Fu’ad Idowu Oduniyi, an Industrial Relations and Personnel Management graduate of the Lagos State University, Ojo, has quit his banking job for shoe making. Fatimah Abdul reports.

Why will an Industrial Relations and Personnel Management graduate of Lagos State University (LASU) quit a juicy banking job for a career in shoemaking?

This was the question on the lips of many colleagues and family members of Fuwad Idowu Oduniyi.

To him, the passion for leather works, which include making of shoes, bags, slippers and belts has been long in him before he gained admission into the university.

As the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Noble Fu’ad Leather Works, the 28-year-old 2012 LASU graduate said he decided to learn how to make slippers during a long in him strike in his second year at the university.

His interest, he said, grew when his colleagues, impressed by his shoes, started patronising him.

After graduation, he underwent more training in shoemaking before leaving for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme in 2013.

His three-week stint at the NYSC Camp in Benue State was fulfilling in skill acquisition and entrepreneurial development training organised for Corp members.

He taught his camp mates shoe and bag making. Because of his expertise, he was chosen to deputise for the female leather work instructor in camp. His dexterity in the business earned him more patronage before the end of orientation.

At the end of the NYSC year, Oduniyi was not in a hurry to go on a job hunt. Having observed the high unemployment rate in the country, he decided to hold on to his shoe business. He enrolled as an apprentice to a specialist cobbler in Surulere. Soon, however, he got a job in a bank. To him, securing the job was not what he prayed for neither did he crave to have it, it was just a miracle.

He said: ‘’It all started with Diamond Bank. At that time, the bank was re-launching some of its applications and we were hired just for three months. When the programme ended, I submitted my Curriculum Vitae (CV) online just for submitting sake, but I continued with my shoe business, learning more because I wanted to grow big in the business.

“Another opportunity came for me through an uncle. It was a marketing job offered by a Lagos Island branch of Skye Bank. We were given the task of getting customers. While I was with the bank, I tried to satisfy my customers who wanted to make shoes but it later became too stressful to combine both. I realised that I was disappointing my customers when I did not deliver their shoes as agreed. I was not comfortable with this and asked myself what I really had zeal for.

“The answer was not far-fetched. It was my leather work business. I believed I would become my own boss if I continued in shoemaking. Fifteen months later, I left the bank for my leather work business  to give it full concentration.’’

Oduniyi told The Nation that quitting his bank job was a satisfactory option both in terms of personal fulfilment and the income.

His earnings in the business, he said, were sufficient compared “to the long wait for a monthly salary”.

He explained that being in control of his time “is the greatest pleasure I have derived from my business” compared to the pressure mounted on him when he was in the banking industry.

He said: “I believe education cannot provide a substantial earning for you, it is just a complement to whatever thing you choose to do by yourself. You are educated because you are different from an unlettered person. You are meant to infuse the difference in what you do to make it distinct. To a great extent, my exposure as an educated individual has contributed to my business. I have my own brand name and I advertise my products online even through my blog. I also had the opportunity to be interviewed by a blogger, Black Box Nigeria, who also created publicity for me. I work here in Surulere where my products are displayed in a show room. I equally have my show room at Isheri Olofin. Through friends and families, I have also made many customers.”

Despite many challenges in the  industry, he told The Nation how he has been coping.

His words: ‘’As regards that, the little challenge is the turn out of our customers and the need for me to still have some tools that can add to the beauty of the works I have done. Most of our works are done manually. We do virtually everything with hands from drawing, measuring and designing, we only use machines to file and sew.  I make use of my master’s machines for finishing.

“Also, not having apprentice whose presence obviously makes work faster is also a challenge. A situation whereby you will have customers to deliver shoes to and you are the only one doing the whole process. Aside all these, I am still satisfied with what I make.’’

He urged undergraduates and graduates to sharpen their entrepreneurial skills so as not to be dependent on people or company.

Oduniyi said: ‘’Having one skill or the other is an added advantage. For the graduates, I remember I inspired two of my friends who graduated and had nothing to do after trying to get a job. I made them to understand if the opportunity of certificate job comes in, they can always embrace it but before then, I encouraged them to discover what they have passion for or rather learn a skill to become a boss of their own. They yielded to my advice and now they are already making money. Therefore, it is necessary for graduates to have a plan‘B’ in order not to be  dependants.”

The post ‘I was happy to leave banking for shoemaking appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.

A Lagos-based mini-livestock entrepreneur, Mr. Lamson Opeyemi, has earned himself fame and fortune from rearing turkeys. Turkey farming, according to experts, is a higher income yielding venture than other forms of poultry farming, especially chicken rearing. DANIEL ESSIET reports

In the Southwest where he grew up, turkey meat is a delicacy eaten mostly by the rich. Perhaps that was what caught the attention of Mr. Lamson Opeyemi,  who saw the near exclusivity in the consumption of turkey as a good investment opportunity.

He seized the rare opportunity to venture into the busniess, apparently to earn income from meeting the culinary needs of the rich, most of who prefer turkey meat to chicken’s.

For most Nigerians who prefer the bird, its unique nutritional values are, perhaps, too tempting to ignore. But, for Opeyemi, the income from turkey farming remains the attraction. He has since been smiling to the bank with proceeds from each season’s sale, especially during festive periods, such as Christmas, Easter  and Muslim festivals.

However, setting out for the business was not easy for Opeyemi. Apart from the start-up capital, he spent time and resources learning its rudiments. “The initial cost included getting a male and female turkey for production as well as a pen to house the birds ,” he said.

For instance, the average start-up cost for the business, besides structures is N478, 000. Also, acquiring a 200 day-old turkey, known as  poults, at  N350 each, translates to about  N70, 000. The cost of feeding each poult to maturity is put at N2, 040  X 200  for  26 weeks (182 days) is  N408, 000.

However, Opeyemi was not deterred. He has been able to recoup his investments within six months, even making profits, particularly after Christmas and New Yaer sales when demand is usually high.

Interestinly, the poultry meat from turkey, the fertilised eggs, feathers and the droppings are all marketable, according to the budding entrepreneur.

Sharing his experience in the busniess, Opeyemi said all that is required to raise turkeys is  to tenderly love and care for them, especially in the first four weeks of their life span when moratlity rate of the birds is high.

According to him, the average mortality rate of turkey is six to 10 per cent . He said part of the care involves  raising turkey  under  a roof  rather  than the free range system where  a rearer or farmer needs one acre of fenced land to raise  200-250 adult free roaming turkeys.

Also, feeds, according to him, should be given in feeders, not on the ground. Turkeys, he said, require clean water supply all the time.

Opeyemi said if the birds are well fed, they start laying eggs from when they are about five months, though the male take a longer period of about eight months to mature.

He has peices of advice for aspiring livestock entreprenuers. First, would-be farmers must create time and be involved in nurturing the birds. This, according to him, is neccessary for the farmer to reap bountifully from the agribusiness venture.

That is not all. The innovative farmer also recommends following low-cost practices. He said to get to where he is, he followed selective mating, selection of eggs, simple incubation techniques, early care of chicks, preparation of feed mixture and health care.

He also invested his time and resources in research to ascertain the health risks, feeding regime and even market for eggs and meat from turkey.

