#TOEInDubai: PUTTING YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS FIRST!

I arrived Dubai on Sunday morning in furtherance of my?global advocacy and engagement to champion young African entrepreneurs and empower them with the resources, visibility, and networks that they deserve. A few hours after my arrival, I spoke on the United Nations’ Gen-U Panel alongside Per Heggenes, CEO, IKEA Foundation, the second largest foundation in the world, and Tijimen Rooseboom, Ambassador for Youth, Education and Work, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Netherlands, to discuss ways to make agripreneurship and green entrepreneurship rewarding for our youth. The Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme was referenced by the panel as a remarkable model of impact, training, mentoring and empowering thousands of entrepreneurs in agriculture and the green space annually, and I was pleased to extend the opportunity to my co-panellists to partner with the Foundation to leverage TEF’s expertise, knowledge, tools and platform to reach even millions more across Africa.

On Monday afternoon, I attended the UN’s Generation Unlimited (Gen-U) Global Leadership Council Meeting. This is a convening of global private sector leaders, policy makers and investors to exchange ideas, dialogue and provide expertise, strategic direction, resources, and leadership to mobilise a global movement that prioritises our young ones. The overall objective is to connect millions of youth – especially on the African continent – to entrepreneurship, employment & social impact opportunities, a mission identical to our own work at the Tony Elumelu Foundation, and across the HH Group, to empower African entrepreneurs from all 54 African countries.

As a board member of the Global Leadership Council on the United Nation’s Generation Unlimited and a strong champion for youth empowerment, I find these?gatherings of likeminded global leaders, productive and impactful. In November, my daughter Oge – whom I fondly call TOE Girl, and I were speakers at?the launch of Gen-U Sahel,?where I reiterated the importance of empowering and investing in the young people in the Sahel to give them economic hope and opportunities. 65% of the Sahel’s population is under the age of 25. With their resilience, determination, passion & ingenuity, we can resolve intractable socio-economic challenges.

Gen-U’s approach of bringing partners from the public and private sectors through shared dialogue is totally in line with our own economic philosophy of?Africapitalism.?The Tony Elumelu Foundation is proud to be a global partner and co-implementor for the programme in the Sahel, working closely to connect 100 million Sahelian youth to skilling, employment, entrepreneurship, and social impact opportunities by 2030. Already, in just six years, TEF has already funded nearly 16,000 entrepreneurs, and empowered over 1.5 million young people with training, mentorship, resources and opportunities all on?TEFConnect.com. The Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme has generated nearly 400,000 direct and indirect jobs, positively impacting lives and communities across the continent.

Through the Foundation, our Group is democratizing luck, championing a new narrative of philanthropy, and creating a viable ecosystem for African entrepreneurs.

Earlier on Monday morning, I had a meeting with Helen Grant MP, UK Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for Girls’ Education and Member of UK Parliament, to discuss a new partnership initiative between the UK Government and the Tony Elumelu and UBA Foundations to prioritise girl child education and economic empowerment across Nigeria and Africa. I also discussed the relations between our two countries – Nigeria and UK – and especially the new travel red list. I explained to the UK diplomats the steep precautions the Nigerian government is already taking to protect its citizens from covid19, the high sense of urgency and priority across the country, and therefore requested a reconsideration after she explained the rationale. Keeping our fingers crossed.

I then met with Jochem-Jan Sleiffer, President, Middle East, Africa & Turkey (MEA&T), Hilton, to advance the creation of new hotels in Lagos, and other parts of the continent.

It has been an exciting trip, as we wrap up what has been a very successful year for our Group.?