Tony Elumelu Begins New Year with Big Giving, Youth Empowerment Drive

Tony Elumelu, Chairman of Heirs Holdings and founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, has kicked off the year with renewed commitment to generosity and youth empowerment across Africa.

At the start of the year, Elumelu officially opened activities of the Tony Elumelu Foundation’s flagship entrepreneurship programme, reaffirming its mission to identify, train, mentor, and fund young African entrepreneurs. The programme, which has supported thousands of entrepreneurs since its launch, provides beneficiaries with business training, seed capital, mentorship, and access to regional and global networks.

Speaking on the initiative, Elumelu restated his long-held belief that Africa’s greatest asset is its young people, stressing that sustainable development on the continent can only be achieved by investing in entrepreneurship and empowering youths to become job creators.

Beyond the foundation’s structured programmes, the billionaire businessman was also seen engaging in personal acts of generosity, offering direct support to individuals and small business owners. These gestures, widely shared on social media, have drawn praise from many Nigerians and Africans who see them as a reflection of his consistent philanthropic values.

Over the years, the Tony Elumelu Foundation has become one of Africa’s most impactful private-sector–led empowerment platforms, contributing to job creation, poverty reduction, and economic growth across multiple countries.

As the year begins, Elumelu’s actions signal a continued focus on giving back and strengthening Africa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, reinforcing his message that empowering young people remains key to the continent’s future.