The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) has officially commenced verifications for the 2026 Entrepreneurship Programme, marking the next critical phase ahead of the final selection of beneficiaries as applications are now closed.
After accepting entries from 1 January to 1 March 2026, the Foundation has shifted focus to screening and verifying applications submitted by thousands of young entrepreneurs across Africa. This stage involves reviewing business details, eligibility criteria, and supporting documents to ensure that only qualified candidates advance to the final selection round.
The verification process underscores TEF’s commitment to transparency and merit-based selection. It is a decisive step that determines which applicants will join the growing community of entrepreneurs empowered under the programme since its launch in 2010.
Over the years, TEF has provided more than 2.5 million young Africans with access to business management training through its digital hub, TEFConnect. The Foundation has also disbursed over $100 million in seed capital to more than 24,000 entrepreneurs. Collectively, these businesses have generated $4.2 billion in revenue and created over 1.5 million direct and indirect jobs, lifting 2.1 million people out of poverty. Notably, 45 percent of beneficiaries are women.
Successful applicants for the 2026 cycle will receive $5,000 in non-refundable seed capital, 12 weeks of structured business training, mentorship from industry leaders, access to TEF’s pan-African ecosystem, and entry into a network spanning all 54 African countries.
With verifications underway, the countdown to the final selection has officially begun.
