The Nation Newspaper

Category: Small Business and Entreprenuership

  • Mission to empower women

    Mission to empower women

    A shoka Anglophone West Africa Regional Director, Josephine Nzerem, is a business motivator who can impart knowledge to entrepreneurs who want to join the baking industry.

    After graduation, she did her National Service at the National Arts Theatre, Lagos in the Management department, where she was in charge of bookings and theatre design. At the end of the national assignment, she tried hard to get a job, but because she had just  married, no one hired her for fear that she would be going on maternity leave.

    Eventually, she decided to start a bakery. Her business was successful, and soon she started to supply banks and other organisations with pastries. The  business model, she found, was flexible and profitable.

    She is a success story in bakery business.The experience was inspiring and eye-opening, and it became the catalyst that got her truly thinking differently. Since then, she explored many roles.

    Over time, she discovered she was made to be a mentor. This is reflected in her empathetic, values-driven persistence in finding ways of making it possible for women to learn and be prepared for business opportunities.

    According to her, empowering women through income generating activities helps them become independent, respected individuals in their communities.  Subsequently, she became part of a wave of social entrepreneurs identifying root causes for the youth employment challenges and developing innovative solutions. Her  dream fits the aspirations of Ashoka, a global organisation that identifies and invests in leading social entrepreneurs — individuals with innovative and practical ideas for solving social problems.

    She joined Ashoka. Nzerem was elected an Ashoka Fellow in 2002 for her innovative work in the protection of women from disinheritance and other socio-economic abuses. In 2004, she received an award from Junior Chambers International as the outstanding young person for the year, in contribution to children, world peace and/or human rights.

    In 2011, she became the Regional Director of Anglophone West Africa for Ashoka, Innovators. In that role, she worked tirelessly towards creating an ‘’Everyone a Changemaker’’society by inspiring various communities in Anglophone West Africa to take the initiative to solve social problems. She is also inspiring the Anglophone West Africa team to embody a high standard of excellence, innovation and commitment. She has been recently named the Director, Venture and Fellowship, Ashoka Africa.

    According to her, Ashoka fellows have  success stories building flourishing  businesses  in agriculture, tech, governance and civic engagement, employment  and  youth engagement.

    One of the approaches is to create a model that identifies and strengthens local assets, placing members of the community at the centre of sustainable long-term solutions as stakeholders, patrons, and owners.The model meets the needs of the youth and the entrepreneurs at the same time. The youth gain marketable skills through their work experience and an introduction to positive role models. The entrepreneurs gain access to a pool of potential employees and have the opportunity to prepare youth for career paths of their choice.

    She wants  to connect successful business entrepreneurs and professional people with the concepts around social entrepreneurship.

    For her, social entrepreneurs define the new roadmaps that allow people to thrive in this new environment, while providing solutions and demonstrating the how-tos.

    According to her, Ashoka engages the world’s largest and most powerful network of social entrepreneurs by searching for and selecting the world’s leading social entrepreneurs.

    She explained that Ashoka searches the world for leading social entrepreneurs through an intensive, human-centered process, selecting them into its fellowship of peers. The process of selection is a transformative and enlightening experience.

    Candidates articulate their innovations, and how they have the potential to change sector-wide systems. They scrutinise their strategies and methods, and reflect on how they engage as individuals and leaders in today’s world. The selection process is not simply a means to an end, but rather generates robust discussion, sharpens ideas, and gives room for a journey of self-discovery and growth.

    Where do you see yourself and Ashoka in 10 years? 20 years? Her words: “I expect that in the next 10-20 years Ashoka will continue to grow ever more effective as an agent of change in Africa and other continent. In the next 10-20 years I intend to continue championing the cause of social entrepreneurship in Africa because I believe that it is one of the most potent tools to lift Africa into greater development.”

  • Foundation inducts 100 youths into creative boot camp

    A GROUP Street Project Foundation has inducted 100 youths into its Creative Youth Boot Camp in Onikan, Lagos.

    Its founder/Chief Executive Officer Mrs Rita-Ezenwa-Okoro said while in camp, the youth would hone their skills in drama, visual arts, poetry, creative writing, spoken word, custom, dance, music, among others.

    ‘’The curriculum has been designed to empower young people with the skills necessary to turn their talent into an enterprise,’’ she said, adding that when idle youths were not engaged, a nation runs the risk of breeding criminals that would be threat to it.

    She said the trainees were picked from low-income groups, adding they were selected from a shortlist of 600, after a rigorous screening.

    She noted that the performing arts could be a thriving industry that creates wealth and jobs. ‘’The expected outcome is that our youths will start up a creative enterprise or get a job in the creative industry and will have a clear direction of what they want to achieve in life. We have proof of this, through some of the success stories of our ambassadors,’’ she said.

