BUDDING young Nigerian entrepreneurs aged between 18 and 35 years will get the opportunity to test their skills in a competitive environment after the British Council has announced plan to train several of them in conjunction with three private companies.
Designed to unearth talent that would hitherto have gone unrecognised, the British Council has teamed up with Virgin Atlantic, Zenith Bank and Samsung to launch the second Enterprise Challenge. It will test the business skills of young Nigerian entrepreneurs in an entrepreneurial competition that would take place in three task cycles over an intensive four-week period.
A spokesman for the organisers said: “Recognising that skill and knowledge acquisition are critical components to developing successful entrepreneurs and their ventures, the Enterprise Challenge has introduced a Boot Camp style event delivered by The Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship.” He added that the three-day event is designed to provide a core grounding in business principals in theory and practice. It will also explore synergies within local and global business contexts and promote networking opportunities for the top candidates with established, successful Nigerian entrepreneurs. Lucy Pearson, the acting country director of the British Council Nigeria, said: “The work of the British Council in education and the wider society helps transform not only national education systems but builds more inclusive, open societies and increases young people’s opportunities for a better future.
The Enterprise Challenge fits perfectly into this remit, effectively helping to develop the flourishing talent within Nigeria. « After all, entrepreneurs make a difference not only to their immediate families and communities but as the business leaders and employers of the future. Nearly 2,000 budding Nigerian entrepreneurs entered the first competition in 2014, and we are hoping for an even greater response this time round.” Adrian Bird, the country manager for Virgin Atlantic Airways, said his company was delighted to support the Enterprise Challenge for a second time, pointing out that entrepreneurship has, and always will be an inherent part of Virgin’s DNA. He added that the company is proud to foster this spirit in one of our most important markets, Nigeria. “We celebrate 15 years of flying between Lagos and London in 2016 and I can’t think of a better way to underline our commitment to the country and our customers than through an ongoing investment that supports the future business entrepreneurs of Nigeria,” Mr Bird added.
To Apply for the enterprise challenge 2016, Click Here and follow the instructions. Good luck!
