Olawale Anifowose to guide GEN Nigeria to strengthen international connections and implement new programs, initiatives
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Global Entrepreneurship Network has appointed Olawale Anifowose as managing director of GEN Nigeria. In this role, Anifowose is responsible for expanding collaboration among the country’s entrepreneurship ecosystem leaders and connecting them to their counterparts in more than 170 countries.
Anifowose said Nigeria is “blessed with an entrepreneurial spirited population,” but that they lack access to opportunities to showcase their innovative ideas to the global community. He said through GEN Nigeria, he hopes to unify entrepreneurial support activities that currently exist in isolated pockets, into a collaborative ecosystem.
“GEN Nigeria is positioned to be the positive force to bring actors into the ecosystem together for a more deliberate approach at shaping the startup and SME scene in the country,” said Anifowose. “GEN Nigeria’s efforts will focus on harmonizing the entrepreneurial ecosystem by providing an umbrella of collaboration and partnerships for common goals and objectives.”
At the global level, GEN operates in more than 170 countries. It fuels healthier start and scale ecosystems by fostering deeper cross-border collaboration and initiatives that engage entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, researchers and entrepreneurship support organizations.
GEN Nigeria aims to strengthen the ecosystem by focusing on:
- Expanding Global Entrepreneurship Week in Nigeria to be a more broadly recognized national event in the country,
- Lending a voice on policy direction for startups and small business through regular focus groups and roundtable discussions, in partnership with the Small Medium Enterprise Agency of Nigeria, and
- Initiating platforms for competition and capacity building to raise new enterprises and startups that can impact Africa and the world.
Alongside his role as the GEN Nigeria acting managing director, Anifowose is the general manager of programs and partnership at the Enterprise Development Centre within Pan Atlantic University in Nigeria.
About the Global Entrepreneurship Network
The Global Entrepreneurship Network operates a platform of programs in 170 countries aimed at making it easier for anyone, anywhere to start and scale a business. By fostering deeper cross border collaboration and initiatives between entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, policymakers and entrepreneurial support organizations, GEN works to fuel healthier start and scale ecosystems that create jobs, educate individuals, accelerate innovation and strengthen economic growth. For details on the programs that make up GEN, visit genglobal.org and follow @unleashingideas on Twitter.