    She cited Josh Alfred, also called Joshfunny, an ambassador of the group, who was discovered as a comedian. After training and mentorship, is a now Social Media sensation.

    Mrs Ezenwa-Okoro argued that skills training that assist the youth to move from job seekers to job creators could reduce the rate of unemployment.

    Lagos State Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment Permanent Secretary Dr Yakub Olajide Basorun said the government had floated a N25-billion Employment Trust Fund for Lagosians, urging the trainees to avail themselves of its numerous merits after their camping. He said one needed not know anyone before applying, saying any applicant stood the chance of being given a loan, if the conditions were met.

    United States Department of States Deputy Public Officer Frank Selin said his country was proud to be associated with Street Project Foundation, saying that the US sponsored some of the group’s programmes.

    He enjoined other groups to apply, if they needed help. He agreed that the training would help to reduce unemployment.

  • Rising raw materials cost takes toll on SMEs

    Rising raw materials cost takes toll on SMEs

    Faced with the economic downturn and rising production costs, many micro entrepreneurs are closing down their businesses; others are struggling to stay afloat, reports Daniel Essiet.

    THESE are not the best of times for micro businesses. They are feeling the pains of rising costs of operation that has reduced their profit margins. The costs are associated with limited access to raw materials such as imported chemicals. Added to this is the high cost of sourcing foreign exchange (forex) which has worsen the plight of the small business owners.

    The Association of Micro Entrepreneurs of Nigeria (AMEN) President, Comrade Saviour Iche, said small business owners were switching away from Nigeria to Benin Republic and Ghana  as rising labour, raw material and energy costs make local production more expensive and finished goods uncompetitive.

    According to estimates, 70 per cent of the private sector operates in the small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Over 40 per cent of these are also estimated to be involved in light manufacturing, such as soap and cosmetics production that require use of vital chemicals.

    Iche said the cost of raw materials had gone up, thereby increasing their operational costs as well as affecting production capacity.

    He said various chemical raw materials have had a sharp price rise, adding that some raw materials’ prices had risen from N3000 to N15, 000 in the last one year.  Due to shortage of raw materials on the local market, most businesses are forced to import from abroad and this requires getting forex to import them. He appealed to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to make forex available for  chemicals sellers to import and sell to SMEs producing household  and personal care items.

    He explained that electricity costs for businesses had increased by 100 per cent, the biggest in the past two years.

    However, Iche is only one of thousands of entrepreneurs and SMEs operators, who found business life  difficult.  Because of this, most members of AMEN in small manufacturing businesses, according to him, had plans to expand their business, including reducing staff and business scales. The cost of SME credit,   he noted, is on the upward swing, as evidenced by the increase in nominal interest rates charged to SMEs.  For instance, an average loan is within 23 and 28 per cent. The trend towards higher costs of credit, according to him, was accompanied by a continued high level of collateral requirements, which remained higher than.

    He said: “Where do you expect a micro business operating in a room to get a C of O?”

    The founder of Jubilant Family Industries Limited Frederick Nwokeleme said access to appropriate funding sources had been much harder for SMEs. The financial conditions of many SMEs, he added, is  weakened by the drop in demand for goods and services and the credit tightening.

    Improving SMEs access to finance, he added, should be a priority  as it is inhibiting the growth of SMEs.

    To promote healthy growth of SMEs, Nwokeleme, canvassed  that  development plans  should  include productivity enhancement, capacity development, concessional business regulatory environment, and technology adaptation to innovative SMEs.

    According  to him,  raw material prices are getting higher and are not available in the market at fair prices, adding that increasing the local production would create clusters of job opportunities.

  • ‘How to translate ideas into reality’

    Behind every successful business is an idea. Some seem simple; others are not. Josephine Okere is helping businesses and entrepreneurs translate their ideas into winning ventures, writes Daniel Essiet.

    A graduate  of Marketing from Federal Polytechnic , Nekede, Imo State, Josephine Okere ‘s main skill is getting the best from  individuals and organisations . She gets paid for driving innovative ideas into successes.

    Her job is to help startups and entrepreneurs translate ideas into businesses and services.

    She started the business with N1000. “The idea for my business came out of my passion of writing alongside marketing. My passion for executing ideas makes me to dabble into innovation consulting,” she said.

    Today, her satisfaction is derived from her numerous clients’ successes. She can build a business from words of mouth, once she is told by clients, colleagues and friends.

    Beside floating ideas, Okere has also found a market where she helps people appraise and rewrite their resumes. What is more, she provides coaching for those searching for a career advancement opportunity. What she does is to help applicants to take their skill sets and position them on their resumes convincingly for employers.  The demand for professional curriculum vitae (CV) is huge.  As competition for most jobs is high, jobseekers are keen to have the best CV possible.  Young applicants and executives need their CVs to be updated from time to time, so there’s regular demand.  She shows candidates which resumes’ styles work best in various disciplines spanning several industries and corporate cultures.

