The Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, has urged entrepreneurs in Africa to leverage on networks they build to develop pan African investments and trade networks in the region.
According to him, networking was an important factor for businesses, and the necessary for African entrepreneurs to view it as an opportunity to help develop the African economy.
Speaking at a two-day bootcamp for 1000 entrepreneurs from over 51 African countries under the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme (TEEP) in Ota, Nigeria, he said, “this programme deserves all the commendation it is getting. Tony Elumelu has courageously put his money where his mouth is. Societies can’t develop without social entrepreneurs. I charge you to be little Elumelus and create opportunities for others.”
The Chairman of Heirs Holdings, who is also the founder of TEF, said “Entrepreneurship is not a short-term journey and I am pleased that we can help these emerging leaders as they seek to join me in transforming Africa. My commitment towards creating a thousand new entrepreneurs who can change Africa forever has now become a reality. This is only the beginning.”
He also used the platform to share perspectives on his life experiences and the principles that he learned from mentors such as Chief Ebitimi Banigo, that he applied towards his own successful entrepreneurship journey.
He also answered an array of questions during a two-hour question-and-answer session, offering perspective on innovation, strategy, governance, financial management and decision making.
Entrepreneurs share experience
A Ghanaian Entrepreneur, Mr Isaac Adobaw, told the Daily Graphic that he was going to invest the seed capital into his credit business in order to lend more to the informal sector.
“I started operations in October 2014 and my target is the informal sector. I give out loans and those who qualify must save with us and have about 50 per cent of the loan amount in their savings. This is to help us minimise the risk associated with lending in the country,” he said.
At the end of the bootcamp, some entrepreneurs, who were part of the 2015 TEEP class, said the programme had been very insightful as they got the opportunity to interact with successful entrepreneurs, as well as political and business leaders.
An entrepreneur from The Gambia, Mr Badje Modou Lamin, whose business is in the agricultural sector, said “the bootcamp has been a great experience. I have been able to exchange ideas with a number of entrepreneurs. This has really changed my perspective on Africa.”
Maalainine Mohamed Bouya, from Morocco, said “the bootcamp has been a blast! Right from our journey from the airport down to the bootcamp, we have been discussing and sharing ideas among ourselves. Africa has huge potential.”
Nigerian Obinna Chukwu, also said, “the bootcamp has been a wonderful experience – I have met people from all over Africa. It makes me proud of being a Nigerian. I thank Tony Elumelu and the Tony Elumelu Foundation for making this happen.”
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