Opeyemi explains: “Turkey rearing starts from day old, which should be kept in a brooder house under appropriate temperature for about five weeks. Then the birds will be separated into different houses, one for the males that are fast growers; the second pen/house for females, which grow slowly.”

He said the birds may stay there till maturity, which is 20 weeks before the farmer can sell them for money or leave them for production of eggs. He also said the fertilised eggs are hatched at another farmer’s hatchery on payment “You don’t need to have your own hatchery before you can produce day old turkey,” he said.

Opeyemi is not done with his recipe for being a successful turkey farmer. He admonished those wishing to venture into the business that adequate feeding of the turkey  is key.

Hear him: “The feeding of turkeys is very important, as the amount of feed it takes to make one pound of meat on the fowl makes the difference. If you intend to put eight pounds of meat on a turkey in eight and half weeks, it will take 13 pounds of feed. During this period, the turkey exceeds any other fowl in growth.”

To make good money within the first year, Opeyemi suggested starting with 200 birds, made up of 112 females, 56 males and 32 extra males. The extra males are to make up for the shortfall that may arise from the mortality of the birds.

He, however, said with an investment of N600,000 in buying day olds and feeds, a farmer can make up to N500, 000 within six months.

A farmer and consultant, Mr. Gbenga Boluwajoko,  said  turkey business generates more income than other poultry farming.

Boluwajoko, a crop and animal farmer in Ibadan, Oyo State, said the business he started with N50, 000 has grown by more than five times.

But it has not been a  savoury experience for Opeyemi, Boluwajoko and, indeed, other investors in the turkey farming. For them, the fear of disease outbreak is the beginning of wisdom. Listen to Boluwajoko: “I gave someone to help me brood 265-day old turkeys and there was a transfer of disease from a near-by farm and we lost all the animals. So, I discovered that it is better to be in charge.”

His advice: “Do it by yourself or be involved to some extent. Then go for training or buy an ebook from practical farmers if you are far from the person who will train you.”

The post Making a fortune from turkey farming appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.

A 300-level student in the Department of Business Administration, College of Management Sciences (COLMAS), Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta(FUNAAB),Miss Oluwatobi Adesina and her colleagues have held a business excellence summit, titled: Start-Up: A key to sustainable impact.

The organisers include: Festus Akinfenwa, Eno Dan,Folasade Olabisi and Funmi Olaoye; all from COLMAS.

Others were: Michael Ojediran and Babatunde Asiwaju, College of Environmental Resources Management (COLERM); Shemuel Olawoyin, College of Plant Science and Crop Production (COLPLANT); Idris Sanni, College of Veterinary Medicine (COLVET); Francis Iyere, College of Animal Science and Livestock Production (COLANIM);Oluwalaanumi Ayorinde, College of Food Science and Human Ecology (COLFHEC); Tolulope Ogundare, College of Engineering (COLENG); and Roliat Elemere of College of Biological Sciences (COLBIOS).

Delivering a keynote speech titled, “The entrepreneur in you”,  targeted at the development of youths’ entrepreneurial skills in tertiary institutions, the Director, Consultancy Services, Lead City University (LCU), Ibadan, Prof Olajumoke Familoni, admonished the participants to love what they do best and carry out research in such fields with passion.

She noted that the seminar’s aim was to lighten-up dormant business ideas and encourage entrepreneurship mindset among the youth.

Chairman of the occasion and the Director, Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies (CENTS) of FUNAAB, Prof Adewale Dipeolu, urged the participants to watch out for opportunities on entrepreneurship, which abound, adding that they should look for such as there are no boundaries to it.

The don, who specialises in production economics, marketing and consumer economics, advised the students to look inward, think hard and look up to God.

The students’ Staff Adviser, Dr. Elizabeth Oluwalana in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Farm Management (AE&FM), College of Agricultural Management and Rural Development (COLAMRUD), urged the participants to venture into agribusiness, saying that opportunities exist in the area, especially during this economic recession.

She charged the participants to be innovative by adding value to agricultural produce, noting that this would reduce wastes during glut, create wealth and reduce poverty.

Highpoint of the event, attended by over 300 participants from within and outside of the insitution, was the presentation of awards of excellence to the keynote speaker, facilitators as well as the donation of over 50 copies of a book titled, “Key Traits of a Successful Leader/Entrepreneur and Entrepreneurial Workbook”, written by Familoni, to participants.

There was also an exhibition and the display of value-added herbal products and fabric bags with their accessories.

At the event were: Dr. Bolatito Ikenweiwe of the Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries Management, COLERM; Mr. Tomisin Oyewole, Department of Economics, COLMAS; Chief Executive Officer, Ebenezer Animal Affairs, Lagos, Mr. Adewale Adesina; CEO, Denaro Properties Limited, Lagos, Mr. Babajide Ogunleye; Marketing Insight Manager, MTN Nigeria Mr. Adewale Salami; Mr. Femi Akinbola of Fastcash, Lagos and Mr. Adesola Adepegba.

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Lagos State Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Babatunde Fuad Durosinmi-Etti, said the government is supporting entrepreneurship as a key driver of growth and development.

He spoke at the Ministry’s  stakeholders’ forum in Epe, in Epe Local Government Area.

Aside the multinationals, he noted that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are also driving economic growth.

To achieve a long-lasting growth, he said the government wants to back businesses within the growing clusters by giving businesses useful tools.

Durosinmi-Etti reiterated that the government recognised the critical role played by startups and small businesses in creating jobs and spurring economic growth, adding that the ministry was determined to focus on training. He promised companies and individuals across growth sectors using business incubation centres that the facility will be established to support emerging entrepreneurs at each step of their journey by providing early-stage technical training.

Through the incubators, he said young entrepreneurs would be encouraged to launch and scale up their business ideas.

Since most successful entrepreneurs start small, he said the incubators would provide a training ground for start-up businessmen in managing and growing their businesses.

He listed business environment, access to finance, access to markets, and productivity and efficiency as areas where SMEs face challenges, adding that the government was prepared to address the challenges to make the lure of a fledgling business promising.

Durosinmi-Etti said the ministry had established employment centres in the five divisions of the state to coordinate job registration and labour exchange programmes.

He said:“These centres would provide career counselling to aspiring youths so that they can join the workforce with better skills for enhanced growth and development.

“I urge our youths to take advantage of this programme to help them choose, change and adjust to occupational life.”

In addition to job information, the website will provide links for career help and training resources.

Users will learn about the job opportunities. Durosinmi-Etti said the Ambode administration is committed to promoting entrepreneurship in citizens to proffer solutions to the lingering crisis of unemployment and constraint to wealth creation in the state.

He said the government would commit N6.25 billion yearly to the fund for the next four years.

He said: “The fund is to be given out as a loan with moderate interest rate of three per cent per annum to unemployed youths and residents with innovative business ideas.’’

The Trust Fund, according to him, is aimed majorly at reducing the level of unemployment among the youth by making funds available to those who have innovative ideas that can translate into viable businesses.

“It is hoped that this would not only make them self-employed, but also employers,” he said.

The ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr Mustapha AbdulAhmed Olorunfemi, said SMEs play an important role in the economy, but this significant contribution could be enhanced even further.

He said the ministry would play a key role in helping SMEs tap markets for the first time and would ensure that policies are designed with the needs of small businesses and entrepreneurs in mind.

