Tony Elumelu Foundation 2022 application portal will open January 1 through March 31, 2022, organisers of the programme have said. Applications are submitted through TEFConnect, the digital networking hub for the African entrepreneurship ecosystem, created by the foundation.
Sponsored by one of Africa’s biggest philanthropists Tony Elumelu, TEF Entrepreneurship Programme is open to entrepreneurs from across 54 Africa countries.
In 2022 as usual, successful applicants will join the 15,847 existing beneficiaries, from 54 African countries, and receive business training, mentoring, a non-refundable $5,000 of seed capital and global networking opportunities.
Goal of TEF
TEF is a 10-year, $100 million commitment to identify, train, mentor and fund 10,000 young African entrepreneurs. It is to create millions of jobs and the revenue required for the sustainable development of the continent, implementing the philosophy of Africapitalism, which positions the private sector as the growth engine for Africa and emphasises the importance of creating social and economic wealth.
Benefits of TEF:
- Funding for your business and ideas
- Exchange ideas with other innovative minds from across 54 African countries
- Rub minds with a global shaker of business strategists
- Get motivation from innovators who started like you and are now successful in their chosen field.
- Be an employer of labour.
Requirements for TEF 2022 application
- Functional email address
- To apply for Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Program you need to satisfy the under listed criteria:
- You must be an entrepreneur or innovative mind of African origin
- Sound business model
- Make sure that your business idea has a company structure
- You must be able to succinctly convince the selection committee about the market potential of your business; in doing this you must be able to say:
- How big is the addressable market for your product or service?
- How do you intend to generate revenue for your business?
- What are the sources of revenue for your business? What are your value offerings? What is the price of these value offerings? And who will be paying for the value?
- How to you intend to (or already do) market your products or services to your target market.
- You must be able to list at least three of your competitors and what you intend to do differently from your competitors (that is what differentiates you from other existing businesses in your field)
- Your current achievement in the business you’re doing, what your next milestone is, and tell TEF Selection Committee it’ll take you to reach it?
- Is your business registered? This isn’t a must but it could play a vital role.
Application Guide:
Step 1: If you don’t already have an account, click “Sign Up” to get started, which can be found on the right-hand side of your device at: tefconnect.net/signup
Step 2: Select your preferred language, available languages include English Language, French, Arabic, and Portuguese.
Step 3: Fill other spaces: First name, Last Name (that is your surname, or your family name, or your spouse name if you’re a woman who has done a change of name after marriage). Make sure the names you filled are incoherent with your other backup documents.
And click sign up.
Step 4: A confirmation e-mail will be sent to you, please check your email to confirm your account and complete the signup process.
Note: If the confirmation email is not in your inbox, please check the Spam folder (if you’re using Gmail) or your Junk folder (if you’re using Yahoomail).
Step 5: Click “Proceed to Login”. Please don’t forget to select your preferred language each time you’re login in. It’s important to know the language you want to be served with.
Step 6: You’ll automatically see the link to complete your application at your home page, click the link you’ll see “introduction”, read through and click “Proceed” at the bottom right hand side of the page to continue to fill your form.
As you proceed, in section four of the form you’re required to select your most active social media, and insert the link to it, this is where it could be technical for some people to copy link of their social media.
“Your social media accounts will be used for engagement with the Tony Elumelu Foundation when required”
Don’t just write your name as your link because thousands of other people may be using the same name making it difficult to identify whom to connect with on the social media. Check below a quick guide on how to get your Facebook URL link and Twitter Link
In section 5: Business Profile
In getting out the best business profile check below for a guide:
- you may speak of a personal experience, an issue you faced that led to your decision.
- you may speak about an incident/position of leadership you held in a previous job.
- you may speak about an innovation you created, or goal you attained.
- focus on the core aspects of your business idea what you are making/selling; who it benefits.
- What is new, exciting, innovative, different, uncommon, about your business/idea. How does it solve existing problems in a new way?
- Why do people need the product or service you are providing?
- What is the development stage of your business?
Section 6:
Continuation of your business profile: prepare for something like the following:
- Describe your current business or idea
- In more detail, describe your product or service
- What is new, interesting or different about your product or service? (list 3 things)
- What problem does your product or service solve? (50 words)
- Which most accurately describes your product or service development stage?
Section 7: Company Structure
Complete other sections. The last section of 2022 TEF Entrepreneurship Programme Application is: Attestation i.e your referees.
“This section asks about how you got to know about the programme, your ability to dedicate time to completing it, any past experience on similar programmes, as well as two references who will be contacted to vouch for you.”
This is the last page
Step 7: Click “Submit Admission” to finalise your application, but before you click submit application, you have the privilege to go through your application again to make correction.
“Please note you can save your information at any point in the process and return to complete your saved application before the closing date : to complete your application
“You can make changes to your application entries before you submit. After submission, you will not be able to make any modifications to your submission. All applications will be reviewed and selected applicants will be notified accordingly.”
To go through your application again, click the application in your dashboard to go through your details, click the listed items one after the other to make correction if you have things to amend
Or
Log out and re-login again and click “Continue with application.”
To check your filled application form, click “Application Archive”
FAQ
Disclaimer: The writer of this article isn’t a member of The Tony Elumelu Foundation, the solutions provided here are based on the experience of the writer, who is also an applicant in the entrepreneurship programme.
What are the next steps after submitting my form?
Join the TEF forum, in your dashboard click “CLICK” forum. Better still, follow TEF on its social media channels to get breaking news and next steps after submitting your application.
What happens when the form is submitted?
Your application will be acknowledged, check your inbox.
How do I know if my TEF application was successful?
A confirmation email will be sent to you after you submitted your application, please login to your email to check. If it’s not in your inbox check your SPAM folder if you’re using Gmail, or check your JUNK folder if you’re using Yahoomail.
What if my business is not yet registered, can I still apply?
Registration isn’t a criterion for applying for TEF Entrepreneurship Programme, and it’s not clearly stated if your business should be registered
However, it could be an advantage for someone with a business registration certificate coupled with brilliant ideas to help achieve some of the objectives of the programme.
We have some individuals who have brilliant ideas and have the zeal to take it to the next level, but a large number of this group of people are incapacitated by takeoff capital.
I’m having issues submitting my application, please how can I do about it?
Refresh the page. Or log out, then clear the cache of your browser. To clear the cache on laptop or desktop, press shift+ctrl and del buttons and click “Clear Now” Enter the application page again to submit your form.
It could also mean that the application is overwhelmed (huge traffic), wait for some minutes and check back again.
Also, make sure you have a strong internet connection to get a better user experience.
How do I know if I’m selected?
You will be contacted. Check your email frequently (check your spam folder or junk folder), and follow the social media channels of TEF Programme.
Can two or more business partners apply?
Yes, if your partnership is clearly spelt out.
How to edit submission after posting?
You can edit the saved application form, but a submitted application cannot be edited again. Please check your application to make the necessary correction before final submission, once you click submit, that’s the final, you can’t edit it again.
About TEF Programme
Launched in 2015, The Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme is the largest African philanthropic initiative devoted to entrepreneurship and represents our 10-year, $100 million commitment, to identify and empower 10,000 African entrepreneurs, create a million jobs, and add $10 billion in revenues to Africa’s economy. Begin your application at: tefconnect.net/
Contact address of TEF Entrepreneurship Programme
- Email: enquiries (at) tefconnect.com
- Facebook: The Tony Elumelu
All the best!
Am interested in this special development,l want to be one of the beneficiaries of this program