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Tony Elumelu Foundation Seeks Applications From African Entrepreneurs For Grants 

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Tony Elumelu Foundation Funds 5000 From 54 Countries In 2021

The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), the leading philanthropy empowering young African entrepreneurs across all 54 African countries, has opened applications for the 2022 TEF Entrepreneurship Programme on www.TEFConnect.com. African entrepreneurs with business ideas or existing businesses under 5 years, are encouraged to apply now for $5000 seed capital, mentorship, business management training and more on the 2022 Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme

Since 2015, the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme – the only African-funded entrepreneurship catalyst of its kind – has empowered 15,847 African entrepreneurs with non-returnable seed capital of $5,000 each; twelve weeks of business management training; access to experienced mentors; and membership to Africa’s largest entrepreneurial ecosystem.

In 2021, the Tony Elumelu Foundation disbursed USD$24.75 million to 5000 African entrepreneurs across Africa for its 2021 Entrepreneurship Programme. The Foundation’s Entrepreneurship Programme remains one of the largest private sector responses to driving the economic recovery of African youth, women and SMEs given the effects of the covid19 pandemic across Africa.  Across Africa, the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme beneficiaries are starting and growing trailblazing businesses that have collectively created over 400,000 direct and indirect jobs.

According to 2015 Tony Elumelu Entrepreneur, Hauwa Liman, female business owner and Founder of Afrik Abaya: “I am always proud to say that I am from the inaugural cohort of the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme. My business is located in Kaduna, in northern Nigeria. I benefitted from this Programme in 2015, and it opened up lots of doors and opportunities. It is not just about the seed capital, but what really fascinates me about the Programme is the knowledge. I call it a mini-MBA programme, because from the ideation stage it teaches you how to really articulate your business, and it gave me my first business plan. The network, visibility and opportunities are endless. My entrepreneurship experience cannot be complete without the Tony Elumelu Foundation. I will start exporting to other countries soon courtesy of the Foundation. We now employ ten permanent staff and an additional eight staff on a commission basis.” 

Commenting on the launch of the 2022 Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme, CEO of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, Ifeyinwa Ugochukwu shared, “We are constantly blown away by the quality of businesses that come from Africa every year. This motivates us to scale our efforts to empower even more entrepreneurs on continent. The innovation, knowledge and resilience of African entrepreneurs is central to charting Africa’s socio-economic transformation and meet the continent’s development objectives. We are also proud of the increase in female participation on our Programme, especially with the 2021 cohort where we witnessed a record 68% selection of women entrepreneurs.”

Founding Trustee of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, Dr. A V. Elumelu stated: “Through the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme, we seek to democratise luck. Hard work plays an important and undeniable part in success, but one must not discount the role of luck – someone being willing to take a chance on you or business idea by empowering you through training, mentorship or funding. Our hope is that, through the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme, we would help the next business leader or captain of industry be whom they are meant to be. This is our own way to give back and also to empower the generation coming behind us so that they can go even further than we have. As a parent, one’s desire is for your children to do better than you and so you will provide the resources and materials that they need to ensure that they go far in life. Similarly, at the Foundation we are equipping the next generation with the tools they need to succeed.”

READ ALSO: Women Take The Lead As Tony Elumelu’s Foundation Unveils 2021 Beneficiaries

As the foremost champion of entrepreneurship in Africa, the Tony Elumelu Foundation is empowering women and men across the African continent through entrepreneurship to catalyse economic growth, drive poverty eradication and ensure job creation. The Foundation’s mission is rooted in the philosophy of Africapitalism, which positions the private sector as the key enabler of economic and social wealth creation in Africa. Through TEFConnect, the Foundation’s proprietary digital platform, it has provided capacity-building support, advisory and market linkages, to over 1.5 million Africans.

The Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme is open to entrepreneurs across Africa: new start-ups and existing young businesses, operating in any sector. Prospective applicants should apply now on the digital networking hub for African entrepreneurs, www.tefconnect.com. For a list of the selected 2021 Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurs and more information on our programme, please visit the website of the Tony Elumelu Foundation here.