He noted that the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund is saddled with  providing loans to start up entrepreneurs, artisans, inventors among others with good business ideas/proposals and enjoined all to take advantage of the initiative.

Access to funding, he noted, is critical to enabling SMEs to thrive, adding that the government was ready to work with them to address this and create a sustainable economic future.

Alongside this, he said the government would continue to promote development across the sector, helping to unlock funding to increase opportunities for investment and create jobs.

He said the government would support platforms for SMEs to innovate on at speed and with less risks, so that products and services could be accelerated to market.

The forum provided an opportunity for job seekers and businesses to meet with private agencies. The Ministry is partnering private organisations to create jobs opportunities.

Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Job-Link ,Mary Dinah said the company seeks to create a connection between people seeking work and top employers in diverse industries.

She said the company aims at school leavers, graduates, artisans, blue collar workers, labourers and other similar groups of people seeking employment in diverse industries.

“By registering with Job-Link, either through our centre or website, www.joblinknigeria.com, jobseekers have greater exposure to hundreds of employers. Our team of experienced recruiters continuously work on matching our members with job vacancies,”she added.

Business Development Officer, JobRed, Mr Tunji Adebayo said his organisation  has introduced App to assist job seekers.

According to him, the App helps graduates to learn more about career tips, labour market, global competitiveness and crucial employability skills.

“The application is loaded with relevant information that keeps graduates abreast with globally acceptable employability standard,” he said.

The post Why Lagos backs entrepreneurship, by commissioner appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.

A young graduate of Enugu State University, Emeka James, has taken on the big salons and rewritten the rules of barbing.TIMILEHIN BABATOPE reports.

Stories of perseverance by young entrepreneurs who overcame severe obstacles to achieve heights of success have always fascinated Emeka James, a young graduate of  Enugu State University. They inspired him and inflamed his passion. He wished to be one.

Though a huge market exists for businesses in his abode in Ajao Estate, Lagos State, only few new entrants survive.

James thought of self-employment. An area that appealed to him was how to cash in on young men who want to look good.

He decided to set up a barber’s shop that gives unique haircut to men. Today, what started as a small shop has become an attraction for not only young people, but also adults looking for corporate looks.

To call the place an hot spot would be an understatement as the estate is lined with high-end barbershops, as well as restaurants and boutiques that are patronised by a rich clientele. When people enter his salon, they find a big flat panel TV, lots of foreign magazines, and Nigerian newspapers in the waiting area. Some people come into the shop only to read newspapers and watch Tv. Yet, he does not restrict them.

When it’s time for them to take the chair, he appeals to them he would give them a clean finishing. At the salon, the haircut’s great, the atmosphere serene, conversation almost convivial.

He believes in providing the best value for boys and men and with standard haircut service. With music playing in the background, James is always busy.

With him were assistants, attending to male customers. Though he said he stumbled into barbing, he took the challenge. At the beginning it was challenging: “First of all is power supply that has been a challenge to every business. Secondly, traffic congestion affects businesses and sometimes the harassment from the local government.”

Today, the business is a huge success and all this is because of his entrepreneurial skills. But how did he get the idea to start the business?

His words: ‘’From when I was small, I have been dreaming of doing a business.

“To put the business on a good footing, I spent  about N1.2million both in rent and everything inside. This is because Ajao Estate is a gleaming hub of businesses and trade and a transforming small industrial hub.

‘’As the area evolved from an economy-based warehousing activity, residents are welcoming businesses and supply of specific skills needed to make it competitive.This is driving rents with rapid resident growth and standard housing.”How much is the business worth now? He was not very expressive:

“In a business like this, you can’t put true value because it requires investing on items we use inside and all that.  If you talk of how we are getting and retaining customers, we will say we thank God. On the whole, it is difficult to put value on this business.”

His advice to youths: “The only advice I will give them is that they believe in themselves and don’t look upon the government for immediate support. They should ‘hustle’ and not depend on the government; nothing is too small to start with.”

In the next five years, he hopes to  make the salon a household name not only in Lagos, but also in Nigeria.

The post Making a living from barbing appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.

Creating wealth and eradicating poverty require the painstaking building of new entrepreneurs through cooperatives. The President, Project Fix Nigeria, Mr. Olusegun Kowontan, is leading a movement in this direction. Daniel Essiet reports.

According to development experts, entrepreneurs and business enterprises create wealth, not government; government only provides the enabling environment for the private sector to thrive and create wealth.

The President, Project Fix Nigeria, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Mr. Olusegun  Kowontan,  believes that when this happens, it will be easier to lift people out of poverty through wealth creation cooperatives.

He noted that by spreading risk and pooling resources,  co-operatives will offer people with little individual wealth a way to start their own businesses and build assets.

To this end, he said Project Fix Nigeria has launched a  cooperative for Nigerians who believe in  eradicating poverty and hunger. He said people can participate either as partner farmers or absentee farmers.

Olusegun explained that the goal of the initiative is two-fold: to fulfill the protein requirements of the people at a low cost and to create livelihood opportunities for farmers and retirees.

According to him, there  is a real and urgent need for farmers and  entrepreneurs  to gain access to alternative livelihoods given the long gestation periods for arable  crops and fruit trees to yield fruits or become harvestable, compared to fish farming, for instance, that takes a shorter time.

Olusegun said his organisation is promoting reshwater fish culture and cage culture that will explore freshwater and brackish water bodies in Lagos State for fish farming.

The project, he said, also focuses on integrated farming utilising the resources of public and private ponds and backwaters.

The system, according to him, is highly profitable and the yield is about three times more, with relatively low costs compared to land based fish farming.

While cooperative farming is desirable for full scale fish cage farming, he said it requires large capital.  And to overcome this challenge, he said his organisation is opening an opportunity for small investors to participate in the project.

He explained that the biggest challenge for fish farmers is adequate water and this will not be a problem for cage culture.

He said entrepreneurs have to be empowered if the government is to make a head at reducing poverty.

This is because they introduce innovations and business ventures that generate profits and spur investment and growth.

The post Creating wealth through cooperatives appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.

University campuses are becoming breeding grounds for budding entrepreneurs. A Mass Communications undergraduate of Caleb University, Lagos, Mr. Okpara Henry Chidozie, has carved a niche for himself in photography, which he combines with his studies. TIMILEHIN BABATOPE reports.

e is off to a good start in the world of busniess. Even before completing his course of study in the university, Henry has managed to transform his passion for photography into a full scale business venture.

He is one of the most sought-after photographers on campus, a business he has combined effortlessly with his studies.  With proceeds from the busniess, the budding entrepreneur has been able to afford his tuition fee as well as earn for himself a decent social life.

Even before Henry gained  admission into the university, his creativity and independent-mindedness have never been in doubt.  He has always been at home doing things that involved learning creative and applied business skills.

He said he only needed to latch on a vocation that fits in with the  demands of his course. That was how photography came into the picture. What, perhaps, further encouraged him to throw his hat into the photography ring was his realisation while in his primary school days that there was strong demand for the service.

Hear him: “I started photography when I was in primary school, but not as a business. It was in strong demand then. But it was when I got into the university that I thought of a skill I could develop  before graduating that photography popped up. Besides,  I realised that getting a paid job is no londer easy”

The student entrepreneur also told The Nation that  he was encouraged by the fact  that photography was easier because it required minimal investment to start off.

