Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) BeGreen Africa Entrepreneurship Programme 2025

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Applications are open for Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) BeGreen Africa Entrepreneurship Programme 2025. This program is open to entrepreneurs with green businesses in Nigeria, Senegal, and South Africa, as well as waste management businesses specifically in Kenya. For existing businesses, registration must not exceed five years at the time of application. Applicants must be between 18 and 35 years old.

The world’s ecological problems of waste accumulation, environmental pollution, and the need to develop a circular economy call for urgent action. Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Nigeria, Senegal and the other African continent also face different challenges, such as high-income inequality, unemployment, and poverty levels, with limited inclusion and participation of the youth. TEF designed this initiative to provide evidence on opportunities for youth entrepreneurship in a circular and green economy – with a focus on waste management – while addressing the triple planetary crisis, reducing inequalities, and creating sustainable livelihoods for themselves and their peers. The Green initiative will contribute evidence on innovative development models to drive growth and employment for youth in Africa and beyond.

The Tony Elumelu Foundation, Ikea Foundation and Generation Unlimited are working together to uniquely position and leverage their assets and support youth to lead a sustained green revolution in Africa. As the founding partners of the proposed BeGreen Africa partnership, we will leverage our collective expertise, close relations with government, the private sector and youth networks, and extensive field presence across Africa and Kenya to work to improve lives through greening the continent. Through this Partnership, we will empower entrepreneurs from Kenya, Nigeria, Morocco, Senegal and South Africa in the green economy sector. The curriculum focuses on practical, iterative learning that is useful even long after the training period.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE PROGRAMME?

The Entrepreneurship Programme identifies outstanding African entrepreneurs with start-ups or business ideas with the potential to grow. The TEF Entrepreneurship Programme will be delivered in different phases as listed below:

Application Phase
Training &Mentorship Phase
Business Plan Submission Phase
Pitching Phase
Seed Capital Phase

THE APPLICATION PHASE

The Application for the BEGreen Programme is from the 1st of January 2025 via the TEFConnect Platform -www.tefconnect.com. Once applications are closed, eligible applicants will have access to the Business Training Courses.

THE TEF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT TRAINING PROGRAMME

After the application phase, all Shortlisted applicants will go through the TEF Business Management Training modules, and Green Business training.

THE BUSINESS PLAN AND FINANCIALS SUBMISSION PHASE

At the end of the training, you will combine all the learnings into a cohesive document. The Entrepreneurship Programme team will share the business & financial plan template with all participants. The template will guide you and help you create your business & financial plan document.

THE PHYSICAL PITCHING PHASE

The pitching competition allows you to demonstrate your business knowledge and convince the panel of judges about your business’s feasibility, scalability, market & financial understanding. At the pitching stage, entrepreneurs will pitch their ideas before a panel of judges. Only the successful candidates from the pitching competition who have met all due diligence requirements will receive seed capital funding and access to the Alumni network to support their business ambitions.

THE SEED CAPITAL PHASE

The Selected Entrepreneurs from the Pitching Competition will be notified via email.
Disbursement of the Seed Capital will be made via electronic transfer into the Selected Entrepreneurs’ Business Bank Account.
Banking and other charges may apply and shall not be borne by the Foundation.
The total amount received may therefore be less than US$5,000 equivalent.
TEF Partner funded entrepreneurs will receive seed capital in line with the partner commitments and this will be communicated in due course to Program Participants who partners will fund.

Eligibility Criteria for TEF BeGreen Africa Entrepreneurship Programme

The program is open to all citizens of the Selected Countries (Kenya, Nigeria, Morocco, Senegal and South Africa) who are aged 18 years and above. The submitted age of all Applicants must be supported with government approved means of identification.
All Applications must be for a Green Business Idea or a Business that must be for profit, focused on one business area only, and must be the original idea of the Applicant.
The Business or Business Idea must not be for an illegal or unethical purpose.

TEF BeGreen Entrepreneurship Programme Application Process

The Application for the BEGreen Programme is via the TEFConnect Platform -www.tefconnect.com.
ALL APPLICANTS WILL BE REQUIRED TO:
- Read all Instructions carefully before you start the application.
- Read the terms and conditions of the programme before you accept it.
- Complete all mandatory fields in the online application form on TEFConnect.
- Attach all the requested documents (valid identity card and photo headshot) and upload the required documents.
- Submit the completed application form.
- Expect a notification and email from the Foundation.

Click Here to Apply

Application Deadline: 30 March 2025