The TEF Entrepreneurship Programme, run by the Tony Elumelu Foundation, gives African entrepreneurs $5,000 in non-refundable seed capital, plus business training, mentorship and access to a continent-wide alumni network. If you are a student, a recent graduate or a young professional in Africa with a business idea (or a business that is five years old or younger), this is one of the biggest and best-known funding opportunities available to you.
One clarification first: the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme is not a scholarship. It does not pay tuition. It funds and trains people who want to build a business. If you are looking for degree funding, our guide to the Mo Ibrahim Leadership Fellowships may help. If you want to start or grow a business, keep reading.
This guide covers what the programme offers, who can apply, how the stages work, what documents you need, and how to avoid the mistakes that cost applicants their place. The information comes from the Tony Elumelu Foundation’s official website as checked on 16 October 2026. Details can change, so always verify on the official site before you apply.
What Is the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme?
Launched in 2015, the programme describes itself as the largest African philanthropic initiative committed to empowering African entrepreneurs. It is delivered through an online platform called TEFConnect, where you apply, train, connect with mentors and submit documents.
According to the Foundation’s website, cumulative results since launch include:
- More than 24,000 African women and men funded, with over US$100 million disbursed
- Up to 2.5 million young Africans given access to training through TEFConnect
- Over 1.5 million direct and indirect jobs created
These are the Foundation’s own figures, but they show the scale of the programme. Competition is real, so a strong, honest application matters.
Key Benefits: What the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme Covers
- $5,000 seed capital. Non-refundable, paid into your business account once you complete the required stages and your documents are endorsed.
- Business management training. Self-paced modules on TEFConnect covering business development, financial management, market research and leadership.
- Mentorship. Each mentor takes a maximum of three mentees per cycle, matched by shared language, interests and industry. Mentors commit to at least two hours per mentee per month.
- Coaching. Interactive masterclasses led by business leaders, industry experts and investors.
- Alumni network. Participants join a network of more than 21,000 TEF alumni and receive a Certificate of Completion and Achievement.
What it does not cover
- Tuition, school fees or personal living costs
- Funding without completing the training and verification steps
- Anything outside the stated stages, since the seed capital is paid only after documents are endorsed
Who Is the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme For? (Undergraduate, Graduate and Postgraduate Students)
The programme doesn’t ask about your degree. It asks whether you are 18 or older, live in Africa, and have a business idea or a young business. That makes it open to many kinds of applicants.
Undergraduate students. You can apply while studying if you have a business idea and plan to build it in Africa. The training is self-paced online, so it can fit around classes. But think about time: you must complete 100% of the training modules and other required activities.
Graduate and master’s students. Your research, technical skills or industry contacts may give your business idea more depth. Think about whether your thesis topic can become a real service or product.
Postgraduate and PhD students. If you have specialist knowledge in agriculture, health, energy or technology, you may be well placed to build a venture around it. Judges look for feasibility and market opportunity, so show practical thinking, not just expertise.
Recent graduates and early-career professionals. If you have work experience, you may have a clearer view of customer needs, costs and operations.
Not an academic award. You don’t need good grades. You need a convincing business idea and the ability to follow through.
TEF Entrepreneurship Programme Eligibility Criteria
According to the official page, you are eligible if you:
- Are 18 years or older
- Are an African resident who plans to establish the business in Africa
- Have a business idea, or a business that is no older than five years
- Have never benefited from a previous TEF programme
- Have not already applied in the same application window of the same year
The page does not list sector restrictions or a specific country list. The 2026 announcement calls for founders from all 54 African countries.
Practical points
- You don’t need a registered business to apply, but you will need business registration and tax registration documents later to receive the seed capital. Plan ahead.
- Your details must match exactly. The page says your name and personal details on TEFConnect must match your ID.
- Duplicate or inconsistent documents lead to disqualification. The page says participants whose documents are inauthentic, inconsistent, or match a past beneficiary’s documents are disqualified.
How to Apply: Step-by-Step Process
Step 1: Register on TEFConnect
Create an account at TEFConnect, using your real name exactly as it appears on your government ID.
Tip: Use an email address you check daily and will keep long term.
Step 2: Complete the four-section application form
The form has four parts: personal information, business idea and experience, a business assessment test (with a minimum score required), and a declaration.
Tip: Treat the assessment test seriously and prepare. Read about basic business concepts before you take it.
Step 3: Upload your identification and headshot
At application, you need a valid government-issued ID showing your date of birth and photo, plus a high-resolution headshot.
Tip: Take clear, well-lit photos. Blurry scans cause delays.
Step 4: Wait for review and due diligence
Independent experts review business ideas for feasibility, scalability, market potential and financial viability. Eligible applicants then go through LSEG World-Check screening and physical verification, in person or virtual.
Tip: Keep your phone reachable during this period.
Step 5: Shortlisting
Five criteria are assessed: business feasibility, market opportunity, financial understanding, scalability, and leadership and entrepreneurial skills.
Tip: Make each of these five visible in your application. Use specific numbers where you can, such as customer counts, prices and costs.
Step 6: Complete training and engagement
Selected participants must complete 100% of the training modules, attend coaching sessions, engage with their mentors and finish any other required activities.
Tip: Don’t leave modules to the last minute. Set a weekly schedule.
Step 7: Investment readiness
Participants submit a business plan, financial projections and a 2 to 3 minute pitch video. An independent audit firm ranks them.
Tip: Practice your pitch out loud several times. Keep it clear, honest and specific.
Step 8: Seed capital documents and payment
The TEF Audit and Finance team checks your documents. Endorsed participants receive funds. If your documents are not endorsed, you receive feedback and may resubmit.