Henry said, for instance, that  he  started the business by taking a snap for N500; noting, however, that one of the initial challenges was competition with other photographers.

His words: “A lot of people in my school are into photography and it has been a major challenge to me.” To beat the competition, Henry said as soon as he started out on campus, he took advantage of the various workshops  and programmes that the university offered.

He also moves around the school programmes to provide digital photos. This often means that there is no need to hire an external – and often expensive – photographer for publicity shots.

The result of such strategic move is instant. “For a semester I make up to N20,000 naira,”an obviously elated student cum commercial photographer told The Nation, adding that with the proceeds, he affords most things money can buy while on campus.

As a professional photographer, Henry’s services  are sought by students, groups and corporates for weddings and other gigs on camnpus. He takes photographs during dress rehearsals and creates eye-catching displays for students to purchase.

Although he has built a large claintele in and around the campus, the bulk of of his growing customer base comes from the university community.

Gradually, but steadily, Henry is becoming more and more involved in live event photography. And his exploits, naturally, has earned him the admiration of his peers  most of who have started experimenting with  various startups in abid to survive.

His advice to unemployed youths: “Everyone has a talent; it is how you make the world see the talent that matters. It is better to use the talent God has given to you”

The post Passion for photography appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.

The Lagos State Government, in collaboration with the private sector and organised labour, has set for itself an ambitious target of creating jobs and reducing poverty through massive investment in infrastructure and skills development. DANIEL ESSIET reports.

The Lagos State Government has unveiled a new growth path anchored on massive investment in infrastructure and skills development  for the purpose of creating jobs and reducing poverty.

The initiative, in collaboration with the private sector and organised labour, hopes to build the capacities of artisans and tradesmen through incubation and training.

Speaking during the flag-off ceremony of the capacity building for tradesmen & artisans in Lagos State, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment (MWC&E), Mr. Abdul-Ahmed Mustapha, said the programme is supported by a N25 billion Employment Trust Fund (ETF).

While noting that the state government  places broad-based economic empowerment in a growth and employment framework., Mustapha said that focusing on job creation, entrepreneurship and the promotion of small and medium enterprises can boost inclusive and sustainable industrial development across the state.

He stated that accelerating industrialisation requires a focus on job creation and entrepreneurship, and that  these are key aspects to fully capture the potential of the state’s dynamic workforce and boost inclusive sustainable development.

With a population of about 20 million and its status as a mega city, Mustapha noted that tradesmen and artisans can be developed to form the foundation for stronger and competitive industries.

He added that the shortage of artisans in the country is an obstacle to economic growth; that  a capability building programme for  artisans and tradesmen would create jobs and spur economic growth.

Mustapha, however, hinted that the state government may no longer allow individuals to parade themselves as artisans if they are not qualified and certified by the Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB).

He listed artisans who would need such certification to include  hairdressers, bricklayers, electricians, plumbers, fitters,  turners and welders, among others.

The permanent secretary, however, pointed out that technical and vocational education and training is an area where the government and the private sector should invest since it has direct impact on incomes and economic growth.

Samuel Ajayi of Service City.com said the State Government has created an online platform for artisans and tradesmen to register and sell their services.

He said the platform connects artisans with residents in need of reliable, secure, hassle-free and high quality service with service providers who are trusted, experienced and verified.

With this platform, he said the government is determined to promote adherence to relevant industry codes and standards in all activities and projects executed by service providers.

While identifying some key challenges  facing artisans as  poor access to markets and  market-related information, Ajayi said the platform provides a transparent and traceable tradesmen and artisans sourcing services for Lagos residents.

The Programme Coordinator, LASTVEB, Mr. Abubakar Adebisi, stressed that it is vital that artisans equip themselves with the skills needed by the marketplace so  they can take advantage of opportunities that will help reduce poverty and  spur economic growth.

According to him, re-training to meet new opportunities is critical considering the fact that shortage of  skilled artisans has, for instance, led to influx of specialised welders from Benin Republic into Nigeria.

Adebisi expressed optimism that  after completing the eight weeks intensive training programme,  beneficiaries will acquire capacities to provide services.

The President, Lagos State Council of Tradesmen and Artisans (LASCOTA), Alhaji Nurudeen Buhari, thanked the Lagos State Government for continuous training of members.

He   assured of LASCOTA’s commitment in helping the present administration meet its set goals.

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NO fewer than 200 Lagos residents in Ikotun, last Saturday, attended a business forum sponsored by the Kingdom Light Ministries (KLM).

Its founder and Senior Pastor Samson Makinwa said the event was aimed at assisting Nigerians, in spite of their religions. He added that most of the participants were moslems and that only seven per cent were  members of his at the event.

Makinwa, a notable entrepreneur, said he discovered that many Nigerians wanted to do business, but did not know how to go about it and that was why he set up the monthly programme entitled: ‘’Business class with Samson Makinwa’’, to teach them business tips.

Guest speaker, Mr Moses Siloko Siasia, praised Makinwa’s efforts, urging him not to rest on his oars as the programme would help to refocus youths in assessing their businesses.

Siasia, who is Chairman, Nigerian Young Professional, Forum (NYPF), said his group partners some financial institutions to assist entrepreneurs to access capital, and that he was happy to be associated with KLM and the participants. He pledged his assistance to them.

He said one of the solutions to unemployment is the creation of jobs by youths, regretting that our political leaders do not pay attention to the small and medium scale enterprises (SMSs) sub-sector. In Japan and China, he said, there was more attention on SMEs. ‘’But here no one is concerned with SMEs. You can use them to build societies because they pay taxes,’’ he added.

Siasia  who is Chairman/CEO, Mosilo Group, continued: “SMEs are the way to go and will help to tackle unemployment. Many people have entrepreneurial spirit, but lack the finance.’’ He promised to support the participants. He, however, urged them to form a team which they would submit their proposals. The team would scrutinise them before Siasia’s team would work on them and send to the banks for approvals.

Siasia said there are two forms of assistance – grants, which are free and loans, which are repaid with interests.

On how to get a loan, he said an applicant must have a bankable business plan, hunger for information, and be connected to the right source, among others. He also said an applicant must exhibit the following features: sincerity, trust and focus.

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The growing youth population brings with it a high number of social and economic challenges. The Lagos State Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment is, however, taking steps in partnership with some private organisations to boost youths’ entrepreneurial and employability skills. DANIEL ESSIET reports.

In a rapidly changing, hyper-connected world, the information communication technology (ICT) industry is driving economic growth, innovation and job creation. The ICT world is also where the jobs are.

But many Nigerians have limited access to these new technologies. This has been a major concern for the Lagos Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment as it tried to implement strategies to address youth unemployment across the five divisions in the state.

At the flag-off of the ICT training programme for unemployed youths in the state, Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Babatunde Durosinmi-Etti, expressed concerns over stubbornly high levels of unemployment largely caused by lack of ICT  skills.

His concern is that too few graduates are entering the job market with the right qualifications to match market demands.

According to him, the demand for ICT is surging and it makes sense to train unemployed, vulnerable young people in an industry that is thriving. For young entrepreneurs, he said  technology skills and access to technology  will improve productivity, lower costs and advance businesses into higher value-added activities, thus enhancing their market competitiveness.

