Author: Gift Ifeanyi

Nigeria is emerging as a driving force in global entrepreneurship, with over ₦1.3 trillion now channelled into small businesses through the Bank of Industry. The massive investment underscores the nation’s bold strategy to transform its economic landscape by empowering millions of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) that anchor its workforce. At the 2025 Global Entrepreneurship Congress in Indianapolis, Minister of State for Industry, Senator John Enoh, reaffirmed Nigeria’s ambition to lead an entrepreneurship-driven industrial revolution. Speaking to global innovation leaders, Enoh emphasized that the country’s future lies in its 39 million small businesses—responsible for more than 80% of all…

Nigeria’s pursuit of excellence and global competitiveness is set to take center stage once again as industry leaders, innovators, and policymakers prepare for the 2025 National Quality Conference & Awards, scheduled to hold on October 31 at the NECA House Auditorium, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos. Themed “Champions of Quality: Shaping Nigeria’s Future,” this year’s edition underscores the critical role of quality assurance and standards in driving sustainable growth across Nigeria’s industrial and service sectors. Organised by Allied Integrated Promotion in collaboration with African Trade Magazine, the Chartered Quality Institute (CQI), and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the event seeks to…

A new wave of bold leadership and business innovation is set to sweep across Africa as the Centre for Values Re-orientation and Attitudinal Change (CFAC) announces the fourth edition of its flagship Human Capital Re-orientation Conference, scheduled to hold on Friday, 2025, at the Los Angeles Event Centre, Abuja. This year’s theme, “Unleashing Audacity: Building Bold Businesses in Africa,” captures the organisation’s renewed mission to inspire courage, discipline, and visionary thinking among African entrepreneurs and leaders. In a statement signed by CFAC President, Dr. Raphael Ayua, the 2025 edition is expected to serve as a catalyst for a continental mindset…

In an era where technology is redrawing the map of global competition, Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat, has called on Nigerian entrepreneurs to view Artificial Intelligence (AI) not as a futuristic luxury but as the new foundation for business survival and dominance. Addressing business leaders at the 10th FATE Business Conference themed “AI-Powered Business: Innovate, Automate, Accelerate,” Hamzat said the nations and companies that master AI today will define the global economy for the next generation. He emphasized that the world has entered an “AI-first” phase, where technology drives smarter production, sharper decision-making, and stronger customer engagement…

As Nigeria continues its push toward inclusive growth, the Chinwe-Bode Akinwande (CBA) Foundation is set to ignite a nationwide dialogue on breaking cycles of poverty and social exclusion among widows. The foundation announced plans for its 2025 Turning Point Conference, themed “Empowering Widows in Nigeria: Breaking the Cycle of Poverty and Vulnerability,” scheduled for October 9, 2025, at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos. More than just a conference, the event seeks to reposition widowhood empowerment as a core element of Nigeria’s social and economic reform agenda. It will convene leaders from civil society, government, academia, and the private sector to…

Africa’s economic revolution won’t be televised—it will be manufactured.For John Alamu, Group Managing Director of CapitalSage Holdings, the next frontier of African independence is not political, but economic. “Export raw cocoa and you make $8,000 per tonne,” he explains. “Turn it into butter and you earn six times more. Make chocolate, and the value rises up to thirty times.” That principle of value creation over extraction lies at the heart of Johnvents Group, CapitalSage’s agribusiness and manufacturing arm. Through ten integrated factories—including Johnvents Industries and Premium Cocoa Products (Ile-Oluji), one of Nigeria’s oldest cocoa processors—the Group now boasts an annual…

Nigeria’s creative economy is entering a new chapter — one powered not just by talent, but by capital and mentorship.At its 20th anniversary celebration, Chocolate City Group, one of Africa’s pioneering entertainment companies, announced the launch of a $1 million Founders Fund designed to invest in and mentor Nigeria’s emerging creative startups. The fund, officially inaugurated by Hannatu Musa Musawa, Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy, brings together over 500 stakeholders from across music, film, and technology — signaling a powerful private-sector push toward creative industry transformation. Bridging the Funding Gap in Africa’s Creative Economy Nigeria’s creative sector…

Nigeria’s top judges, lawyers, and insolvency experts are calling for a paradigm shift in the nation’s insolvency ecosystem — from punitive liquidation practices to proactive business rescue and restructuring — as economic turbulence continues to strain companies across sectors. At the 2025 Annual International Insolvency Conference of the Business Recovery and Insolvency Practitioners Association of Nigeria (BRIPAN), held at the Civic Centre in Lagos, participants emphasized the need to modernize insolvency laws, integrate technology, and strengthen cross-border collaboration. The two-day event, themed “Deepening Insolvency Tools for Resolving Commercial and Financial Challenges of Businesses,” gathered representatives from the judiciary, academia, and…

For years, Tasiu Umar’s cellphone repair shop in Zing, Nigeria, was held hostage by the country’s unreliable electricity supply. His backup generator—noisy, expensive, and unreliable—often consumed more fuel than his business could afford. “I spent more time fixing the generator than fixing phones,” he jokes. But everything changed when he invested in a pair of solar panels. The switch didn’t just brighten his workshop; it illuminated a path toward a broader transformation quietly unfolding across Africa. As solar technology becomes cheaper and more accessible, Nigeria and other developing nations are undergoing an energy revolution that could redefine how growth and…

When Ola Oyetayo co-founded Verto in 2017, he set out to solve one of the most stubborn challenges facing African and emerging market businesses — moving money efficiently across borders. Today, as CEO of Verto, the Nigerian-born accountant and entrepreneur leads a London-based financial technology firm that’s redefining how companies conduct international transactions. Simplifying Global Payments for Emerging Markets Verto operates as a B2B cross-border payment and foreign exchange platform, enabling businesses to convert, receive, and settle transactions in multiple currencies through a unified infrastructure. The company’s mission is simple yet powerful: to make international payments as seamless for businesses…