Ready to apply? Apply for the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme here
Required Documents Checklist
At application
- Valid government-issued ID showing date of birth and photo
- High-resolution headshot
- Personal details that match your TEFConnect profile exactly
For seed capital
- Government ID showing headshot and full name (National Driver’s Licence, International Passport, or Permanent Voter’s Card for Nigerian participants only)
- Business Registration Certificate
- Tax registration in the business name
- Bank reference letter with your name, business name and business bank details
- Partner Consent form (co-owners only)
- Medical report from a reputable hospital (participants living with disabilities only)
- Signed seed capital undertaking
Also prepare
- A business plan and financial projections
- A 2 to 3 minute pitch video
Tip: Business registration, tax registration and a business bank account take time in many countries. Start now, so you aren’t rushing later.
Important Deadlines and Timeline
The official page describes an annual cycle:
| Stage | Timing |
| Application window on TEFConnect | 1 January to 1 March |
| Review and category notification | After 1 March |
| Shortlisted applicants notified | 22 March |
| Onboarding | After notification, in person or virtually |
Where things stand today (16 October 2026):
- The 2026 application window ran from 1 January to 1 March 2026 and is closed.
- I could not find a confirmed announcement for the next cycle. If the usual pattern holds, applications would open again on 1 January, but this is not confirmed, so check the official site and the TEFConnect platform.
- The page doesn’t state a time zone for the 1 March deadline. Don’t wait for the final day.
- The page doesn’t give a date for seed capital disbursement. It depends on completing training, investment readiness and document endorsement.
Use the gap well. The months before the next window are the best time to register your business, open a business account, get tax registration, draft your business plan and prepare your ID documents.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Treating it as a scholarship. It funds a business, not education.
- Applying more than once in the same window. This breaks the eligibility rule.
- Applying if you’ve benefited from a TEF programme before. Past beneficiaries are not eligible.
- Mismatched names. Your TEFConnect profile, your ID and your bank letter must agree.
- Weak or copied business ideas. Reviewers look at feasibility, market, finance, scalability and leadership.
- Ignoring the assessment test. A minimum score is required.
- Not finishing the training. The page says 100% of modules must be completed.
- Using unregistered paperwork. Business registration and tax documents are needed for seed capital.
- Submitting inconsistent or fake documents. This leads to disqualification.
- Falling for scams. Be careful of anyone who claims they can guarantee selection or asks you for payment. The official page doesn’t mention any application fee, and applications go through TEFConnect.
Insider Tips to Improve Your Chances
These are practical suggestions based on the published process, not official rules.
- Be specific. Name your customers, price your product, and explain how you’ll reach people. Vague ideas rarely score well on feasibility.
- Show you understand the numbers. “Financial understanding” is one of the five criteria. Know your costs, margins and break-even point.
- Prove traction if you can. Even a few early customers or a small pilot makes your idea more credible.
- Think about scale. Explain how your business can grow beyond your first location or customer group.
- Show leadership. Describe what you’ve organized, led or built, even if it was a student project.
- Get your paperwork ready early. Business registration, tax ID and a business bank account are required at the seed capital stage.
- Use your mentor. The mentor relationship is part of the programme. Come to each session prepared.
- Rehearse your pitch. The 2 to 3 minute video is short, so every sentence counts.
- Build in other ways to fund your idea. If you miss selection, explore other options, such as our guides to the D-Prize Challenge and NEBF grants.
Frequently Asked Questions About the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme
Is the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme a scholarship?
No. It is a business funding and training programme. It does not pay tuition.
How much seed capital do I get?
$5,000, non-refundable, paid into your business account.
Who can apply?
Anyone aged 18 or older who lives in Africa and plans to establish the business in Africa, with a business idea or a business no older than five years.
Can students apply?
Yes. There is no academic requirement, but you must be able to complete the training and other required activities.
Do I need a registered business?
Not to apply. You do need business registration and tax registration documents to receive seed capital.
Do I need a co-founder?
No. If you have co-owners, you need a Partner Consent form.
Which countries are eligible?
The page doesn’t list specific countries. The 2026 announcement refers to founders from all 54 African countries. You must be an African resident planning to build the business in Africa.
Can I apply if I’ve received TEF funding before?
No. Past TEF beneficiaries are not eligible.
Can I apply twice in the same year?
No. You can’t apply more than once in the same application window.
When is the deadline?
The standard window is 1 January to 1 March each year. The 2026 window has closed. Confirm the next window on the official site.
Is there an application fee?
The official page doesn’t mention one. Apply only through the official TEFConnect platform and be wary of anyone asking for money.
What happens if my documents aren’t endorsed?
You receive feedback and may resubmit.
How do I contact the Foundation?
By email at enquiries@tonyelumelufoundation.org or by phone at +234-1-2774641-5, as listed on the website.
Conclusion: Your Next Steps
The TEF Entrepreneurship Programme won’t be easy to win, but it rewards applicants who prepare. With $5,000 in seed capital, structured training and mentorship, it can turn a promising idea into a real business.
While the next window is not yet confirmed:
- Read the official eligibility rules again and confirm you qualify.
- Refine your business idea, with real numbers on customers, prices and costs.
- Register your business, get tax registration and open a business bank account.
- Prepare your ID, headshot and a draft business plan.
- Practice a 2 to 3 minute pitch.
- Watch the official website for the next application window.
Ready to start? Apply for the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme here
You may not be selected the first time, but every step you complete, from the business plan to the pitch, strengthens your business and prepares you for the next opportunity.
A note from the author: This guide is based on the Tony Elumelu Foundation’s official website as of 16 October 2026. Dates, requirements and processes can change, and I may have missed updates. Please double-check everything on the official website and TEFConnect before you apply.