Programme

TEF Entrepreneurship Programme

The Tony Elumelu Foundation

Opens 1 January 2027 No fee to apply Last checked 8 Sep

At a glance

Deadline: Opens 1 January 2027, closes 31 March 2027
Fee: No fee to apply
Who may apply: from any of the 54 African countries
aged 18 or over
a business idea, or a business no more than three to five years old
Where: Online application, training delivered online through TEFConnect

USD 5,000 of seed capital you do not pay back, plus a twelve week business management training and a mentor, for a business idea or a business under five years old. It is open in all 54 African countries and any sector.

The facts

What you get: USD 5,000 seed capital, described by the Foundation as non-refundable. Travel to the annual TEF Entrepreneurship Forum is covered for those selected.
Where: Online application, training delivered online through TEFConnect
How long: 12 week business management training

Where you stand

This one is free. There is no fee to apply, and nobody should ask you for money at any point.

What they ask for

from any of the 54 African countries
aged 18 or over
a business idea, or a business no more than three to five years old
research institutions, faith-based organisations and government contractors are not eligible
the seed capital is paid into a business bank account, so you will need one by the time you are selected

Get ready to apply

Built only from what this listing states.

The application takes real work, by our reading.

1. What to get ready

An online form; it names no documents. Some forms do not save as you go, so set aside time to do it in one sitting.

In their words: “Application through TEFConnect, covering the business idea, the market and the applicant.”

2. Dates

Opens 1 January 2027. You cannot apply before then.
Closes 31 March 2027, in 160 days.
On the date, the listing says: The Foundation's FAQ states applications commence on 1 January each year and the application phase runs 1 January to 31 March. The current cycle is not open in September.
Aim to send it by 28 March 2027. Websites slow down near a deadline, and data runs out. Our advice

3. What it costs you

Travel to the annual TEF Entrepreneurship Forum is covered for those selected.

Download checklist (.txt) Send to WhatsApp

The download is a small text file. You can read it later without data. It also lists each condition they set, so you can tick yourself against them. WhatsApp sends the same list to you, or to somebody helping you.

No CV yet? Make a plain one from your answers. Nothing you type is kept.

Tips for applying for a programme

General advice from us, the same for every programme. It is not what this organisation says; that is above.

Check the dates and the time it needs. Programmes often need you at set times, and missing sessions can mean losing your place.
Say plainly what you want from it and what you will do with it after.
If it asks about a project or business, describe what exists today, not only what you hope for.

If there is an interview or a test

Expect to be asked why now, and what you will do if you are not chosen.
Be ready to describe your project in two minutes, in plain words.

All our tips and messages to copy. Practise answering, with nothing kept. Received an offer? Check whether it is real, then read before you say yes.

How to apply

You apply on The Tony Elumelu Foundation's own website, not here. We never send an application for anybody and we never ask you for anything to pass on. Check their page for anything not shown here.

Opens 1 January 2027

Read it on The Tony Elumelu Foundation's own page

How we checked this

This was opened and verified at The Tony Elumelu Foundation's own website on 8 September 2026: it was real, not yet open, and open to people from African countries. If anything here is wrong, tell us.