Elumelu
The Tony Elumelu Foundation is set to announce the 12th cohort of beneficiaries of its Entrepreneurship Programme on Sunday, March 22, 2026, following what it described as a record surge in applications from across the continent.
In a statement on Friday, the foundation said it received over 265,000 applications from entrepreneurs across all 54 African countries, reflecting growing interest in business development opportunities, particularly in sectors such as artificial intelligence, agriculture and the green economy.
The foundation said the announcement of the new cohort will be made virtually at 2:00 p.m. West African Time.
The statement read, “In an unprecedented demonstration of Africa’s rising economic empowerment. the Tony Elumelu Foundation is set to unveil the 12th cohort of its flagship Entrepreneurship Programme on Sunday, March 22, 2026.
“This follows a record-shattering surge of over 265,000 applications from across all 54 African nations. This massive influx of interest underscores a continent-wide hunger for transformation, particularly within high-impact sectors like artificial intelligence, agriculture, and the green economy.”
The foundation disclosed that it will provide $16m in seed funding to 3,200 entrepreneurs selected for the 2026 cohort, with each beneficiary expected to receive $5,000 in non-refundable capital, business training and mentorship support.
According to the statement, the programme is being implemented in partnership with the Heirs Holdings, European Commission, IKEA Foundation, UNICEF, and the United Nations Development Programme. Punch