He said the ministry was determined to support young people in finding work by providing training that will foster work-readiness, talent and entrepreneurial spirit.

According to Durosinmi-Etti,  the state  has launched an eleven-week Lagos Study Programme in partnership with Etisalat, Sterling Bank, Google, Andela, Microsoft and Audax  Solutions to produce software developers and digital marketers.

Five hundred graduates are targeted to be trained across the five divisions of the state. He said young people would be offered entrepreneurship training to give them self-reliance skills in business planning and management, as well as hands-on experience.

He said 40 successful graduates of the programme would be admitted as Andela Fellows and guaranteed  employment.

The state Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment Permanent Secretary, Mr. Abdul Ahmed Mustapha said the  state’s vision is  to expand opportunities and unlock potential through retooling of knowledge and skills.

According to him, promoting youth employment and employability requires integrated efforts that include actions in the areas of education, skills development, job supply and support for young low-income entrepreneurs, particularly in the knowledge intensive sectors.

The training programme, Mustapha, explained, teaches unemployed and underemployed youths the basics of entrepreneurship with practical hands-on experience in the use of computer technology.

Access to ICT  business training, according to him, would  enable young people to better qualify for a job and understand how to run their own business successfully.

Managing Director, Audax Solutions Limited, Mr Emeka Onyenwe  explained that the training was aimed at helping young graduates  explore  opportunities in the software and the digital industry.

According to him, the training would enable participants  become competent in software  development  methodologies and get the chance to work on a variety of platforms.

He  explained that they are going to be  working alongside some of the best senior developers and product specialists in the industry.

The Head of Branding, Sterling Bank, Mrs Peju Ibekwe  said the  bank was excited to be part of the historic project.

According to her, the Lagos Study Programme was highly laudable as it was one of the novel initiatives to stamp the nation’s evolution and growth in the ICT space. She said it again empowered the youth to run their own businesses and be gainfully employed wherever they chose to be. She  said education and empowerment are major focus of Sterling Bank’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy.

She listed some of the projects executed in the empowerment space to include ‘Meet the Executive’, a business plan competition, which availed participants grants of about N12 million to grow or establish their businesses. The participants with viable business ideas and plans, she added,  got the opportunity to pitch these ideas before the bank’s executives to stand a chance of getting significant financial support for their businesses.

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A powerful local food campaign is growing in Lagos State. It is aimed at bringing about a better way of appreciating rural agric entrepreneurship by food companies, large and small grocers and residents through farmers’ markets. Daniel Essiet reports.

A local food campaign is being promoted by the Lagos State Government in patnership with the private sector to make it easier for Lagosians to buy fresh produce cheap anywhere across the state. This is because many households are struggling with poverty and  there are a few opportunities to earn the much needed cash to meet essential needs.

The campaign involves the establishment of farmers’markets at major locations of the state to ensure that cheap food gets to those who need it most and at affordable price. It is a collaboration between the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and the private sector.

Leading this crusade is the Chairman, Best Foods Global, Mr Emmanuel Ijewere, who  believes that the move by the state to establish  a network of farmers’ markets  that deliver consistently high quality produce on-time and at competitive prices,  will create more opportunities for farmers and stimulate green  revolution.

Ijewere, who also coordinates the National Agribusiness Group (NABG),  said creating opportunities to advance economic security for emerging food-based micro entrepreneurs, is an effective strategy to build self-sufficiency and alleviate poverty.  Specifically, he said  linking beginner farmers and producers to produce distribution networks and new markets offers affordable, sustainable economic solutions for low-income food producers.

His Best Foods Global  is already  managing the  Eko Farmers’ Market at Ajah on behalf of the state and the goal is to ensure that residents  buy produce at the mart at the same price they can get them at Mile 12 market.  Ijewere said it was time to offer economic empowerment opportunities to  rural farmers around Lekki –Ajah axis – through access to new markets  to small-scale, disadvantaged food-based micro entrepreneurs.

He explained that his organisation was using its existing infrastructure at the Eko farmers’ mart in Ajah to develop a successful local food hub. The effort, according to him, would bring together local farmers, buyers and fresher-produced food into the area.

According  to him,  there are small food production enterprises that need access to farmers’ markets  to successfully grow, survive, and succeed. This kind of marketing arrangements, he maintained,  offers service to such  entrepreneurs.

At Eko farmers’ mart,  young food entrepreneurs and women who will supply and display produce, he said, are  grouped into cooperatives. They will be supported to work from their farms, while his group offers transportation to move the produce from the farm gate. This, he noted, will save time and money. He  said  the association  helps   micro-enterprise owners to develop food-based businesses  that evolve into  self-sufficient, income-generating ventures.

Ijewere said his organisation was determined to train farmers and food entrepreneurs, and link them to markets through the development of a new food hub in Ibeju area of the state.

Eko Farmers’ Mart Manager,  Ajah, Mrs Olubukola Nwaneri  said the place provides fresh produce and local farmers opportunities to showcase their produce.

According to her, the mart has developed a marketing cooperative for farmers and installed cold storage facilities to aggregate fresh produce and increase market opportunities.

Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Shakirudeen Olayiwole Onasanya,  who was represented by Director, Fisheries , Mrs Olatokunbo Ibironke Emokpae,  said the farmers’ marts were established out of the need to create more opportunities for farmers and food entrepreneurs.

He said there are three farmers’ marts in Lagos. They include Alausa, Surulere and Ajah. The four one, he said, will soon open in Festac Town.

According to him, the marts give farmers an opportunity to secure a livelihood, and consumers to access fresh produce.

He  said the state’s approach focuses on strengthening value-based food supply chains or food value chains.

According to him, Lagos State was working to capitalise on its agricultural resources for growth, while identifying gaps in infrastructure and market opportunities to meet increasing demand for healthy food.

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Successful entrepreneurs s are slated to bring their savvy and innovative business practices to the Founders  Conference billed for  Lagos, in October. The  conference is  aimed at creating an annual platform for collaboration, innovation and networking between entrepreneurs and the world. It enables entrepreneurs to build networks, enrich knowledge, and connect mentors as well as investors to pitch their business ideas on the given platform.

A statement from the  organisers, Venture Starters Company Limited, a start-up training and business mentorship organization  said this   year’s  conference will feature some of Nigeria’s most innovative; tech-driven business founders and internet entrepreneurs alongside a number of respected entrepreneurship instructors.These include  Founder, Iroko TV, Jason Njoku; Founder/CEO, Wecyclers,BilikissAdebiyi-Abiola; Convener and Founder Venture Starter Company,Bunmi Jembola; Founder, Printivo.com and and Urbanbaze,OluyomiOjo and Founder, SmartBCamp,JohnObidi.The keynote address  will  be made  by the Academic Director of the Owner-Manager Programme of the Lagos Business School, Pan Atlantic University, Lagos- Dr (Mrs) Henrietta Onwuegbuzie.

She is expected to give an overview the initiatives taken by LBS  to boost entrepreneurship .

The  speakers, are  expected  to  provide fresh ideas and real-world applications that business owners can immediately apply to exponentially grow their companies, while staying abreast of the changing dynamics of today’s business world.

The conference will   analyze the current needs of the entrepreneurship ecosystem to ensure a profound transformation from the current business culture within the Nigerian  community towards a system at par with mainstream entrepreneurs at national and global level.