 

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Kyari Remains NNPC GCEO As Tinubu Appoints New Board, Management

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Senator Withdraws Support For Tinubu Over Choice Of Muslim Running Mate
President Bola Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of a new Board and Management team for the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) with Mele Kolo Kyari remaining as the Group Chief Executive Officer ( GCEO) . The appointment takes effect from December 1, 2023:

According to a statement by Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity),below are the members of the board and management:

(1) Pius Akinyelure — Non-Executive Board Chairman

(2) Mele Kolo Kyari — Group Chief Executive Officer

(3) Umar Isa Ajiya — Chief Financial Officer

(4) Ledum Mitee — Non-Executive Director

(5) Musa Tumsa — Non-Executive Director

(6) Ghali Muhammad — Non-Executive Director

(7) Mustapha Aliyu — Non-Executive Director

(8) David Ogbodo — Non-Executive Director

(9) Eunice Thomas — Non-Executive Director

Also, President Tinubu approved the appointment of two Permanent Secretaries:

Okokon Ekanem Udo — Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance

Gabriel Aduda — Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources

“President Tinubu anticipates the fullest measure of compliance with the performance-driven and results-oriented mandate of his Renewed Hope administration in the implementation of energy policy that will monetize all available oil and gas resources of today while paving the way for the total exploitation of new and cleaner energy sources of tomorrow by this distinguished team”, the statement added.

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Oye To Speak At 2023 ADR Conference In Abuja

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The National President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Dele Oye

The National President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Dele Oye Esq., is set to deliver a keynote address at the 2023 ADR Conference scheduled for Tuesday, November 28, 2023.

The event taking place at the International Trade and Convention Centre in Abuja is themed, “The Role of Commercial Mediation in Africa’s Emerging Markets: Opportunities and Threat.”

At the conference, Oye will share insights on commercial mediation’s role in navigating challenges and harnessing opportunities in Africa’s emerging markets.

The forum will bring together thought leaders, legal experts, and stakeholders to engage in insightful discussions and exchange ideas on the transformative potential of commercial mediation in Africa and provide a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics shaping the continent’s business landscape, focusing on both opportunities and threats.

Oye, an experienced lawyer and astute entrepreneur with over 33 years of practice in litigation, will be leveraging his experience in charting a path for commercial mediation in Africa at the conference.

With a deep understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks that govern businesses and high-level skills in providing strategic advice to help businesses navigate complex challenges, Oye is well-positioned as an authority on the subject matter.

Dele Kelvin Oye is a 1988 graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1989. He is a Lawyer and founder/partner of Dele Oye & Associates Law Firm, partner in Consolidated Legal Practice.

He currently holds several professional and business positions, of which are the National President of NACCIMA; Nigeria-Turkey Business Council (NTBC) Chairman; Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) Governing Council Member; Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (ICMC) Fellow / Governing Council Member and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Member of the National Executive Committee.

Apart from ownership and board membership in several successful conglomerates in the real estate and oil and gas industry, amongst others in Nigeria, Mr. Oye has also previously held several prestigious positions, of which are Conference of Alumni Association of Nigerian Universities (CAANU) National Chairman, CAANU 2001 – 2003; Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Chairman, National Conference Planning Committee, NBA 2004 & 2015; Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) President, ACCI 2008-2011; Council of Legal Education/ Nigerian Law School Member, Governing Council 2012 – 2016; Body of Benchers Member 2016 – 2019 and Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) Member, Governing Council 2021 – 2022.

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Ogun Commences 2nd Phase Disbursment Of Dapo Abiodun’s N1bn Grant To Micro, Small Enterprises

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Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun

The Ogun State Government has commenced the second phase of the disbursement of the N1 billion grant to micro and small enterprises (MSEs).

The initiative aims to alleviate poverty and mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on businesses in the state.

Commissioner for Industry, Trade, and Investment and a member of the Ogun State COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (OGUN CARES) Steering Committee,
Mr. Adebola Sofela, in a statement on Monday,
announced that Governor Dapo Abiodun has directed the immediate commencement of the disbursement process for the second phase of the grants.

This phase will benefit entrepreneurs across the state.

He said that a stakeholder engagement session will be held for legitimate business owners in the Ogun Central Senatorial District at the Obas Complex Hall, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, on Tuesday, November 21, 2023, to kick-start the second phase.

The objective of the sessions, according to the commissioner, is to provide participants with information about the application process and criteria for eligibility.

Sofela added that the date and time for the stakeholder engagement sessions in Ogun West and East Senatorial Districts will be communicated at a later date.

In the first batch, over N120 million was disbursed by the state government to more than 1,000 micro and small entrepreneurs across the twenty (20) local government areas of the state, with the beneficiaries expressing their gratitude in an appreciation letter addressed to the governor.

Trade associations, representing the beneficiaries, including the Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI), Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria (ASBON), Joint National Association of Persons Living With Disabilities (JONAPWD), Artisans Groups, and Market Men and Women, all commended the governor for his support during the challenging time.

They highlighted the significant increase in operational expenses and the struggle to pay workers’ salaries, as well as the costs of operational gadgets, utilities, and renting shops.

“We believe that this grant will provide much-needed relief to businesses in our state. We appreciate your continued support and encourage you to stay informed about future updates regarding the disbursement process,” Sofela added. Pool

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