Billionaire philanthropist and Heirs Holdings Chairman, Tony Elumelu, on Sunday, March 22, 2026, marked his birthday by announcing the 12th cohort of the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme, an initiative that supports thousands of young African entrepreneurs.
In a post shared on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Elumelu reflected on his journey and the philosophy driving the programme, noting that opportunity can be deliberately created and expanded.
“For a long time, I believed luck was something that just happens to you. Then I realised, luck can be engineered. Opportunity can be democratised. Hope is not just a feeling; it is a system we can build,” he wrote.
He said unveiling the 2026 cohort on his birthday underscores his commitment to empowering African entrepreneurs across the continent.
Addressing the newly selected participants, Elumelu emphasised resilience and perseverance as key qualities that earned them selection.
“To our new entrepreneurs: this is your moment. We did not choose you because your path was easy. We chose you because you kept going when it wasn’t,” he said.
He also stressed that Africa’s greatest asset lies in its people rather than its natural resources, urging beneficiaries to contribute meaningfully to the continent’s transformation.
“In a world full of uncertainty, I have chosen deliberately, every single year, to plant certainty in the lives of young African entrepreneurs. Now, let’s transform our continent together,” he added.
The foundation, co-founded by Awele Elumelu, officially unveiled the new cohort of 3,200 entrepreneurs drawn from all 54 African countries through its core programme and strategic partnerships.
Selected from over 265,000 applications, each beneficiary will receive a non-refundable seed grant of $5,000, amounting to a total of $16 million in funding. Participants will also benefit from business training, mentorship, and access to the foundation’s pan-African network.
Applications for the 2026 cohort closed on March 1 after an open call that began on January 1.