Expected to attend the conference are engaged business professionals looking for new ways to provide innovative solutions to problems facing entrepreneurs with their businesses on a daily basis.

Other highlights of the conference include helping  participants raise round one startup funds for 50 select big prospects founders, having  25 selected entrepreneurs pitch their businesses directly to the entire audience including selected investors.

The conference will feature presentation of awards to top ten most innovative startup founders.

The  event will  feature the official launch of a book on entrepreneurial guidance for the start-up founder titled “The Ignition- A Validated Path to Start-up Success” Book Launch- by Bunmi Jembola.

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Tech startups have emerged with solutions to boost agriculture and reduce disruptions in the food supply chain. Beyond creating a portal, Chief Executive, Easyshop, Mrs Saudat Salami, is set to create packaging houses that buy produce from growers through a contract and then re-sell in the open market. DANIEL ESSIET reports.

One promising area for tech entrepreneurs is developing applications and portals to ensure agro-entrepreneurs reach their customers all year-round.

They have the support of high-tech farms popping up around the country.  One of them is the Chief Executive, Easyshop, Mrs Saudat Salami, who already  has   established an online portal to link buyers and sellers of farm produce. Drawn by the opportunity and enticed by growing consumer demand and a shortage of quality produce, Mrs  Salami  and existing players are   bringing in innovations. At the same time, more investors are now flocking to the sector.

The idea is driven by observed inefficiencies across the supply chain—from low yields to inadequate storage facilities.

A certified Microsoft trainer with background in web programming, Mrs Salami   started her online grocery shopping business  to provide a service to make it easy for working women to go about their business without worrying about shopping. She set up the online fresh grocery delivery service to help working women meet up on their domestic responsibilities without putting stress on their careers.

Easyshop considers the cultural responsibilities of the Nigerian woman at the home front and has put in place a multiplatform service which makes balancing work and home life easier to achieve.She started with retailing fresh farm produce bought at Mile12 and other markets.

She said her  supplies are delivered  fresh  to working women  after  they  would have been cleaned, adding however that she doesn’t  cook  for them.  She only prepares and packages them in a form  that makes it easier for them to cook.

At the moment, buyers  and farmers are getting contacted via online form on their website and a lot really goes into it. But she has  realised that successful online farm shops are not stand-alone retail businesses. They  are successful if they have good suppliers. Therefore, sustainable online farm shops are  an extension of the farming enterprise.

She said establishing  a solid supply  business  to boost  the  online shop is critical if  one  wants  to  get more   value for each transaction and grow the  business. This has thrown up huge opportunities for entrepreneurs in storage and  distribution.

She is opening packaging houses for farmers to store their produce for some time. This ensures food security, while farmers get a better price for their produce than if it is sold right after harvest.

She intends to set up a packing house in major areas of Lagos where she will be receiving produce from farmers. They   will pay the farmers at a price based on what it sells for at the end of the chain.

The idea behind it is to promote food safety standard in the agricultural value chain. Packing house for her would help to reduce food scarcity as well as create job opportunities.

In a way, she  believes it would  help move food around, and  reduce waste in the value chain.As part of its operations, the organisation meets farmers in rural areas to get supplies. She hopes to expand further into  the hinterland to buy the foods.

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Tiger nuts, according to experts, boost fertility in men and women. For Omoye Olaye, a Lagos-based female entrepreneur, producing natural drinks from these nuts marked the beginning of a successful business endeavour, reports DANIEL ESSIET.

It the heart of any successful business is a great idea. This is what is giving a Lagos- based entrepreneur, Miss. Omoye Olaye, the big leverage  after  realising the medicinal value tiger nuts  have. She has taken advantage of this to produce tiger nuts-based products.

Tiger nuts are delicious little nutrient-filled nuts that any entrepreneur can easily snack on while they’re at their desk, or munch on while on-the-go. She started  in February, this year, N8000.  Today, the business is a growing success.

The business is worth more than N100, 000. The product is rising in popularity. She   started her business with just two people. Now, she has many people working for her in distribution and sales.

Her lifestyle has changed too. She sees it as the culmination of all the hard work she has put in. Today, she has overcome the initial hurdles startups face and owns a chain of products. But she began as a broadcaster.  Having grown up in a family of entrepreneurs, Omoye always loved to do her own thing. Working in the marketing communications industry for years gave her the confidence to start on her own.

Though her company,specialised in marketing and advertising, her venture in food processing is the money spinner.The company has been in retail full swing since early this year.

With a background in broadcasting and public relations, and   plenty of sales experience and industry knowledge, Omoye  is bulldozing her  way  to care a niche in the already crowded market.

Her goal is to bring  her products to physical retail that would win at trial. In order to accomplish this, she is working on packaging that would really pop on shelf in order to break through the sea of choices shoppers are confronted with in-store.

The company also plans to take advantage of its direct-to-consumer model to support in-store sales. She is determined to build a multi-channel brand driven by consumer data and fast innovation, but  is focusing on direct-to-consumer channels, which she  presents great advantage in terms of discovery, convenience and personalization.

To boost her products line, Olaye  is   creating rich,  natural drinks, flours  and  simple  snacks. She wants people to eat healthy flour and natural drinks.

She sources all the ingredients carefully to offer a unique gastronomical experience.  The market is growing, as the trend for organic drink is on the rise.  For her, the word is never to lose self-confidence.

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Lagos sTATE Governor, Mr. AkinwunmiAmbode is billed to open  this year’s  Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum. The event is scheduled for September 29 in Lagos.

In a statement, AWIEF Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mrs. Irene Ochem, also confirmed the participation of the state as official partner and host.

Mrs. Ochem said a major highlight of the event has been occasioned by AWIEF’s partnership with the African Development Bank (AfDB).

The AfDB in a special dedicated high-level panel will be unveiling the modalities and details of African Development Bank’s USD-300 million Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) programme.

“AWIEF is committed to not just talking about the issues affecting African women’s economic empowerment but, most importantly, AWIEF is committed to taking action and engaging in programs and initiatives through AWIEF NGO and social enterprise that will create that positive impact and actually change the African Woman’s economic fortune for the better,” she said.

The event is holding on September 29th and 30th at The Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.

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Founder of the AWP Network, Ms. Mary Olushoga, has reiterated her organisation’s determination to accelerate the growth and scalability of entrepreneurs in Nigeria.

Her organisation held the first ever business pitch competition dedicated to entrepreneurs in Taraba State.

Launching the competition, she said Taraba has a deep pool of talented people  brimming with brilliant ideas, but for a variety of reasons only a fraction realised their full potential. The inauguration of the pitch competition, according to her , is aimed at addressing this and showcasing  entrepreneurs, who can create jobs, wealth and make the state  a better place to live and work. Winners of the pitch contest were rewarded with cash prizes.

The AWP Network also connected winners of the pitch contest to various resources and business support programmes so as to ensure sustainability. Mary Olushoga provided one-on-one business coaching and gave valuable feedback to Taraba State’s young entrepreneurs.

According to Olushoga, supporting more young people  to set up and succeed in business is an economic priority and she is committed to closing the gender-gap in enterprise.

Her organisation, she said, works with many SMEs and entrepreneurial business owners, and understand the important contribution they make and the challenges they often face.

