Elumelu: Someone gave me a chance when I wasn’t qualified

CHAIRMAN of Heirs Holdings, Mr Tony Elumelu, says his career was shaped by an early opportunity he received despite not having the qualifications for the job.

Elumelu disclosed this while reflecting on career opportunities, entrepreneurship and the need to create more pathways for young Africans to participate in the continent’s emerging digital economy.

In a post on X on Saturday, the businessman said an individual took a chance on him at the beginning of his career, an opportunity he described as instrumental to everything he has achieved since.

“I started my career in a job I wasn’t qualified for. Someone took a chance on me. Everything I have built since has been to repay it,” he said.

Elumelu said while he benefited from that opportunity, young Africans should not have to depend solely on luck or personal connections to gain access to opportunities.

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“I was lucky. But luck should not be the only way an African talent gets a chance,” he said.

“Our job is to democratise that luck.”

Africa’s AI opportunity depends on electricity

Elumelu also drew attention to Africa’s position in the global artificial intelligence (AI) race, arguing that the continent’s biggest constraint is not a shortage of talent but inadequate electricity infrastructure.

According to him, Africa accounts for less than one percent of global AI computing capacity and about three percent of global AI talent.

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“The constraint is not talent. It is electricity. We leapfrogged landlines with mobile. We will not leapfrog electricity,” he said.

He argued that Africa needs to address its power deficit urgently if it is to participate meaningfully in the next phase of technological development.

For Elumelu, the expansion of AI across Africa will depend heavily on the continent’s ability to increase electricity generation and access.

“The race for AI in Africa is also a race for megawatts,” he said.

‘Start before you are qualified’

The businessman also encouraged young people to pursue opportunities before they feel completely prepared for them, drawing from his own experience.

“My closing advice: To the youth in the room: start before you are qualified. I did,” he said.

He also called on investors and development partners to provide more capital to African entrepreneurs who have demonstrated the ability to build viable businesses.

Addressing investors, Elumelu pointed to the work of the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), which provides seed capital and entrepreneurship support to young Africans.

READ ALSO: Elumelu’s Heirs Energies acquires 20.07% stake in Seplat in $500m deal

“To the investors and partners in the audience: @TonyElumeluFDN seed capital has proved that young African entrepreneurs are investible,” he said.

“Now co-invest with us to take them to scale.”

Elumelu has previously spoken about the formative experiences that shaped his business career.

On September 11, he said lessons from his early days working as a photocopier salesperson continued to influence his approach to business, including his emphasis on resilience, customer relationships and identifying opportunities.