President Bola Tinubu extended birthday wishes to Tony Onyemaechi Elumelu, a prominent Nigerian economist and philanthropist, in a statement on March 22. Tinubu lauded Elumelu's significant role as a business leader in Africa and described him as a key advocate for both Nigerian and African entrepreneurship. The acknowledgment comes during a critical time when the African economy is embracing more localized initiatives and self-sufficiency through entrepreneurship.

The statement highlighted Elumelu’s accomplishments as the chairman of Heirs Holdings, United Bank for Africa, and Transcorp, as well as his commitment to the Tony Elumelu Foundation, which engages in extensive efforts to uplift young African entrepreneurs. Tinubu emphasized Elumelu's resilience and the excellence governing his enterprises, which he referred to as exemplary models for aspiring business leaders in Africa. Through these avenues, Elumelu has made impactful contributions to advancing African entrepreneurship on a global scale.

Furthermore, President Tinubu noted the significant impact of the Tony Elumelu Foundation's entrepreneurship program, which has successfully trained 2.5 million youth across 54 African countries and empowered over 24,000 entrepreneurs with non-refundable seed capital. This highlights the vital role of innovative enterprises in driving economic development in Africa, as well as the potential of Africapitalism to propel the continent towards greater economic independence and growth.