In attendance at the event was Chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) -Comrade UdiAdamu, winners of the YouWin Nigeria entrepreneurship contest, Magaj Shuaib; Dr. Jatau Tenmuso David; Zubairu Emmanuel Ashindo; David Abulu and other locally based entrepreneurs.

Those who attended the pitch contest described the event as “an inspirational, amazing and educational experience”. To date, the AWP network has provided and continues to offer pitch training sessions and business support services to students at Lagos State Model College, Meiran and women farmers in Taraba State.

The organisation  also received additional funding from the Planet Earth Institute to scale and expand its programmes across various states in Nigeria. In line with its mission, the AWP Network powers small business success for African entrepreneurs by providing a platform for entrepreneurs to obtain information on various funding and training opportunities. Her organisation has been a strong supporter of the campaign to harness the huge potential of   women entrepreneurs.

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There is a huge market for herbs and spices-thanks to rising demand in Asia and Europe. While this is a big opportunity for emerging entrepreneurs, cultivation of herbs could become the backbone for the nation’s most successful agribusiness export. DANIEL ESSIET reports.

Aloe vera, ginger, basil, goldenseal, black pepper, cinnamon, cumin seeds, turmeric, nutmeg, cloves, chili powder, vegeta, and garlic  are products for export and they are success stories. They are popular herbs and spices.

Apart from their medicinal value, they are used for cooking and in making herbal teas. They are also  sources of essential oils for use in aromatherapy- the practice of using the natural oils extracted from flowers, bark, stems, leaves, roots or other parts of plants to enhance psychological and physical well-being.

According to the International Trade Centre(ITC), the  global market for seasonings, spices and herbs is likely to exceed $6.5 billion per year in the near future. Supported by the growing demand in food service, home cooking and growing consumer fascination for different cuisines, the total flavouring market maintain an upward trend in volumes and value.

In addition, the high value of these herbs in dollars and euros mean according to Mr Sunny Anjorin, a member of Nigerian-Vietnam Business Association,  other agro entrepreneurs can earn more from exporting than selling  locally. Some of the entrepreneurs  have contracts with shops, hotels and restaurants abroad and see huge market potential for herbs and spices.  Anjorin, like other  agro exporters see opportunities in exporting herbs and spices   despite uncertainties over their prices.

The United States Department of Agriculture’s  Co-operative State Research Service Office for Small-Scale Agriculture, said  the  world market is extremely volatile, with prices ranging from less than $1 a pound for some herbs to more than $100 a pound for others.

But the market is large and growing. There  are big  markets in Russia, Ukraine, Germany, Holland, Italy, the United States and Canada. Presently, the European Union (EU)  is the largest market for spices and herbs in the world.

Across Europe, the demand for herbs is growing with  a large increase in people interested in using herbs in their homes, experimenting with culinary techniques and different cuisines.

A lot of small exporters are  also exploring opportunities provided by the Indian and Asia cosmetic market. Anjorin is one of the beneficiaries of such opportunity. He has got export orders from Asia, demanding for herbs and spices with guarantees to buy in large quantities.

According to him, the demand for spices, described as  any dried plant product used primarily for seasoning and for natural therapies, is high.

He said Nigerians could make money through wholesale bulk supply of native herbs, spices, essential oils and teas, food processors and cosmetic companies domestically and internationally.

While the EU is one of the world’s largest markets for spices and herbs, Anjorin said the region does not have suitable agro-climatic conditions to cultivate most spices and herbs, they depend heavily on imports from moderate – or semi-tropical countries.

Africa, he explained,  has climates and soil conditions that are very suitable for the cultivation of spices.

He said the increasing demand for organically grown herbs make it necessary for more Nigerians to establish organic herb farms. The opportunities available for local herb growers, according to him,  are further increased by the suitability of the nation’s  regions for growing herbs commercially .

Nigeria, he explained, is blessed with good agro climatic zones, plant species that have good potential to support the global  herbal products.

He explained that the fertile soil of Southern and Western part of the country  provides an ideal landscape for fresh herb companies to grow their crops.

Despite this, he said exporters  face many challenges, involving  foreign regulations on labelling and food standards. This is why he often gets help from programmes that could offer insights into foreign laws and importing standards.

Generally, agro exports are subject to strict quality control standards, covering purity, pesticides, traceability, post-harvesting, packaging and any treatments such as fumigation and irradiation.

He said producers are required to have sanitary and phytosanitary certificates indicating that its goods do not contain living pests and global good agricultural practice  (GAP) certification,  indicating compliant with global agriculture product certification standards. Foreign buyers also have their own quality compliance requirements, including HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) systems, Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) accreditation, and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP).

This is because EU buyers are still reluctant to source further processed products from developing countries due to concerns about quality, food safety and adulteration. There are additional challenges to enter the EU market with processed spices and herbs. Suppliers should be able to supply constant quality, taste, aroma, colour and able to compete against EU suppliers with an excellent knowledge about the taste preference in their domestic market.

Anjorin sees small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as the key to achieving export growth.

He still believes more needs to be done to help educate businesses about how to break into overseas markets. This is because small businesses are intimidated by the exporting process – they’re afraid of getting paid, they’re afraid they won’t meet standards.

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The Deeper Life success camp, which held in Ajao Estate, Lagos mainland, gave young people leadership tools needed for their future and how to be successful in life. TIMILEHIN BABATOPE reports.

IT was a worthwhile experience for the participants at the Deeper Life Christian Church of God  youth success camp.  Titled: “ Making the youth unconquerable,”the camp was held at Gbolahan High School, Ajao Estate, Lagos State. It was an empowerment tonic for youths who participated.

The organisers’ target was to ensure that participants get jobs after school. They also taught young people important skills. The programme  showed the youths that they could achieve anything.

It was an opportunity for the youth to learn several life and etiquette skills that will help them in everyday life. It covered areas such as positive leadership, citizen honesty, wealth management, as well aspersonal and professional etiquette, positive thinking among others.

The camp featured local and out of town guest speakers, who presented real world examples. They  included former Editor, Concord Newspapers; Pastor Segun Babatope; former Managing Director, The Guardian, Pastor Emeka Izeze; Group Youth  Pastor, Dare Kumuyi,  and other  pastors of the church.

It was an opportunity for the young people to ask questions and understand how important these skills were in everyday life.

Group Youth Pastor, Dare Kumuyi  said the programme was designed to really relate to the students and give them a long term plan for success.

According to him, young people need every tool they can get to survive, be successful, and take care of the environment.

He explained that the ministry wanted to build young people that would not be troublesome and be exemplary anywhere they operated.

He spoke on the need for students to imbibe positive traits that would help  bring positivityto their environment, stressing personal, professional development and focus plans for the future.

He encouraged them to respect themselves, authorities and know the right from wrong. He also entreated them to purge themselves of youthful lust and others vices to make God  use them for noble purposes.

Kumuyi said the camp was meant to show the youths ways to deal with peer pressure in a positive way, adding that it’s all about life lessons.

The event involved a lot of activities and teachings on relationships, career guidance and entrepreneurship and to prepare campers for the new academic year.

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Small business operators have said high cost of raw materials is giving unfair advantage to foreign manufacturers.This is in addition to bank loans being are expensive.

