Tony Elumelu Foundation celebrates International Youth Day

The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) said it worked with the United Nations (UN) and other global organisations to commemorate the International Youth Day on August 12, 2020, with a line-up of pan-African speakers discussing the theme, “Investing in Africa’s Future: Youth Empowerment through Entrepreneurship.”

According to a statement, the event highlighted the involvement of the youth in global development with the “Youth Engagement for Global Action,” agenda and the role of African entrepreneurs in pushing for sustainable development.

It also examined the critical role of the youth in igniting their potential, population, and influence to create mechanisms for sustainable development across the continent.

TEF CEO, Ifeyinwa Ugochukwu moderated the event. The event also featured speakers from the development sector and African entrepreneurs.

Addressing the audience, Ugochukwu highlighted the plight of start-ups in Africa during the Coronavirus pandemic while highlighting the importance of SMEs.

“The SMEs are the major contributors to African economies. We must not underestimate the level of disruption and uncertainty that young people all over the world have faced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa,” she stated.

Also, the acting Vice President, Agriculture, Human, and Social Development, African Development Bank, Wambui Gichuri, also shined light on the importance of entrepreneurship to the African continent.

“Entrepreneurship is an essential part of Africa’s employment challenge and it is where we have to put our focus as a multilateral development bank.

“We need to do whatever it takes to empower our youth because they are the future of the continent,” she said.

The Director, Human, Youth and Social Development, African Development Bank, Martha T.M. Phiri, stated that the $5 million partnership between the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Tony Elumelu Foundation in 2019 to empower additional young African entrepreneurs, was a step in the right direction to create jobs on the continent.

Founder, Wecyclers Nigeria and past fellow of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, Bilikiss Adebiyi-Abiola, recalled the moment when she got accepted into the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme, saying:

“In 2012, when I was invited to the Tony Elumelu Foundation to pitch my idea, I was very fortunate to pitch directly to Mr. Elumelu and I was surprised a couple of days after, we got the grant. That grant was very important for Wecyclers”.