Chief Executive of The Tony Elumelu Foundation, Ifeyinwa Ugochukwu has touted the contribution of her outfit to the growth of the African economy.

Speaking on The Hard Truth on JoyNews, on Tuesday, Mrs. Ugochukwu said the Foundation has changed the face of entrepreneurship in Africa.

“The Tony Elumelu Foundation has transformed the face of entrepreneurship on the African continent. If you think back 12 years ago, entrepreneurship was not something that was on the global agenda of most leaders, be it African or foreign governments. But today, entrepreneurship is firmly on the agenda.

“And I think that is not just about the work we do, but the work we all do in the eco-system and public sector alike, because we know that empowerment of our young vibrant entrepreneurs is the true sustainable way to the economic development in poverty alleviation in Africa.”

While acknowledging that Africa has chalked some success in terms of entrepreneurship, the CEO stressed that there is more to be done.

“We know that the African Private Sector is stepping up to the plate… but to lead the charge, it means prioritising entrepreneurship, it means with our youth, we must create a job-creating mentality and not a job seeking one. It means long-term investment with capital that is not looking for immediate returns but looking to invest for a generation to come,” she highlighted.

She also dismissed assertions that the private sector will marginalize the role of government should it take charge of the economy.

In her view, the African economy will thrive when its private sector is best positioned.

“It is a partnership, because the private sector cannot do it alone, but the private sector needs to take the lead because government’s job is not to create job, government’s job is not to generate revenue, government's job is to create security and an environment.

“And once the enabling environment is there, the private sector will do the rest,” she stressed.