Beneficiaries of the TEF Entrepreneurship programme./HANDOUT
The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), in collaboration with UBA Kenya, hosted an Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Mixer on Friday at UBA Kenya’s headquarters in Westlands, Nairobi.
The event brought together TEF beneficiaries, mentors, partners, and key players in Kenya’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
It aimed to foster stronger networks and support systems for young African entrepreneurs.
The mixer is part of TEF’s broader mission to create an enabling environment for entrepreneurship across Africa.
Somachi Chris-Asoluka, Chief Executive Officer of TEF, said the Foundation remains focused on using entrepreneurship as a tool for lasting transformation.
“At the Tony Elumelu Foundation, we believe that entrepreneurship is the most powerful tool we have to transform Africa,” she said.
“This gathering underscores our commitment to building robust local ecosystems and sustaining the journeys of our TEF Alumni.”
She added that partnerships like the one with UBA Kenya help expand networks and unlock opportunities for African entrepreneurs.
UBA Kenya’s Managing Director and CEO, Mary Mulili, praised the impact of the programme in the country.
“In Kenya alone, TEF has directly impacted 1,292 entrepreneurs with training, mentorship, and USD 5,000 seed capital,” she said.
She added that UBA Kenya is offering tailored financial solutions, including working capital, asset financing, and overdraft facilities to help entrepreneurs grow their businesses.
“We applaud TEF’s commitment and look forward to deepening our collaboration,” she said.
Since 2015, the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme has empowered over 24,000 entrepreneurs across all 54 African countries.
The Foundation has disbursed over $100 million in non-refundable seed capital and trained more than 2.5 million young Africans on its digital platform, TEFConnect.
TEF-supported businesses have generated over $4.2 billion in revenue and created more than 1.5 million jobs.
At the event, alumni shared how the programme changed their lives.
Huntington Mambo Asimpad, a 2018 beneficiary and founder of Mambo Software, said the training was practical and timely.
“The funding came when we were in a difficult phase. It gave us the push we needed,” he said.
Maureen Amakabane, a 2017 alumna and founder of USAFI Sanitation, said the programme gave her a second chance.
“I had lost two businesses. I applied minutes before the deadline. That opportunity reignited my drive,” she said.
Mentor Dr. Rosemary Gituma emphasized the value of mentoring.
“Every time I engage with my TEF mentees, it is incredibly fulfilling,” she said.
“TEF has built something truly transformative.”
The TEF-UBA Ecosystem Mixer reaffirmed a shared commitment to supporting entrepreneurship as a key driver of economic growth, innovation, and poverty reduction in Africa.
