The Tony Elumelu Foundation has officially opened applications for the 2026 Entrepreneurship Grant, inviting young and aspiring entrepreneurs across Africa to apply.
The Tony Elumelu Foundation Grant 2026 is a fully funded entrepreneurship support programme that provides successful applicants with non-refundable seed capital, business training, mentorship, and access to a strong pan-African entrepreneurial network to support business growth and sustainability.
Program Summary
- Host: Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF)
- Eligible Countries: African Countries
- Category: Training | Fellowships | Entrepreneurship Grants
- Eligible Applicants: African Entrepreneurs
- Reward: $5,000 Seed Funding | Business Training | Mentorship | Networking
- IELTS: Not Required
- Deadline: March 1, 2026
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Program Details
The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) was established in 2010 by Tony O. Elumelu, CON, an African entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist with a strong commitment to Africa’s economic transformation. The foundation is driven by the belief that empowering African entrepreneurs is key to driving inclusive economic growth, reducing poverty, and creating sustainable jobs across the continent.
The Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Grant is designed to support underserved communities in Sub-Saharan Africa, including men, women, youth, and participants in the informal sector. Through structured training, mentorship, funding, and access to markets, the programme equips entrepreneurs with the tools required to build scalable and impactful businesses.
The initiative operates as a multi-million-dollar entrepreneurship intervention that provides access to funding, technical support, business education, and global exposure. For the 2026 application cycle, the Tony Elumelu Foundation will support entrepreneurs through several targeted programmes aimed at addressing different entrepreneurial needs and sectors across Africa.
For the 2026 round, the following programmes are open to applicants:
- TEF Flagship Entrepreneurship Programme:
Open to entrepreneurs across Africa with viable business ideas or existing businesses. Applicants must be at least 18 years old. - IYBA-WE4A Entrepreneurship Programme:
Open exclusively to women entrepreneurs with green business ideas or existing green businesses in Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, Cameroon, Kenya, Mozambique, Malawi, and Togo. Applicants must be at least 18 years old. - Aguka Ideation Programme:
Open to Rwandan entrepreneurs with businesses at the idea stage, aged between 18 and 30 years. - BeGreen Africa Programme:
Open to entrepreneurs with green businesses in Nigeria, Senegal, and South Africa, as well as waste management businesses in Kenya. Applicants must be between 18 and 35 years old.
Eligibility Criteria
To be qualified for the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Grant 2026, applicants must:
- Be African entrepreneurs with startups or scalable business ideas
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Have a business idea or an existing business with growth potential
Scholarship Benefits
Successful applicants will receive:
- Non-refundable seed funding of $5,000
- World-class business training for 12 weeks
- Access to the TEF Alumni Network with over 15,000 entrepreneurs across Africa
- Mentorship and networking opportunities through Africa’s largest digital entrepreneurship platform, TEFConnect.net
How to Apply
To apply for the Tony Elumelu Foundation Grant 2026:
- Visit the official application portal
- Complete and submit the application form
- Provide all required information before the deadline
To begin the application process, click HERE
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