BusinessDay 22 Aug 2018

Wednesday 22 August 2018
Total Exploration concludes grassroots
entrepreneurial training for 200 Rivers citizens
Ignatius Chukwu & Innocent
Total Exploration and
Production Limited
has concluded
a grassroots entrepreneurial
training
started in January for about 200
Rivers State indigenes who run
small businesses.
Tagged “Grassroots Entrepreneurial
Programme for Egi
Communities,” the event at Egi
was the last of such trainings
held in four of its host communities
in the said local government,
especially communities
whose livelihoods were gravely
affected by communal and cult
crisis in recent times.
The six months-long training
- though with a break inbetween
- being part of Total’s
corporate social responsibility
programmes, revolved around
the principles of starting a
business, record keeping, time
management, business sustainability,
growth, expansion
Lagos Digital Academy commits to
empowering business professionals
amongst others.
Also, the trainees are to be
grouped and admitted into
cooperative societies registered
by Total for the purpose,
through which beneficiaries
would access Total’s-invested
funding.
According to Total’s Business
and Enterprise Manager,
Port Harcourt district, Philippe
Desriac, the primary purpose of
the programme is to diversify
local economy - which for years
has been oil-dependent - and
to help the people chart a new
course.
“The training is a continuation
of the company’s continued
belief and commitment to
the renewal and diversification
of the Egi economy. This has
become important because of
the concerns that the greater
part of the economic life within
and around the Egi land has
been focused on the oil and
gas sector.
“This is therefore the essence
of the training: To prepare
you for the future and
give you the skills required to
grow your micro-enterprises
and create sustainable wealth
into the future,” Desriac said.
He said not only is it hoped
that dependence on oil in Egi
will drop through the programme,
but that the initiative
will facilitate an uptick in job
creation.
He pleaded with beneficiaries
to make judicious use
of the opportunity and not
lag behind.
“We therefore enjoin you
to put to use in your various
businesses the knowledge
you have acquired these days
so you can become successful
businessmen and women for
the fulfilment of this training
vision. It is important for you
to note that the wave into the
future has begun and you cannot
run the risk of being left
behind. The tools are here for
you and by embracing them,
you are preparing yourself for
the future,” he said.
BUSINESS DAY 15
COMPANIES & MARKETS
Business Event
L-R: David Idem, informal channel manager, MultiChoice Nigeria; Chidozie Bede-Nwokoye,
marketing manager, GOtv; Daddy Shwokey, GOtv brand ambassador, and Akinola Salu, general
manager, GOtv, during the Value Chains Engagement Session & Award party for Canvassers/M&Ps/
Sabimen at Celebration Gardens Event Centre, Ikeja GRA, Lagos.
HOPE MOSES-ASHIKE
The Lagos Digital Academy
has launched a wide
range of intensive and
immersive digital marketing
courses that empowers
business professionals to make
their products and services acceptable
to potential consumers.
Lagos Digital Academy is a
social enterprise that is strongly
committed to teaching and inspiring
a new generation of digital
professionals and entrepreneurs.
Dotun Babatunde, founder/
managing director, said digital
marketing was key to the success
of any organisation. He admitted
that the emergence of the mobile
phone in the Nigerian market
had changed the ways and patterns
of doing business. “How
best can you reach your customers?
No other platform can give
you that direct personal access
to consumers like the mobile
phone. We have over 180 million
Nigerians and averagely, people
hold two to three network lines.
In order to reach your consumers
today, you have to be able to
communicate with them on oneon-one
basis,” Babatunde said.
At the Lagos Digital Academy,
participants are taught,
guided and certifies by experienced
practitioners from the
digital marketing industry.
Kunle Shittu, chief marketing
officer, said training in digital
marketing will lead to business
growth, boost economic growth
and enhance job creation.
“We will be organising a free
boot camp for Babcock University,
University of Lagos and University
of Ibadan. For us, we will
not be charging them any fee; it
is our own giving back initiative.
They will make the necessary
provision and we will take the
training to their doorsteps. We
will not rest until we have toured
every university and polytechnic
in Nigeria”, Shittu said.
L-R: Vitalis Umeanadu, CWG Academy staff; Dennis Nwoye, CWG Academy Staff; Emmanuel
Effiong, CWG Academy Coordinator; Henry Erigha, business director, financial services, CWG
Plc; Rebecca Eke, CWG Academy Staff, and Eweje Oyeniyi, CWG Academy Staff, at Lagos
Orientation Camp.
International Breweries to empower
entrepreneurs in product campaign
Abdullateef Eniola-Giwa
International Breweries Plc
has announced the commencement
of the 3rd edition
of its Hero’s Foundation
Kickstart Programme, a Corporate
Social Investment initiative
aimed at empowering and inspiring
potential entrepreneurs
in Nigeria.
This year, the foundation is
expanding to include more states
and young entrepreneurs from
Abia, Anambra, Benue, Delta,
Ebonyi, Edo, Enugu, Imo, and
Rivers states can now apply for
a chance to participate in the
programme.
Muyiwa Ayojimi, company
secretary / general counsel of International
Breweries Plc, speaking
at the media launch of the
2018 edition of the Hero’s Foundation
Kickstart Programme in
Onitsha said, the program was
launched in 2016 to touch lives
and inspire young people especially
in the face of economic
challenges in the country.
“We initially kicked-off the
programme with youths residing
in the core south-eastern states of
Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu
and Imo states; in 2017, we expanded
our horizon to include
Benue, Delta, and Edo states. I
am proud to announce that this
year we will be expanding further
to include Rivers state to the list
of participating states,” Ayojimi
said. He further explained that
the applications for the 2018
edition of the programme are
open to youths between 18 and
35 years residing and doing business
in the participating states.
“Successful applicants will
undergo a one-week intensive
business training session with experts
from the Nnamdi Azikiwe
Business School, after which they
will be required to develop and
submit their business proposals.
A team of judges will sift through
the proposals based on their
strength and sustainability. The
final winners will be announced
and given start-up/expansion
fund at an award ceremony
which will take place later in the
year.” Ayojimi explained.
Meanwhile since the Hero’s
Foundation Kickstart programme
commenced in 2016,
64 enterprising entrepreneurs
in participating states have been
empowered with the sum of
N132million, business training,
and mentorship to turn their
big ideas into sustainable businesses.
L-R: Kunle Folarin, chairman, Nigerian Ports Consultative Council/keynote speaker; Mariam Afolabi,
daughter and representative of Taiwo Afolabi; Adebayo Sarumi, former managing director, Nigerian
Ports Authority, and chairman of the occasion, and Adewale Olawoyin, lecturer and staff adviser,
maritime forum, UNILAG, at the third edition of the Taiwo Afolabi Annual Maritime Conference held
at the Main Auditorium, University of Lagos.
L-R: Tonne Marques, Senior Project Officer, Leadership Empowerment and Resource Network
(LEARN); Anjola Obembe, LEARN student; Tope Ashiwaju, group public relations and events
manager, Dufil Prima Foods Plc; Oke Olumide, LEARN student, Master, and Ronke Oguntoyinbo,
chief operating officer, LEARN, during a cheque presentation by Indomie Instant Noodles to
LEARN in Lagos.