Speaking in Lagos, President, Association of Micro Entrepreneurs of Nigeria (AMEN), Prince  Saviour Iche said  lack of access to finance is a still a major challenge for smaller and younger companies as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are unable to invest sufficiently to grow their operations.

Apart from increase in interest rates of loans, he added that most banks are demanding collateral and other requirements.

On raw materials used by small business entreprenuers to make soaps, detergents and personal care products, Iche said the cost has gone up to almost 600 per cent on some of them since January, with the price of some products has gone from N3000 to N23, 000 within seven months.

He added it is becoming challenging for some of them to produce cosmetics because the major raw materials are imported petroleum-based derivatives.

Despite this, he explained that it was difficult for small businesses to increase price to combat margin pressures in response to rise in raw material prices. Availability of raw materials at cheaper cost, he maintained, would boost small manufacturing and increase job creation across the personal care and cosmetic industry.

Calling for the development of the local chemical sector, which is mainly petrochemicals, Iche noted that limited development of the sector was affecting local manufacturing which relies on imported raw materials.

He explained that it was restraining the development of further manufacturing for a wider range of produce involving small businesses.

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Entrepreneurs keen on creating startup businesses are hampered by lack of investors to fund their ventures. TechCircle, an entrepreneurship promotion organisation, held a start-up forum at the Lagos Business School to address this. DANIEL ESSIET was there.

Things have  started to look up for  Shola Akinlade, co-founder of Paystack. Paystack is a Nigerian online payment platform established by Akinlade and Ezra Olubi — both graduates of Babcock University. Paystack is the first Nigerian firm to be funded by the United-States (US) based venture capital company, YCombinator-a major startup accelerator in Silicon Valley. The organisation assists entrepreneurs with funds to expand their startup businesses.

Akinlade was one of the panelists at the startup forum organised by  Tech Circle at the Lagos Business School.  His success story is phenomenal.

He founded Paystack with Olubi after identifying a payment gap. He thought about using his background in software engineering and development to build world class software to tackle this issue. So they got to work, developing the software even with little funds. Before his success, Akinlade’s application to YCombinator for funding was rejected in 2007.

He said: “I applied to YCombinator in 2007 for my first company, Precurio. We did not get in, but we kept working on the business.  In 2014, I realised that so many businesses were struggling to accept payments from their customers online and so I started working on Paystack to solve the problem and make payments  easy for businesses. While working on Paystack, someone told YC about me and one of the YC partners encouraged me to apply. I applied and after some back and forth, we got invited for an interview in Silicon Valley in November 2014.”

The invitation to the United States was to pitch before investors. He has the challenge of presenting investors with a 10-minute pitch. He explained what he was doing, and why users will want it. Fortunately, he was successful because of developing a payment solution to solve online payment problems for Nigerians transferring money abroad. The  payment solution  enables Nigerian merchants to accept Master, Visa and Verve cards from anyone, anywhere in the world.

After Paystack was enlisted into YC in January, this year; it got seed funding of $120,000. Paystack became the first Nigerian company to do so. But the company kicked off operations with a series of pilots in November 2014, with financial support from friends and families.  Within six months, the startup was processing funds in the region of $200 per month.

For Akinlade, it was challenging having to face big players within the sector with deep  financial pockets. Today, the business is a success story. Barely a year after, it is processing over $200,000.

Since its launch early this year, Paystack has partnered with over 1,300 merchants in Nigeria alone, including e-commerce pioneers  such as Hotels.NG and Jobberman.

Prior to Paystack, Akinlade co-founded Precurio, an open-source collaboration software for businesses in emerging markets, which was downloaded over 150,000 times and made available in six languages.

Paystack is one of a few cases. Experts at  the forum said if the nation’s digital economy is to develop, startups need more support.   One of them is Osita Nwoye, the promoter of Tech  Circle.

According to Nwoye,  also co-founder of Fonebase Labs, if Nigeria  is to become a successful tech cluster, the  government  needs to ensure that as many people  have a chance to develop their ideas.

He said infrastructure needed to be more readily available so that people do not have to wait too long for fast connections.

Nwoye said the future success of the Nigeria’s digital economy will depend on harnessing and encouraging the strengths of tech clusters around Lagos.

Chief Executive,  YCombinator, Michael Seibel, said his organisation provides incubation space, advice and support, including mentoring, to help create fast-growing companies that can attract investors.

It culminated in “demo day” where the startups pitched their tent in front of investors.

“Since 2005,” Seibel said, “YC has taken on batches of promising founders. Though about half of its startups have failed, which is typical of early stage investing,.” He maintained that the company has had a head-turning record of success.

According to him, the companies supported by his organisation  receive seed money, advice, and connections in exchange for seven  per cent equity. Twice a year they invest a small amount of money $120,000 in a large number of startups.

Combined, Seibel said  the companies it has invested in are worth around $65 billion although YC’s share is only a small fraction of that total—perhaps $1 billion-$2 billion. He  said many of the pitches he receives are weak. He advised  that investors demand  strong business models, and proofs that a company can transform into something huge even when they start from the scratch.

He  also counseled young entrepreneurs to present a “crisp pitch”  that  shows a solid understanding of how they plan to grow the business.

Seibel said the demo day fosters a sense of urgency, because investors have only a limited opportunity to see a business and decide whether to back it. Sibel stressed that  coding skills  are  fundamentally important to the long term viability of the  digital economy.

Partner & Chief Operating Officer, Y Combinator, Younis Qasar, noted  that funders are  concerned with  growth prospects of new businesses, urging  entrepreneurs seeking  funding  to concentrate on convincing funders on  profitability and social  impact potential of the ideas.

According to him, anyone looking for funding should be prepared to address these issues in detail. Lagos Business School (LBS) faculty and human resource expert, Dr Eugene Ohu, said LBS  is partnering Tech Circle to  drive economic growth by providing entrepreneurs  business and management education as well as links to networks and mentors. Entrepreneurship Director  Covenant University,    Stephen Oluwatobi said the   university facilitates opportunities for students to pursue entrepreneurial activities.

Chief Executive ,  Alpha African Advisory,  Sanyade Okoli ‘s advice for startups was that they need to understand the importance of seeking advice from investment counselors. Investment Professional, Cardinal Stone,    Shirley Somuah noted that  with  increase in start-ups, combined with a tighter funding climate, young entrepreneurs need to  have  well thought-out stories to convince investors  about businesses and  future. One of YC sponsored entrepreneurs and Founder Afrostream, Tonjé Bakang said he started the business in 2015 to become a top contender in the African audiovisual content market. He said  the company  had made significant impact across the world. Chief Investment Officer,    Venture Garden Group,   Nichole Yembra urged start ups  to seek mentors and  advisors to counsel them on  investment   strategies.

General Manager, Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST) Nigeria, Uneku Atawodi said her organisation is supporting  entrepreneurs in agriculture. Co founder,   She Leads Africa, Afua Osei said her organisation is working with other  accelerators to nuture new  entrepreneurs.

Founder ,Ventures Platform, Kola Aina said his company is helping entrepreneurs develop a business by providing resources and services in exchange for an equity stake.

For him, this is a good take-off point because the survival rate of incubated companies is very high.

Director, Arts Nigeria at British Council, Ojoma Ochai said the organisation has created programmes aimed to boost entrepreneurship in all sectors of the economy.

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