The Time Magazine has named Tony O. Elumelu, one of Africa’s leading investors and philanthropists, in the 2020 list of the most influential persons in the world.
The list, now in its 17th year, recognises the activism, innovation, and achievement of the world’s most influential individuals.
Elumelu, who is one of only four Africans on the 2020 list, is recognised for his track record of business turnaround and value creation, and economic empowerment of young Africans.
He is the Chairman of United Bank for Africa, a top Pan-African financial services group, operating in Uganda and 19 additional countries in Africa, the United Kingdom, France, and is the only African bank with a commercial deposit taking licence in the United States.
The bank provides corporate, commercial, SME and consumer banking services to more than 21 million customers globally. United bank for Africa has been offering financial services in Uganda for the past 12 years.
Mr. Tony Elumelu is the most prominent champion of entrepreneurship in Africa. In 2010, he created the Tony Elumelu Foundation which empowers a new generation of African entrepreneurs, catalysing economic growth, driving poverty eradication and ensuring job creation across all 54 African countries.
Since inception, the foundation has funded just under 10,000 entrepreneurs and created a digital ecosystem of over one million as part of its ten year, $100m commitment through the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme.
Over 600 Ugandan entrepreneurs have benefited from the foundation that will celebrate 10 years of impact in November.
Self-funded, the Foundation is increasingly sharing its unique ability to identify, train, mentor and fund young entrepreneurs across Africa, with institutions such as the UNDP, the ICRC and leading European development agencies.
Other Africans on the list include 47 year old Abubacarr Tambadou a Gambian lawyer and politician, Tomi Adeyemi, 27 the author of “Children of Blood and Bones and Dr.Jean-Jacques Muyembe , the director of the National Institute of Biomedical Research in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
About the list
The list released every year is a compilation of 100 people from different walks of life who are making an impact on business, art, sport, music and more across the world.
Final names were selected by the Time Magazine’s international staff and Time 100 alumni.
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