Nigerian billionaire Tony Elumelu has urged global leaders to replace aid-driven narratives with investment-led partnerships, insisting Africa’s young population needs jobs, electricity, and internet access — not charity.
Nigerian business magnate and Heirs Holdings founder Tony Elumelu has challenged global leaders to rethink their approach to Africa, calling for partnerships built on equity rather than dependency.
Speaking at the 2026 Africa Forward Summit, jointly convened by Kenyan President William Ruto and French President Emmanuel Macron, Elumelu argued that private sector investment and infrastructure — not aid — held the key to Africa’s transformation.
“We welcome true partnerships — partnerships of substance and based on equity, where Africans and African solutions catalyse Africa’s future,” he said.
On the continent’s growing youth population, Elumelu was direct: “In Africa, we have a young population. There is no room for victim mentality. Our youth do not need handouts; they need jobs, improved access to electricity and connectivity to the internet.”
He noted the Tony Elumelu Foundation has trained over 2.5 million young Africans and funded more than 27,000 entrepreneurs across all 54 African countries.
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