TIME100 Names Tony and Awele Elumelu Among 2026 Philanthropy Titans
TIME Magazine has recognised Tony O. Elumelu and Awele Vivien Elumelu as two of its 2026 Philanthropy honourees, listing them among global leaders in giving. Since co-founding the Tony Elumelu Foundation in 2010, the couple has pledged $100 million to support 1,000 African entrepreneurs each year. To date, TEF has awarded seed grants to over 27,000 entrepreneurs and expanded its free online programmes to reach more than 2.5 million people. TEF beneficiaries have generated $4.2 billion in revenue, created over 1.5 million jobs and lifted 2.1 million Africans above the poverty line. More than half of today’s awardees are women, up from around 20% in early cohorts. This honour marks Tony Elumelu’s third major recognition by TIME and the first to celebrate both him and Awele Elumelu together, reflecting their shared vision of Africapitalism and private-sector-led development.
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