Author: Anuoluwapo Ige

The 2025 Lagos Tourism NBC Trade Fair, a collaborative effort between Naija Brand Chick (NBC) and the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, is poised to become Nigeria’s biggest trade and commerce event. With an anticipated ₦5 billion in sales, over 220 vendors, and 75,000 attendees across three days, this year’s edition promises to be a game-changer for businesses, entrepreneurs, and tourism in Lagos. Scheduled to hold from Friday, April 11, to Sunday, April 13, at the prestigious Balmoral Hall, Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, the fair will bring together thousands of brands, investors, and consumers under one…

Founder Institute Lagos, the Lagos chapter of the World’s Largest Pre-seed startup accelerator, committed to nurturing Africa’s next wave of entrepreneurs, is proud to announce an exclusive event designed to help startups thrive through strategic collaboration. Founder Institute Lagos Presents: Scaling Startups Through Partnerships Event Overview On April 17, 2025, at 5:00 PM (Africa/Casablanca time), we invite founders, innovators, and startup enthusiasts to join in for “Scaling Startups Through Partnerships” event. This interactive session dives deep into how thoughtful partnerships can be the bridge between vision and execution, fueling long-term growth. Why This Event Matters In the fast-paced world of…

Welcome to April 2025 Nigeria Business Events Roundup! Below are the list of the top Business Events happening this month of April in Nigeria. April 2025 Nigeria Business Events Roundup 1. Traders Fair 2025  Traders Fair & Cocktail Party Nigeria, Lagos (Financial Event) Series of Fantastic Traders Fairs became a good tradition in Asia, Africa, Nigeria and LATAM attracting the world of traders to one place in one day and is yet again coming to Lagos. You will get an opportunity to meet the best trading experts as well as the top trading companies, banks, money brokers from all around…

Lagos, Nigeria – March 25, 2025 – MarkHack 4.0 is back and is set to create the ultimate platform for startups ready to disrupt the media, marketing, and technology industries. MarkHack is Nigeria’s first-ever marketing and media conference, designed as a collaborative gathering of innovators, entrepreneurs, policymakers, media practitioners, and marketing professionals. This dynamic event aims to create impactful solutions to real-life challenges in the marketing and media sectors within two months. This year, MarkHack 4.0 is offering an impressive $10,000 prize pool. Within this pool, startups will compete for cash prizes, AWS credits, cutting-edge laptops, and exclusive perks from…

Some business owners into exportation in Nigeria recently gathered in for a 5-day intensive program focused on equipping entrepreneurs with the skills and knowledge needed to explore international market opportunities and strengthen their capacity to thrive in the export sector. Fidelity Bank Plc organised the training in collaboration with the Lagos Business School (LBS) under the Export Management Programme (EMP 18). The initiative provided an opportunity for participants to scale and acquire relevant expertise to succeed in the non-oil export business. Facilitated by key industry experts in the exports space, EMP 18 took participants through several sessions focused on critical…

Three hundred business owners in the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector of the economy have been admitted into the inaugural Growth Factory Accelerator Programme of MSME Africa. For eight weeks, the beneficiaries will under an intensive training aimed at empowering them with hands-on training, mentorship, and real-world business tools. The scheme will combine live virtual workshops, self-paced online courses, and exclusive Ask-Me-Anything (AMA) sessions, giving participants a comprehensive, interactive learning experience. Throughout the accelerator, participants will engage in immersive learning sessions, working on practical business strategies, and collaborating with a diverse community of like-minded entrepreneurs. The programme’s robust curriculum…

About 5,532 beneficiaries who have completed their trainings by the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), under the Renewed Hope Employment Initiative (RHEI) nationwide was resettled today, with soft loans, starter tools and equipments to kick-start their businesses. Minister of State Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha who disbursed the resettlement tools, equipment and soft loans to beneficiaries at an event on Tuesday in Abuja, noted that it was proof of the current administration’s efforts to improve the lives of Nigerians, particularly the youths and vulnerable groups. According to her, the beneficiaries were fortunate to be amongst those empowered financially and with…

Cascador, the premier accelerator for mid-stage Nigerian entrepreneurs, and the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (‘NSIA’ or ‘The Authority’) – the premier investment institution of the Federation with a three-fold mandate to create a savings base for future generations of Nigerians, catalyse positive socio-economic outcomes through strategic domestic infrastructure investments and provide fiscal support in times of economic distress – have formed a strategic partnership to drive innovation and support homegrown solutions with the potential for transformative impact. This collaboration represents a major step in both organizations’ shared mission to accelerate sustainable economic growth, expand opportunities for Nigerian entrepreneurs and reposition them for…

Nigeria’s business landscape is gaining international recognition, as Moses Abah, the CEO of Hilvard Group, received a prestigious nomination for the Global Entrepreneurs Award at the Global Entrepreneurship Festival (GEF). This selection places him in the company of some of the world’s most influential business leaders, including Africa’s wealthiest woman, Folorunso Alakija, who serves as the Grand Patron of the award. The GEF, the world’s most influential entrepreneurship event, unites trailblazers, founders, and policymakers to drive economic growth, innovation, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through a series of high-level discussions and networking sessions, the event serves as…

Nigeria has no shortage of young people, however, with the ever-increasing rate of emigration, there is a shortfall in the availability of talents. A weakened curriculum that fails to teach practical business management skills, like business and data analysis, strategy, research and management, further exacerbates the issue. This absence of structured training affects many graduates as they struggle to transition into the corporate world, especially in strategy and business consulting. To bridge this gap, Caladium Consulting has launched the Caladium Strategy Skills Academy: a structured, hands-on business training program designed to equip 1000 aspiring early-career professionals and experienced professionals seeking…

Unlock Free Capital for Your Business! Struggling to fund your business? Learn how to access grants and secure non-repayable funding to grow and scale your business! 📅 Ikeja Chapter: Saturday, 22nd March – Grand Bee Suites 📅 Lekki Chapter: Saturday, 29th March – Pelican Rooftop & Restaurants 🕙 Time: 10:00 AM 🔒 Limited seats available! Don’t miss this game-changing opportunity to discover, learn, and leverage funding for your business.

