Africa Is Filled With Untapped Talents Waiting To Flourish –Awele Elumelu

Chairperson of Transcorp Hotels Plc, Avon Healthcare Limited and Heirs Insurance Brokers, Dr. Awele Elumelu, has urged young African entrepreneurs to believe in their potential, saying the continent has world-class talent capable of competing globally with the right support, training and access to capital.

Speaking at an event for young entrepreneurs, Dr. Elumelu pointed to the growing global recognition of African creatives as proof of what is possible.

Using music as an example, she recalled the excitement around a Beyoncé album that featured African artistes including Tiwa Savage, Burna Boy, Yemi Alade, Shatta Wale and others. She described the collaboration as a demonstration of Africa’s talent on the world stage.

“Our own homegrown African talent, sharing the stage with the biggest pop star in the world, is an amazing testament to the immense potential of African entrepreneurs individually and as a collective,” she said.

According to Dr. Elumelu, the success seen in music can be replicated across other sectors.

“With the right push, the right resources and the right environment, young entrepreneurs can compete on the world stage,” she said. She added that similar excellence exists in agriculture, information and communications technology, ICT, fashion, healthcare and other industries.

She said the achievements reinforce the Tony Elumelu Foundation’s belief that Africa is home to talent that can thrive with the right backing.

“This reinforces our belief at the Tony Elumelu Foundation that there are hidden gems in Africa who, with the right amount of support, training and seed capital, can become global trailblazers in their chosen fields,” she said.

Dr. Elumelu encouraged young Africans to remain focused despite challenges, stressing the need for discipline, resilience and consistency.

“Young Africans, there is excellence in you. You owe it to yourselves, your families, your communities and Africa to put in the hard work, build resilience and keep at it until you succeed. The world awaits you.”

Her remarks align with the Tony Elumelu Foundation’s mission of empowering African entrepreneurs through entrepreneurship training, mentorship, seed funding and business support aimed at driving economic transformation across the continent.

The Foundation has supported thousands of African startups since its launch, with a focus on job creation and economic development.