IWD: Tony Elumelu Celebrates Women Who Have Shaped And Inspired His Life, Shares Photos

Tony Elumelu, chairman of United Bank for Africa, Transcorp Group, and Heirs Holdings, has celebrated women who have shaped and inspired his life as the world marks International Women’s Day.

In a post shared on social media on Sunday, the prominent investor and advocate of shared prosperity across Africa paid tribute to the women closest to him — including his mother, wife, daughters, and female professionals within his organisation.

Elumelu said the women in his life continue to inspire him daily and remain central to the progress and impact being pursued across his business and philanthropic platforms.

“Today, I celebrate the women who inspire me every day — my dear mother, my loving wife and partner in legacy, my wonderful daughters, and the remarkable women across the Heirs Holdings Group who remain deeply committed to achieving our goals and creating lasting impact,” he wrote.

The entrepreneur also highlighted the transformative role women play in driving development across Africa, noting that empowering women leads to wider societal progress.

According to him, the work of the Tony Elumelu Foundation has repeatedly demonstrated that investing in women produces ripple effects that benefit families, communities, and entire nations.

“Through the Tony Elumelu Foundation, we have seen time and again that when we empower women, we empower not just individuals, but entire communities and nations,” he said.

The Tony Elumelu Foundation is the leading philanthropy empowering a new generation of African entrepreneurs, driving poverty eradication, catalysing job creation across all 54 African countries and ensuring inclusive economic empowerment.

Since the launch of the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme in 2015, TEF has lifted over 2 million Africans out of poverty, provided 2.5 million young Africans with access to training on TEFConnect, and disbursed more than $100millon in direct funding.

Elumelu added that Africa’s transformation cannot be achieved without placing women at the centre of development efforts.

“We cannot achieve the transformation of our continent without women at the centre of it — they are the backbone of our society,” he said.

International Women’s Day is celebrated globally every March 8 to recognise the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women while advocating gender equality.