President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, who was in Nigeria on a working visit, interacted with more than 2,000 budding entrepreneurs from Africa last Wednesday. The entrepreneurs were alumni of the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) Entrepreneurship Programme.
The session, which was the highlight of Macron’s visit to the country, was chaired by the UBA Chairman, and Founder TEF, Mr Tony Elumelu.
The platform gave African entrepreneurs a platform to closely engage with President Macron, and garner ideas from his wealth of experience as one of the youngest Heads of State in recent times.
The historic session also provided a platform where participants networked and forged partnerships with French and African business leaders and policymakers who were in attendance.
Elumelu described the collaboration between the French President and TEF is a result of President Macron’s acknowledgement that African entrepreneurs remain the key to Africa’s economic transformation, and his desire to connect with and elevate the voices of future leaders.
“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.
“It is a pleasure to introduce him to our Africa; the Africa of innovation, determination and opportunity. We share a somewhat similar background with the French President being a banker, who became a visionary, and is bringing a new mindset to politics and business,” Elumelu said.
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.
