Nigerian businessman and philanthropist, Tony Elumelu, Chairman of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Group, has been conferred with the 2025 Appeal of Conscience Award by the Appeal of Conscience Foundation, the interfaith coalition founded by Rabbi Arthur Schneier.
Elumelu, represented at the event by his wife, Awele Elumelu, described the recognition as an honour that “deeply resonates with my personal values, and it is a privilege to be associated with the legacy represented by the Appeal of Conscience Foundation and Rabbi Arthur Schneier.”
The award came at a sombre time for Elumelu, who paid tribute to six colleagues recently lost in a tragic incident. “They were family, friends, mothers, sons, and daughters, hardworking individuals, who were dedicated to building a better Africa. Their absence leaves a void that cannot be filled… and so tonight, before all else, I wish to honour their memories with a moment of silence,” he said.
Elumelu used the occasion to restate his philosophy of Africapitalism, stressing the private sector’s role in driving inclusive growth and stability across Africa. “Humanity first: that has been the core of my life, what keeps me up at night: how can we transform lives across Africa? How do we leave a legacy that uplifts people and creates opportunity for everyone?” he noted.
Through the Tony Elumelu Foundation, he has committed over $100 million to support more than 24,000 young African entrepreneurs across all 54 African countries. “By empowering a generation with economic opportunities and the means to shape their own destinies, we are combatting the despair that fuels economic instability, migration, and insecurity,” he said.
The award also casts a spotlight on UBA, which Elumelu described as “the only African bank that can take deposits in the United States of America.” Operating across four continents, UBA has grown into a symbol of African financial sophistication while pushing for deeper financial inclusion at home. “When we create value in the financial services industry, we drive inclusion, offering the underrepresented a stake in the economy,” he said.
Elumelu dedicated the award to “the thousands of Africapitalists across the African continents who relentlessly create the Africa we envision; the young entrepreneurs, innovators, and my colleagues across Heirs Holdings Group who are working tirelessly, often against great odds, to create a better future, to improve lives and transform Africa.”
The Appeal of Conscience Award has previously recognised world leaders, heads of corporations, and civil society figures committed to advancing peace, tolerance, and human dignity.
Comments are closed.