In a digital era where influence drives engagement and culture shapes marketing, Sucre House of Entertainment has emerged as one of Africa’s most disruptive creative forces — redefining how brands connect with audiences through authentic storytelling and digital innovation. Founded by Olatunji Emmanuel O., Sucre House has carved a distinctive space where entertainment, marketing, and identity intersect. Its campaigns go beyond brand promotion; they spark conversations, empower creators, and amplify Africa’s creative voice on the global stage. The agency’s unique blend of strategic precision and cultural intuition has attracted collaborations with some of the world’s most recognized brands — including…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to driving Nigeria’s economic transformation through targeted financial support for local enterprises. The President said his government’s newly introduced ₦200 billion intervention fund for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and manufacturers was created to tackle deep-rooted structural constraints and boost competitiveness across industries. Delivering his remarks at the opening of the 31st Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja, Tinubu — represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima — stated that the ongoing reforms under his leadership are yielding tangible outcomes that have surpassed both domestic and global projections. “Our policies are guided…

Nigeria’s creative and entrepreneurial spirit will take center stage at the upcoming Naija Brands Trade Expo 2025, an event dedicated to showcasing indigenous products and empowering local businesses to thrive in the national and global marketplace. In a statement by Babatunde Karunwi, Group Managing Director of LENJI Group, the organisers said the expo seeks to promote homegrown innovation under the theme “Promoting Indigenous Products as a Catalyst for National Economic Growth.” According to Karunwi, the initiative goes beyond a typical trade fair — it’s a strategic movement designed to boost confidence in Nigerian-made goods, encourage local consumption, and strengthen the…

Determined to bridge the gap between theory and practical expertise, the Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUTMinna) has launched an intensive automobile training program that exposes students to real-world vehicle diagnostics, maintenance, and repair. Organized by the university’s Entrepreneurship Centre in partnership with both local and international automobile firms, the hands-on workshop took place on October 3, 2025, at the Main Campus Works Department. The event marks another step in FUTMinna’s commitment to nurturing self-reliant graduates equipped for today’s dynamic automotive market. In his keynote speech, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Faruk Adamu Kuta highlighted the need for Nigerian institutions to balance academic…

Across Africa, society’s view of success is shifting. Many now idolize entrepreneurship while undervaluing salaried work, dismissing traditional 9–5 jobs as symbols of limitation rather than opportunity. Yet, the journey of Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr., one of Nigeria’s most remarkable business figures, powerfully challenges this belief. His story reveals that discipline, patience, and strategy — not overnight wealth — are the real engines of lasting prosperity. Born on April 29, 1953, in Ibadan, Oyo State, Adenuga grew up in a home that blended education and enterprise. His father, a teacher, instilled discipline; his mother, a businesswoman of royal descent, passed…

Ellah Lakes Plc has announced plans for a transformative acquisition that will redefine its role in Nigeria’s agricultural landscape. The agro-industrial company is finalizing a deal to purchase Agro-Allied Resources & Processing Nigeria Limited (ARPN), a venture jointly owned by Singapore’s Tolaram Group and Valuestar Holdings PTE, with completion targeted for December 2025. Under the agreement, Ellah Lakes will assume control of nearly 12,000 hectares of land, including extensive cassava plantations and vast tracts earmarked for future cultivation. The company views the acquisition as a gateway to scaling production, enhancing efficiency, and unlocking fresh opportunities in crop diversification and processing.…

Across Africa, a quiet transformation is taking shape—powered not by politics or profit, but by education and opportunity. Leading this movement is the Ernestville Foundation, a U.S.-registered nonprofit organisation honouring the life and vision of Mazi Ernest O. N. Oji, a Nigerian scholar who believed that every lasting change begins with learning. Founded on Oji’s principle that education is the cornerstone of societal progress, the Foundation blends academics, innovation, and community empowerment to tackle Africa’s deepest structural challenges. Under the leadership of Jideofor “Jay” Oji, Ernestville has become a model for sustainable development that bridges generations and continents. “Empowerment is…

Two decades after its founding, NECA’s Network of Entrepreneurial Women (NNEW) has become a leading platform for advancing women’s entrepreneurship and leadership across Nigeria. With more than 2,000 active members spread across Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ogun, and Kwara States, the network continues to drive inclusion, innovation, and enterprise among women in business. As NNEW prepares to celebrate its 20th anniversary on October 8–9, 2025, at NECA House, Alausa, Ikeja, the organization is reflecting on its journey of building capacity, shaping policy, and giving women a stronger voice in the economic space. The milestone event will bring together entrepreneurs, policymakers,…

Nigeria is set to become the newest hub for women-led innovation and enterprise as the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance (WBA) moves to establish a regional office in the country. The development signals a major step toward enhancing collaboration and boosting women’s participation in key economic sectors such as technology, agriculture, and education. The announcement came after a Russian BRICS WBA delegation met with Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, during an official visit to Abuja. Speaking at a media briefing, Anna Nesterova, Chairperson of the BRICS WBA Russia chapter, said the visit marks the beginning of…

The outlook for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria’s South-South and South-East regions is gaining renewed optimism following the elevation of renowned business development strategist, Larry-Goodwill Akintoba Ajiola, to a series of high-profile international roles. Ajiola, widely recognised for his work in advancing SME growth and supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), now holds several key positions across global diplomatic and academic institutions. These include Head of Policy and Diplomatic Affairs at the United World Congress of Diplomats (UN-WCD), Head of Training and Capacity Development at the African School of Diplomacy and International Relations (ASDIR), Distinguished Fellow and…