International Breweries Plc (IBPLC), a pivotal component of the global brewing conglomerate AB InBev, is marking a major milestone: the tenth anniversary of its flagship entrepreneurial development initiative, the Kick-start program. The company has announced the imminent Awards Ceremony for the 2025 cohort, following a rigorous training phase designed to hone Nigeria’s next wave of business pioneers.
The central philosophy of this year’s program, encapsulated by the theme “Sustain. Scale. Succeed – Building the Future of Nigerian Entrepreneurs,” underscores the organization’s long-term commitment to fostering resilient, high-growth ventures.
The Rigorous Journey of Capacity Building
The 2025 program began with an overwhelming response, leading to the selection of 476 participants for an initial intensive online training phase. This foundational curriculum, facilitated by the esteemed Enterprise Development Centre (EDC), covered critical business competencies, including:
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Financial Management
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Marketing Strategies and Selling Skills
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Leadership Essentials
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Operational Oversight
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Customer Relations
Crucially, the selection process emphasized inclusive innovation, ensuring that individuals with disabilities (PWDs) were well-represented among the trainees, guaranteeing equal access to opportunity.
From this broad base, the 124 most promising candidates advanced to the hybrid Bootcamp training. These sessions, delivered across key Nigerian hubs including Lagos, Rivers, Anambra, Ogun, and Osun, offered deep-dive expertise in cutting-edge topics such as digital marketing, sustainable business practices, and advanced business model innovation. The process culminated in the PitchFest, a competitive forum where participants presented their ventures to a panel of judges, setting the final stage for the awards.
Investment in Future Economic Architects
The upcoming Awards Ceremony will serve as the culmination of this demanding process, where top performers from the PitchFest will be recognized and provided with essential seed funding to either launch their new ventures or significantly scale existing operations.
The significance of this tenth-anniversary event is further amplified by the confirmed presence of former Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, who will deliver the keynote address. His participation highlights the national priority placed on youth empowerment and the strategic importance of nurturing a sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem for Nigeria’s economic growth.
Carlos Coutiño, Managing Director of International Breweries Plc, reflected on the initiative’s impact, stating, “This ten-year journey proves that Nigerian youth are the true engine of inclusive economic progress. The ceremony is not simply about celebrating grants; it is a tribute to the resilience and innovative capacity of Nigerian enterprise. We are strategically investing in a future defined by young people who can successfully sustain their aspirations, scale their societal influence, and achieve lasting success.”
The holistic support model is what truly differentiates Kick-start, according to Temitope Oguntokun, Corporate Affairs and Regulatory Director at IBPLC. “We provide an end-to-end ecosystem, extending far beyond the initial funding or training,” she noted. Beneficiaries are integrated into a Mentorship and Alumni Network, ensuring continued access to business development resources, expert guidance, and critical peer learning, guaranteeing that their ventures thrive over the long term.
Dr. Peter Bamkole, Chairman of the International Breweries Foundation Advisory Board, affirmed that the continued energy and innovation witnessed reinforces the belief that Nigeria’s economic transformation rests firmly in the hands of responsible young entrepreneurs.
