Tony Onyemaechi Elumelu is a Nigerian economist, entrepreneur,and philanthropist

Tony Onyemaechi Elumelu is a Nigerian economist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He is the founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, which is dedicated to supporting entrepreneurship in Africa. He is also the chairman of Heirs Holdings, the United Bank for Africa (UBA), Transcorp, and is the founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme (TEF).

Elumelu is widely recognized for his contributions to African economic development and has been named one of "Africa's 20 Most Powerful People in Business" by Forbes. He has received numerous awards and honors, including the African Business Icon award at the 2013 African Business Awards, and he was recognized as the African Business Leader of the Year by the African Investor magazine in the same year.

Born on March 23, 1963, in Onitsha, Anambra State, Nigeria, Elumelu began his career at the old All States Trust Bank, which later merged with Standard Trust Bank. He went on to co-found Standard Trust Bank in 1997 and served as its Chief Executive Officer. In 2005, he led the largest merger in the history of the Nigerian banking sector, creating the United Bank for Africa (UBA), a pan-African financial services group with operations in over 20 African countries.

Under his leadership, UBA grew significantly, and Elumelu is credited with transforming the bank into a major player in the African financial sector. He served as the Group Managing Director/CEO of UBA until 2010, when he stepped down to focus on his role as the Group's chairman.

Elumelu's philanthropic efforts are centered around empowering the next generation of African entrepreneurs. The Tony Elumelu Foundation, which he established in 2010, provides funding, mentorship, and training to entrepreneurs across the continent through its flagship program, the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Program (TEF). The program's goal is to create a network of 10,000 successful entrepreneurs who can contribute to the economic growth and development of Africa over the next decade.

In addition to his business and philanthropic activities, Elumelu has also served on various international boards and advisory panels, including the Global Advisory Board of the University of Lagos, the World Economic Forum's Young Global Leaders Foundation, and the Africa Regional Agenda Advisory Group of the World Economic Forum.

Elumelu holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from Ambrose Alli University and an MBA from the University of Lagos. He is also an alumnus of the Advanced Management Program at the Harvard Business School and is a member of the Institute of Directors in Nigeria. He is married and has children.