By Babajide Komolafe, Economy Editor, LAGOS
Chairman, United Bank of Africa, UBA Plc, Mr Tony Elumelu has advocated for more entrepreneurs and investments across the world to Fastrack the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, SGD.
Elumelu made this appeal at the first-ever TIME100 Impact Award at the Museum of the Future in Dubai, where he was among the seven honourees of the award recognised for using their influence to build a better future.
“The world is in need of people like us—more than ever before,” he said to the crowd, which included celebrities, politicians and prominent business leaders.
“We should pull resources together, we should commit now to help in any way possible in economically empowering others”, Elumelu said.
Elumelu was honoured for spending his career advocating for economic empowerment in the less fortunate places in the world. Among other things, the Tony Elumelu Foundation has given $5,000 each to 15,000 young entrepreneurs from 54 African countries as part of his effort to grow the entrepreneurial spirit in Africa and encourage economic development.
Speaking further, Elumelu paid tribute to the “hard-working young men and women in Africa who aspire to help their families and their communities.”
He shared his story of rising from a modest beginning to launching the Tony Elumelu Foundation in 2010, which is aimed at creating “significant opportunities and economic hope for others” while “helping to redefine how all of us need to work together to uplift through the message of entrepreneurship.”
As Chairman of UBA Plc, Elumelu’s vision for securing long-term investments from the private sector to drive economic development in Africa has helped create new job opportunities and turn the continent into a hub for innovation.
Stressing the need for more investment and opportunities in Africa more than ever, Elumelu, said, “In the 21st century, there’s so much poverty, sickness, and bitterness in the world,” he said. “Our calling should be one that has to prioritise humanity.”
Vanguard News Nigeria