Heirs Energies says it has committed over $10 million to support 2,000 African entrepreneurs through its partnership with the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) to drive enterprise growth and job creation across the continent.
The 2026 Cohort of TEF includes 3,200 entrepreneurs from all 54 African countries, selected from more than 265,000 applicants.
According to a statement by Heirs Energies, the cohort was unveiled in Abuja on Sunday by the TEF founder and chairman Tony Elumelu.
Speaking at the event, Elumelu stated that the future of Africa will be built by Africans who create businesses, generate jobs and solve the challenges of our continent, adding that empowering entrepreneurs remains the most sustainable path to economic transformation.
Heirs Energies stated that its support forms part of a broader strategy to link energy development with economic expansion, particularly in regions where access to capital, infrastructure and opportunity remains uneven.
The Chief Executive Officer of Heirs Energies, Osayande Igiehon, said at the event that “Sustainable energy development must be matched by sustained investment in people and enterprise. Our partnership with the Tony Elumelu Foundation reflects a deliberate effort to expand opportunity while strengthening the communities in which we operate.”
Operating in OML 17 in the Niger Delta, Heirs Energies disclosed that it has empowered more than 500 youths through skills acquisition and enterprise development programmes, supported over 1,621 students through educational grants, reached more than 18,000 people through medical outreach programmes, and delivered over 135 community infrastructure projects, with additional projects at advanced stages of completion.
Beyond its host communities, Heirs Energies disclosed that it supplies gas into Nigeria’s domestic network, enabling over 350 megawatts of electricity generation, powering homes, schools and industries.
Through its TEF partnership, Heirs Energies supported 1,000 entrepreneurs in 2025, with 40 per cent from the Niger Delta, including more than 150 from Rivers State.
In 2026, the company explained that it is supporting another 1,000 entrepreneurs, with 50 per cent from the Niger Delta and that women account for 48 per cent of beneficiaries, reflecting its commitment to inclusive growth.
According to Heirs Energies, its continued collaboration with TEF reflects a “shared focus on enterprise development, job creation and broader economic participation across the continent”.
GIK/APA