EDC, GEN Nigeria Unveil Global Entrepreneurship Week 2026 to Help Small Businesses Scale
Lagos, Nigeria, November 10, 2026: The Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) of Pan-Atlantic University and the Global Entrepreneurship Network Nigeria (GEN Nigeria) have unveiled activities for Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) 2026, a nationwide initiative aimed at strengthening Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), promoting youth entrepreneurship and creating opportunities for business growth through financial readiness, technology adoption and capacity building.
Speaking at a press conference in Lagos on Tuesday, Dr Stanley Ibeku, Lead, Monitoring, Evaluation and Research at EDC, described GEW as a global platform celebrated in more than 200 countries to recognise the contributions of entrepreneurs to economic growth, innovation and job creation.
One of the flagship events of GEW 2026 is the 20th Pan-African SME Conference, scheduled for November 16–17 at MTN Plaza, Ikoyi, Lagos. The conference will bring together entrepreneurs, financial institutions, technology providers, policymakers and development partners to explore practical solutions to the challenges facing African businesses.
Discussions will focus on financial readiness, human capital development and technology adoption, with particular emphasis on improving access to finance and preparing enterprises to compete in an increasingly digital economy.
Mayo Deji-Omotayo, Head of Partnerships at GEN Nigeria, highlighted plans to engage representatives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and other continental stakeholders at the conference. The engagement is expected to explore opportunities for Nigerian businesses to expand beyond the domestic market, strengthen cross-border partnerships and deepen their participation in intra-African trade.
Another major GEW activity is the Youth Entrepreneurship Dialogue (YED), scheduled for Wednesday, November 18. Abimbola Reis, Head of Partnerships and Merchant Services at eTranzact, highlighted the importance of the dialogue in connecting students, young professionals and emerging entrepreneurs with experienced business leaders and ecosystem stakeholders.
The event will encourage young Nigerians to embrace entrepreneurship, promote innovation and provide practical insights into building sustainable businesses.
Reis also highlighted the low adoption of technology among MSMEs and introduced Credo, a digital solution designed to help small businesses maintain digital transaction records and improve the quality of their financial information.
"Our last study showed technology adoption among MSMEs at about 52 per cent, and even lower for AI tools, at around 11 per cent," Reis said. "We can have all the banks and financial institutions sitting around the table, but if businesses have no records of their transactions, they cannot get the support they need."
Another major attraction of the week is the Arewa Festival, scheduled for November 21–22 in Abuja. Mr Olayinka Oguntola of GEN Nigeria highlighted the festival as an opportunity to promote entrepreneurship in Northern Nigeria, particularly within the creative economy and culturally driven enterprises.
Supporting this vision, Ms Zena-Rita Oluchi Eze-Ogbujah, Sales and Marketing Officer at Tripoint Academy, reinforced the festival's positioning around the theme "Culture, Commerce and Capital." She highlighted the importance of leveraging Northern Nigeria's rich cultural heritage to create commercial opportunities, attract investment and support the growth of businesses within the creative and cultural industries.
The festival will bring together entrepreneurs, creatives, investors and other ecosystem stakeholders to showcase opportunities, build partnerships and unlock the economic potential of the region.
Oguntola added that GEW activities would take place across the country, alongside a business pitch competition during the Youth Entrepreneurial Dialogue through which the top 10 businesses will be selected to pitch for grants and other prizes. The initiative is expected to provide visibility and support for promising enterprises with strong growth potential.
EDC and GEN Nigeria also highlighted the SMEToolkit, a digital marketplace and business development platform developed by EDC, with eTranzact as a strategic partner. Available to MSMEs nationwide, the platform provides self-paced learning, business development resources, AI-powered business advisory services and access to wider markets.
The organisers further noted that the NYSC Entrepreneurship Development Programme is delivered through the SMEToolkit, providing corps members with access to practical entrepreneurial training, learning resources and business development tools to prepare them for opportunities beyond their service year, including starting and growing their own businesses.
Dr Ibeku also highlighted ongoing engagements with government agencies, including the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) and the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, to strengthen policy advocacy and improve the operating environment for MSMEs.
At the Pan-African SME Conference, government representatives, SME-focused institutions and continental bodies will participate in discussions on enterprise financing, business regulation, market access and sustainable business growth.
Partners, including eTranzact and Tripoint Academy, are also supporting efforts to make selected paid sessions and activities more accessible through subsidised participation rates.
Dr Ibeku said, "Some of our programmes are free and some are paid, and that is deliberate. We also want to encourage SMEs to build the habit of investing in capacity building and networking to scale their businesses successfully."
The organisers emphasised that sustainable enterprise development requires collaboration among educational institutions, government institutions, financial organisations, technology providers, development agencies and the private sector.
They expressed optimism that GEW Nigeria 2026, will provide Nigerian entrepreneurs and MSMEs with practical opportunities to strengthen their capabilities, access new markets, build meaningful partnerships and improve their financial readiness for sustainable growth.