Elumelu, Macron Meet African Entrepreneurs

The President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, who is in Nigeria on a working visit, will today be interacting with more than 2,000 budding entrepreneurs from Africa.

These entrepreneurs are alumni of the Tony Elumelu Foundation(TEF) Entrepreneurship Programme.

The session will be chaired by the Chairman of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) and Founder TEF, Mr. Tony Elumelu, and will give African entrepreneurs a platform to closely engage with Macron and garner ideas from his experience as one of the youngest Heads of State in recent times.

According to a statement, the session would also provide a platform where participants can network and forge partnerships with French and African business leaders and policymakers who will be in attendance.

Speaking ahead of the event, Elumelu was quoted as saying the collaboration between the French President and TEF was a result of Macron’s acknowledgement that African entrepreneurs remains key to the continent’s economic transformation, and his desire to connect with and elevate the voices of future leaders.

Elumelu added: “We welcome President Macron of France to meet our entrepreneurs, over 2,000 of them from across Africa. Macron is a new kind of leader. He brings the discipline of the private sector and understands the social obligations of the state. He speaks to Africa as a strategic partner and most importantly, he is a champion of entrepreneurship.

“I, alongside, President Macron, will engage with these entrepreneurs in an interactive session, where we will discuss challenges of business in the private sector and solutions to create more benefits for the success of entrepreneurship. It promises to be an inspirational session,” Elumelu added.

The TEF Founder’s $100 million commitment to identify, train, mentor and fund 10,000 entrepreneurs from across Africa has touched the lives of over 4000 African entrepreneurs thus far.