Cascador, Nigeria’s leading accelerator for mid-stage entrepreneurs, has unveiled its Growth Fund, a $2 million annual initiative designed to provide tailored financial support to its alumni companies. The fund will offer a mix of debt and equity financing to mission-driven businesses, enabling them to accelerate growth and amplify their impact. Since its inception in 2019, Cascador has supported over 60 entrepreneurs who have collectively raised more than $55 million in capital. The Growth Fund aims to address the persistent funding challenges faced by Nigerian entrepreneurs, even those with viable and impactful businesses. Dave DeLucia, Founder of Cascador, emphasized the fund’s…

The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) has revealed that about 30% of Nigeria’s Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) have closed down due to the country’s challenging economic environment. Dr. Segun Omisakin, Chief Economist and Director of Research at NESG, shared this alarming statistic during the launch of the 2025 Private Sector Outlook, where he discussed key economic trends, challenges, and opportunities for businesses in Nigeria. Omisakin highlighted that between 2023 and 2024, Nigeria experienced significant economic setbacks, including multinational divestments and business closures, resulting in an estimated 94 trillion Naira loss. He emphasized that the closure of 30% of…

Xavier Muron, the Country Director of Agence Française de Développement (AFD) in Nigeria, has called on Nigerian businesses to seize the opportunities provided by AFD-funded projects to support the country’s development. Muron made the remarks during an AFD-funded project workshop organized by the Franco-Nigerian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) in collaboration with AFD in Lagos. He highlighted that AFD plays a vital role in financing, supporting, and accelerating transitions to create a fairer and more resilient world. Muron emphasized the importance for Nigerian businesses to collaborate with French companies to enhance their offerings and engage with AFD projects aimed…

The Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy (FMACTCE) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the development of the Abuja Creative City (ACC), a groundbreaking project aimed at establishing Nigeria as Africa’s premier hub for innovation, media, culture, and entertainment. Speaking at the signing event on Thursday in Abuja, the Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, emphasized that the Abuja Creative City would serve as a catalyst for the growth and development of Nigeria’s tourism sector. She highlighted that the project would provide entrepreneurs with ample opportunities to tap…

Wema Bank says it aims to stimulate entrepreneurship further, attract investment, and accelerate Nigeria’s economic development by fostering a thriving technology ecosystem that complements the creative economy. The executive director of retail and digital business at Wema Bank, Tunde Mabawonku, disclosed this at the sidelines of a news conference on the call for applications for the sixth edition of the bank’s Hackaholics 6.0 initiative in Lagos. Hackaholics 6.0 focuses on attracting “bold, cutting-edge solutions” in key sectors like AI, blockchain, renewable energy, customer experience, and cybersecurity. He explained that the initiative aligns with the bank’s strategic vision for its 80th…

Since its first edition in 2023, the WIPO IP and Women Business Summit has created a platform for women entrepreneurs, Intellectual Property (IP) experts and government stakeholders to come together to engage on the role of IP in empowering women entrepreneurs, innovators and creators. The pilot edition of the summit held on April 26, 2023 in commemoration of the World IP Day. It was themed, “Women as Catalysts of Innovation and Creativity in Nigeria: Opportunities and Challenges; and aimed to celebrate the “can do” attitude of women inventors, creators and entrepreneurs in Nigeria, while yet discussing opportunities for increased participation…

New research from Mastercard has highlighted the remarkable rise of entrepreneurship among Nigerian women, with 83% of women in the country identifying as entrepreneurs—significantly surpassing the regional average of 51% across Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Among these entrepreneurs, millennial women stand out, with 86% considering themselves entrepreneurs, outpacing their male counterparts (79%) in this regard. The research, titled Empowerment for All, was released ahead of International Women’s Day 2025 and sheds light on the key motivations driving this surge in female entrepreneurship. The study identifies financial independence, personal ambition, and the desire to transform innovative ideas into…

The Federal Government has unveiled an exciting N220 million prize for the most exceptional micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) in Nigeria, set to be awarded at the 2025 National MSME Awards. The grand prize includes a house, a store, and a substantial cash reward, underscoring the government’s commitment to recognizing and nurturing the nation’s most outstanding small businesses. In addition to the grand prize, winners in other categories will receive cash and property rewards valued at N50 million each. The selection process for the awards will be highly competitive, ensuring that only the best businesses, out of thousands of…

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has announced a significant $230 million trade finance package for Access Bank Plc, aimed at strengthening trade finance activities and improving foreign exchange (FX) liquidity for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria. In a Project Summary Note released on Wednesday, AfDB outlined the structure and expected impact of the financing package, designed to address key challenges faced by Nigerian businesses, particularly SMEs. The funding will serve as a vital catalyst for economic growth, enhancing Nigeria’s trade ecosystem and facilitating the flow of critical resources for enterprises engaged in cross-border commerce. The $230 million package…