On the 28th and 29th of October, 54 African countries will gather in Lagos, Nigeria for the 2016 edition of the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Forum. This is the largest annual gathering of African entrepreneurs, mentors, investors, media partners, corporations, business, enterprise development agencies, academic institutions, business schools, accelerators, incubators, policy makers, and government agencies.

What is the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) Entrepreneurship Forum?

  • The TEF Entrepreneurship Forum is a platform that showcases innovation and entrepreneurial potential that exists in Africa for the next generation of African business titans.
  • The event is held for two days in Lagos, Nigeria.
  • It allows the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurs form networks, share knowledge, build cross-border business partnerships, and connect with investors, link with corporate supply chains, influence policymakers, and business leaders participating on the forum.
  • There will be several panels, master classes, success stories, speed networking, TED-style talks, sector specific and regional networking sessions, open marketplace, exhibitions and pitching, awards and entertainment.

As part of their learning experience, the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurs will participate in the forum’s action packed agenda on a wide-range of topics: Solving Africa’s future challenges, access to finance, sales and marketing for SME’s, industrialisation and digitisation of Africa amongst others.

According to the organisers of the event, the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme is an act of faith in entrepreneurs to transform the continent. In the first year of the programme they spent over $8 million out of their $100 million commitment–with $5 million going directly to entrepreneurs as seed capital.

The speakers at this year’s event include:

  • Folorunsho Alakija – Executive Vice-Chairman of Famfa Oil Limited
  • Toyin Sanni – CEO at United Capital
  • Neku Atawodi – General Manager for the Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST)
  • Mark Essien – Founder and CEO of Hotels.ng
  • Audu Maikori – Founder of the Chocolate City Group

Watch the TEF Entrepreneurship Forum live:

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