CNN’s African Voices Profiles Elumelu, Top Nigerian Economist

Tony Elumelu, one of Nigeria’s top businessmen, economist, banker, investor and philanthropist, and former Managing Director of United Bank for Africa (UBA), will feature on African Voices, CNN’s International weekly half-hour programme highlighting Africa’s most engaging personalities.

The interview, with CNN’s Jill Dougherty, will feature Elumelu talking about his intentions to transform electricity shortage in Africa, empower young entrepreneurs, and how his upbringing prepared him for the success of today.

Elumelu talks about his ability to forecast, make predictions and take position in advance based on the evaluation of the future.

He said, “I have a certain ability to tell, to read the environment and economy and to predict the direction things might go. When I envisage and take position and that vision comes through, then significant opportunities crystallize.”
He also explains his challenges of being the youngest Nigerian CEO of a commercial bank, during a period when the banking industry was fast growing and headed by expatriates. He recounts the strategies implemented in turning around Nigeria’s Standard Trust Bank.

His passion and discipline for investment has empowered him to develop strategies to attract investors to Africa. Heirs Holdings, a Nigerian based Investment Company founded by Elumelu, was another initiative towards his investment goals in the Nigerian power sector.

Elumelu is also the founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, an African based and funded philanthropy, which aims to identify and assist entrepreneurs and the leaders of Africa in their chosen field. The proud father of five daughters and his wife, who is a physician and business partner on the board of Heirs Holdings, said the major aim of the foundation is to train young aspiring Nigerians for the competitive world ahead of them.