Lagos Equips Youths with Entrepreneurial Skills, Current Best Practices

Funmi Ogundare

The Lagos State government recently held its fourth Enterprise Day for students of its technical colleges, aimed at stimulating their entrepreneurial mindset, imparting skills and breeding quality entrepreneurs who are equipped with current best practices that will enable them compete favourably in local and global business terrains.

The programme with the theme, ‘Nurturing Innovation and Entrepreneurship’, held at the NECA House, Ikeja, saw speakers after speakers mentoring the students on the need to have the right mindset, while encouraging them on innovative business start-ups.

In his remarks, the Executive Secretary, Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB), Mr. Olawumi Gasper, said since the introduction of the programme in 2013, it has continued to evolve a brand that promotes entrepreneurship in Lagos youths and has witnessed the delivery of youth-led businesses. “The delivery of youth-led businesses is as showcased in the 30 buildings and building-related entities recently incorporated and the engagement of the companies by this administration to carry out minor repairs and maintenance of Lagos public school buildings and facilities.”

He thanked the private sector partners and mentors for their support in evoking the entrepreneurial spirit in the students, saying that the impact of new technologies, relevant skills acquired from its technical colleges, vibrancy from the youths and incubation of business ideas from the students call for the continuous support of the private sector partnering the government.

In his keynote address, the Africa Regional Coordinator of Teach a Man to Fish, based in Kampala, Uganda, Mr. James Love, expressed concern that Nigeria is not preparing its youths enough with the skills they need to be entrepreneurs, adding that it is more focused on academic grades.

“What we want in people is a range of knowledge, attitude, values and behavior. With the Teach a Man to Fish initiative, we are trying to support schools and educational systems, as well as give students the practical learning they need to ensure business success. It is about team work and motivation, you are able to learn to how to market and keep records. It is about building a generation of young entrepreneurs.”

Panelists that mentored the students emphasised the need for them to have the necessary skills, to be focused and stand out in all they do. An entrepreneur, Mrs. Fehintola Foluso-Onogoruwa recalled how she had to take a decision 43 years ago to become an entrepreneur and how she had to resign from paid employment after realising that being in an employee status would not enhance her vision and her preferred lifestyle choice after retirement.

“You have to take a decision, if you remain on the same road, you will not get to your destination, you have to write down your decisions and know here what you want to be in the next five to 10 years.You must have a business skill and own the job by putting a system in place. The concept is that you must have dream of where you are going.”

The Managing Director and Founder of SLOT Systems Limited, Mr. Nnamdi Ezeigbo, advised the youths to create value for themselves and the society, saying that people struggle because they lack managerial abilities.

“You need capacity, strategy and capital, you have to be different, smart and simple. If you know what consumers want, then you can become a billionaire. It is all about producing products that meet the needs of the society.

A public speaker, Mr. Rajiv Sharma said, “when you listen to your customers, you can provide what they are looking for. You have to create a vision and start your journey by creating your vision, look for what people need. You need to use your brain effectively and you need a vision to start executing your plan.”