Flutterwave and Andela, catalysing Africa’s tech start-up economy.
- Ayeni Adekunle, Founder & CEO, BHM; redefining modern PR and brand storytelling across Africa’s creative industries.
- Kayode Akintemi, Managing Director, News Central TV; building one of Africa’s fastest-growing pan-African news platforms.
- Cuppy, DJ, Philanthropist & King’s Trust Global Ambassador; championing youth empowerment and education through her global platform.
- Sonny Irosche, Senior Academic Advisor, African Studies Centre, Oxford University & AI for Business, Said Business School, providing strategic insights on AI adoption and governance in Africa.
This panel will be moderated by Wendu Nwakanma, Vice President, Northeast Regional Business Development Lead, Goldman Sachs.
The event will also feature the launch of the Second Edition of the Africa Business Cultural Intelligence Report by Allison Africa, offering actionable insights for global and pan-African businesses operating in five high-potential economies including Ghana, Rwanda, Egypt, Angola, and Côte d’Ivoire.
“Africa’s growth story is real and the Africa Breakfast Conversations is fast becoming the go-to platform for authentic cross-sector collaboration around Africa’s development”- Claudine Moore, Managing Director, Africa at Allison Worldwide. “From youthful innovators to tech disruptors and global investors, the event will spark the bold ideas, partnerships, and investments that will power Africa’s next decade of growth.”
Launched in 2024 by Allison Worldwide and BHM in partnership, Africa Breakfast Conversations was created to foster meaningful dialogue between African innovators, global investors, and development leaders during UNGA. Click here to register to attend
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