Alakija drums government support for young aspiring entrepreneurs in Nigeria

Foremost Nigerian businesswoman and philanthropist, Apostle Folorunso Alakija has expressed the belief that Nigeria, its economy and people can be transformed through entrepreneurship, while calling on the Country’s State and Federal Governments to take a more systematic approach to job creation for youths, by supporting their entrepreneurial dreams.

Alakija stated this during the 8^th annual African Young Entrepreneurs (A.Y.E) Convention tagged ‘’Unemployment Summit’’, organized by African Young Entrepreneurs in collaboration with Ondo State Entrepreneurship Agency (ONDEA) held on Friday, December 3, 2021, at Akure, Ondo State.

“If we want our country to take its rightful place in the committee of Nations, we need to involve our youths in decision making, policy creation, strategy development, legislation, corporate governance, and entrepreneurship”, she said.

During her keynote address, she commended the Ondo State Government, under the leadership of the Executive Governor, His Excellency Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu (S.A.N.) for the foresight in providing a platform to assist youths in achieving their entrepreneurial dream. Apostle Alakija, who is also the grand matron of A.Y.E. noted that entrepreneurship remains an excellent panacea for youth unemployment and other associated vices. She urged the government and other relevant stakeholders to rise to the occasion by coming up with favorable policies, interventions and creating an enabling environment for entrepreneurs to thrive.

Also speaking, Special Adviser to the Ondo State Governor on Entrepreneurship Development, Mr. Summy Smart Francis, noted that the summit was organized as part of its commitment to empowering young entrepreneurs by creating platforms that would facilitate trade and promote business ideas among the youths in Nigeria.

Francis commended the Ondo State Government for the partnership, stressed that the platform offers opportunities for thousands of new entrepreneurs in Nigeria and beyond to boost their innovative businesses/ideas.

Since 2012, Africa’s Young Entrepreneurs has identified, showcased, and empowered budding and emerging entrepreneurs to either commence or scale up their businesses with the relevant resources and leverage innovation and technology to provide sustainable solutions in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.