Zenith Bank Partners Virgin Atlantic on Enterprise Challenge

Zenith Bank Plc has for the second year supported Virgin Atlantic Airways on the promotion of entrepreneurship among Nigerian youths with the launch of ‘The Enterprise Challenge’, a competition to promote entrepreneurship among young Nigerians.

According to a statement, a 3-day Boot camp to horn the entrepreneurship skills of the 20 shortlisted participants of the competition recently resumed.
Virgin Atlantic spokesperson said the competition was organised to test the business skills of young Nigerians aged 18 – 35 years.

She disclosed that the 20 participants were drawn from over 11,000 entries from the heavily advertised competition across 22 states of the federation. The shortlisted candidates are partaking in a 3-day Boot Camp under the mentorship of trainers/resource persons from the Richard Branson Centre in South Africa, with the first three finalists to be sent to London where they will meet with the maverick Richard Branson for further mentorship.

Explaining Zenith Bank’s involvement in the competition, the Executive Director of the Bank, Sola Oladipo said it was part of the bank’s strategic vision to partner with any initiative that is targeted at developing the Nigerian youths.

Throwing more light, the Executive Director said that the bank already has a number of initiatives targeting the Nigerian youths and as such they, at Zenith Bank, were only too happy to sponsor the competition since it was aimed at positively channelling the energies and talents of the Nigerian youths towards nation building.

He said further that for a country like Nigeria that is struggling with worsening unemployment, The Enterprise Challenge is an initiative that should be encouraged as it has the potential to address graduate unemployment.

Besides gaining through the mentorship programmes, the first three winners will go home with a seed grant of N2 million, N1.5 million and N1 million being first, second and third place prizes respectively, courtesy Zenith Bank.

CAPTION: Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi
Enugu Plans Investment Summit

In a bid to reflate the economy of Enugu State, the state government is set to host the maiden Enugu State Investment Summit with the theme “Beyond Oil: Fostering Inclusive Economic Growth and Sustainable Development.”

The summit will hold in Enugu between April 12 and 14, 2016.

According to a statement, the three-day summit titled ‘Oganiru’ meaning ‘progress’, is expected to bring together local and international business leaders and investors, bankers, financiers, the diplomatic community and the academia to explore Enugu’s rich potential – and, indeed, the potential of the entire South-east region – across various sectors including agriculture, solid minerals, trade and tourism. The summit will also showcase how Enugu State intends to partner with the private sector to leverage the state’s competitive advantage for inclusive growth and development.

According to the Director General of ‘Oganiru,’ Ike Chioke, who is also the CEO of Afrinvest West Africa, with the decrease in federal allocation to states due to dwindling oil revenue, there is a need for government to look to alternative revenue sources that would ensure sustainable economic growth.

“Oganiru seeks to highlight Enugu’s prospects as a business destination while exploring the state’s potential in a wide range of industries.

“Key outcomes of the summit will include opportunities for joint venture or outright acquisition through public-private-partnership, privatisation and commercialisation of state-owned enterprises including Hotel Presidential, Nike Lake Resort, Ada Rice, Sunrise Flour Mills, and many more. There will also be opportunities to boost trade and commerce in the region through co-investment in a Free Trade Zone,” Chioke disclosed.

The Investment Summit is an initiative of the Enugu State Economic Advisory Committee, which was set up by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to advise and guide the state on the best economic policies that would help to engender sustainable economic growth.