Etisalat gears up on Entrepreneurship

Etisalat Nigeria in partnership with the Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) of the Pan Atlantic University, last week held the 2013 edition of the Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW), targeted at youths and young entrepreneurs in the country, to help improve their chances of succeeding in their various chosen businesses. Head, Business Segment, Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Bidemi Ladipo noted that it was important for business owners to have access to the right information needed to excel in business. “At Etisalat, we have been relentless in supporting initiatives that go a long way in assisting young people to achieve their dreams as regards successfully setting up businesses. Some of the initiatives we have used to help develop businesses include Market Access which is in partnership with SMEDAN, our Etisalat Easybusiness package which helps SMEs to communicate at a reduced cost and our recently launched promo called Easybusiness millionaire hunt which gives an opportunity for people with great business ideas to win as much as N2 million. This is the 3rd Edition of the Global Entrepreneurship week which we are sponsoring and we are satisfied with the level of impact these trainings have had,” he said. Also speaking at a seminar earlier organized for National Youth Corpers, Deputy Director, Enterprise Development Centre, (EDC), Nneka Okekearu expressed satisfaction with the improved turnout at the seminar. “It has become very obvious that our contributions to the Global Entrepreneurship are beginning to pay off. In the last three years since Nigeria joined the international event, we have had over eight events, over 50 local partners and more than 1.5 million people have participated at the events held in Lagos and Calabar,” she said. She also commended Etisalat Nigeria for once again partnering with the Enterprise Development Centre for this year’s edition. “I want to particularly thank Etisalat for the support they have shown to EDC in making this edition of the GEW another success. They have been with us over the years and have continued to demonstrate strong support towards young entrepreneurs,” she said. The 2013 GEW kicked off on Saturday November 16 with a 7km awareness walk in Victoria Island, Lagos and followed by a seminar on women entrepreneurship development which held at the American Embassy on Monday November 18. The high point of the week was a seminar tagged “Africa Rising” which held on Wednesday November 20. It featured notable speakers from Bank of Industry and Keystone Bank who took the entrepreneurs on how to access loans and ideas to grow their business. Over 400 National Youth Service Corps members attended the event which held at the Lagos Business School of the Pan Atlantic University.