    Her dedication to her clients is her greatest asset.  She takes the time to know her clients and retool their resumes to allow prospective employers get a view of their skills and achievements.

    On the challenge, she said: “I will say some of my failures are not meeting up to deadline when we are at peak seasons, due to staff strength.”

     

  • Braving odds in export trade

    Nigerians are making a fortune from export. They have also diversified into commodities, such as vegetables, charcoal, cashew, cocoa and food stuff, DANIEL ESSIET reports.

    For some, commodities export business is the beautiful bride. Driven by the rise in demand  from  United States (U.S), Europe, China, India and other fast-growing economies, entrepreneurs have increased their exports by diversifying into commodities such as vegetables, charcoal, cashew, cocoa  and food stuff.

    One of them is the Chief Executive, Universal  Quest Nigeria, Mr Sotonye Anga, who  exports  cashew nuts. He said there  are  huge profits in cashew exports, thanks to  high demand.  With the world price rising and expected to remain steady, he said Nigerians that invest in cashew export will smile.

    On the capital required, he said an investment of N1.5 million is okay for start-ups. The returns on investment (RoI) range from 10 to 30 per cent per deal. According to him, exporters can get enough supply because  cashew grows  very well in over 24 states.

    Getting high quality cashew nuts, he said is critical to an exporter, and as  such, he  believes  in partnering producers  with  good  cashew plantations is vital. This, he added, is central to ensuring that cashew businesses would develop into highly profitable ventures.    Anga disclosed that cashew is exported to India and Vietnam where it is processed and then either consumed in those countries or shipped to the U.S or Europe for further processing and packaging.

    Anga said Nigerians were missing huge opportunities in exporting sesame seeds. The market for it are in Japan, Turkey, U.S, India, Israel, Kuwait, Syria, Saudi Arabia, China, Egypt, Morocco, Poland, Italy, France and Iran.

    He also spoke of strategy to enhance production and marketing agribusiness products, urging  more Nigerians to get into sesame  farming to increase output to meet local and export markets. One, he said, could start farming it with N300,000.

    Chief Executive, The Thy Global Investment Limited, Ismail AbdulAzeez, owns a thriving agro export business in Sango Ota in Ogun State.  The story of AbdulAzeez is that of a man who rose from rags to riches. An accountant, life was difficult for him when he first started. He began by strutting the streets of Lagos in search of a job. When his efforts did not pay off, he resorted to picking snails  on  the roads to eke out a living. He never had a dream of starting a  business that would grow in a short time. From picking snails, he  started a new business  that changed his life. The demand for snails helped him to tap into a market  capable of generating high profit even with little financial outlay.

    With market insight, AbdulAzeez reared giant African snails, which could grow up to 20 cm (7.9 inches).  At harvest, he  sold to luxury hotels and high-class restaurants. Gradually, the business of snails farming  appeared  to him  a  veritable venture. As the small business grew, he found additional training on various sustainable small and medium enterprises, including grass cutter farming. He eventually moved into beekeeping and food stuff exports. So far, it has been a very long journey, working on various businesses.

    In all,  the  success  of  his  agro exports  business  has helped him  to  address the big hurdle of  securing capital.  His success is unusual. But his struggle is common to many of Nigeria’s entrepreneurs.  Chiefly, agro exports has given him a giant leap. Thanks to trade liberalisation and  the  spiralling demand for  agro exports,  which  are  sourced  from most  parts  of the country.

    As his  business empire grew, he  was  attracted to  the  lucrative  business of charcoal export. According to him, the huge demand for charcoal was informed by its use in food grilling and bakery. Europeans and Americans, he explained, look forward to having family picnics and on-site barbeques, adding that this has contributed to the demand for the product.

    As a result, he takes advantage of this  to export to meet the needs of the coming spring and summer seasons. Today, the venture is his biggest money spinner and he is one of the country’s leading exporters of charcoal.  For him, charcoal is a business where one can make fast bucks. With an investment of N1million, one could make  a profit of N300,000 within 40 days. The initial challenge for new exporters is how to source charcoal because supplies come from as far as Mokwa in Niger State. Using his own resources, AbdulAzeez has  established a central depot at  Sango Ota,  where suppliers bring in charcoal in large quantities. There, the raw charcoals are separated, graded and packaged for export. This is a big burden  for those who don’t have time to travel to as far as Kogi State to source  for the commodity.

