Dr. Awele V. Elumelu
Co-Founder | Tony Elumelu Foundation
Dr. Awele V. Elumelu, OFR is an African business leader, dedicated to transforming healthcare and fostering entrepreneurship across the continent.
She is the Chairperson of Avon Healthcare Limited, Nigeria’s leading health insurance provider, and Avon Medical Practice, a growing network of full-service clinics and medical centres, driven by her commitment to improving access to quality healthcare in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation.
Dr. Elumelu’s organisations and advocacy are tackling challenges around healthcare infrastructure, while championing access to affordable medical insurance and effective healthcare services.
In 2018, Dr. Elumelu was appointed as the Private Sector Champion for Immunisation in Africa by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. In this role, she harnesses her knowledge, corporate networks, and expertise from the healthcare and business sectors to champion vaccination and immunisation in Africa. She also sits on the Advisory Board of the Yale Institute for Global Health, and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (EJS) Presidential Centre for Women and Development.
Dr. Elumelu serves as a Founding Director on the Board of Heirs Holdings, a family-owned investment company committed to improving lives and transforming Africa. She actively plays a role in uniting public and private sector stakeholders, to deliver economic opportunities and social good. In addition, Dr. Elumelu serves as the Chairperson of Heirs Insurance Brokers, the brokerage arm of Heirs Insurance Group, a subsidiary of Heirs Holdings.
She also serves as Board Chair for Transcorp Hotels Plc, a leading African hospitality company, owners of the iconic Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja, where she drives its commitment to redefining hospitality across the continent. Transcorp Hotels is a subsidiary of Transnational Corporation Plc, one of Africa’s leading listed companies with strategic investments in the power, hospitality, and energy sectors.
As the Co-Founder of The Tony Elumelu Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Heirs Holdings, committed to empowering entrepreneurs across Africa, she advocates extensively for gender inclusion and youth entrepreneurship across the continent. The Foundation has empowered over 400,000 young African men and women across the 54 African countries with non-refundable grants, mentorship, and business training.
Dr. Elumelu holds a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery degree from the University of Benin, with advanced executive and professional certifications from the International Institute for Management Development, Switzerland, the London School of Economics & Political Science, City University of London, and the Indian School of Business. Her career as a medical doctor includes experience with the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, in Nigeria, and Grantham and District Hospital, Grantham, in the UK.