    One other export opportunity he is encouraging Nigerians to go into is foodstuff exports.  AbdulAzeez said the demand for local foodstuffs in Europe and America is rising due to increasing number of Africans, particularly Nigerians, sojourning there. This, he explained, has created the need for foodstuffs exporters to supply African restaurants in the U.S and Europe. He listed the commodities in demand as smoked fish, crayfish, garri, beans flour, melon seed, ogbono, cassava flour, bitter leaf, dried pumpkin leaf, pepper, pap and vegetable leaves, among others.

  • From organic waste to fuel

    From organic waste to fuel

    Converting organic waste into fuel is becoming big business. A Kwara State-based entrepreneur, Dolapo Olalekan, has got local machines that produce fuel from cow dung, poultry waste and organic matter. DANIEL ESSIET reports.

    Agricultural waste is becoming a mammoth problem with many food businesses not knowing what to do with the stubble .They simply burn it after harvest. Schools, campuses, food and beverage producers, and food banks all produce thousands of food waste each year, and typically have to pay to have the waste hauled to a landfill. This not only causes air pollution but also  huge plume of air pollution.

    Kwara based entrepreneur, Dolapo  Olalekan  and Chief Executive, Doligeria Bio Systems Limited,wants all these practices to end.  In  response, he is producing low cost bio gas systems that  converts  agro waste into fuel.

    These include home-sized biogas units that can take organic waste and convert it into enough gas for two to four hours of cooking, every single day.

    The system, according to him, has the ability to take in up to six  litres per day of any food waste and turn it into enough fuel to cook two meals per day.

    Besides, he and his team are working on building higher capacity plants, which can process 250 to 500 tonnes of waste daily. These units, in addition to producing fuel, produce fertiliser from materials that would otherwise go to waste. The home biogas units are also said to be simple to operate, and require minimal annual maintenance, and although the biogas can be burned on a regular stove, at least one burner does need to be converted to use the fuel.

    He has been partnering with the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, University  of Ilorin, Kwara State on biogas, organic fertiliser and biofuel development.

    With the efforts so far, Olalekan is confident that the technology with the lowest capital and operating costs that would allow more Nigerians generate fuel from organic waste.

    For typical biogas systems, Olalekan uses   organic matter such crops or food waste. These inputs are fed into  a bio digester where microbes in the presence of heat and absence of oxygen are broken down into organic matter to produce biogas.

    For him,  it is the time to transit from the old energy economy, built on coal and petroleum, to homegrown energy sources  such as  biogas and biomass to create power, heat and alternative fuels to drive a new energy economy.

    Olalekan,who started with nothing, he however, not  new in the field of innovations and technology fabrication. The graduate of Agricultural Engineering, University of Ilorin, Kwara  State, was already  successful in producing  food processing.  All products are custom manufactured and designed to solve issues surrounding operations involved in the processing of food. He is gradually building a flourishing business of machine fabrication. He is one of the inspiring success stories of budding entrepreneurs.

    However, to scale the business, Olalekan needs capital.

  • Groundnut oil processing is profitable

    Groundnut oil processing is profitable

    Mercy Haruna Wakawa is making money through groundnut oil processing. DANIEL ESSIET met her

    Combining enterprise and  passion  in equal measure, Chief  Executive  Officer, Confianza Global Resources, Mercy Wakawa, is turning  groundnut oil  processing  into a money  spinner.    But she didn’t start the business by  choice.

    Like the story of every other Nigerian youth full of dreams and enthusiasm for a robust working career and livelihood after graduating from  the University of Maiduguri, Mercy Wakawa searched endlessly for corporate jobs. Her dreams suddenly collapsed as she   realised the reality of vanishing job opportunities.

    Largely, her sojourn into agribusiness is intrinsically linked with the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the N2Africa project. The N2AFRICA Borno Project is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

    Her words: “IITA gave me a rare opportunity to participate in enterprise development training alongside other youths from Borno State in September 2014. I reluctantly enlisted for the training just to be part of anything at that moment without any premonition that something meaningful is coming out of it.

    The training was organised by IITA youth Agripreneurs (IYA), at the IITA Kano Station. It was a three-week of mind changing intensive training which covered topics in agribusiness, entrepreneurship, ICT in agribusiness, fish farming and science-driven agricultural practices.

    “Although initially against my wish but based on my background, I was counselled and mentored to venture into the post-harvest processing of groundnut. The business practically took off in January 2016. I was given a starter package by IITA/N2Africa project sponsored by Bill and Melinda Gates foundation (BMGF) in the form of machinery and working capital  worth 2.5 million naira.”

    Today, the business is doing well.  She has a cottage business   that processes oil from groundnuts. She not only has a ready market, but helps her raise income making substantial income annually.

    She said:  “I have a cottage nut oil industry currently employing two young women and two young men. We have processing machines of two tonnes per day capacity that process groundnuts into groundnut oil, groundnut cake and sludge.

    “The company processes on average 0.5 tons of groundnuts per day due to inconsistency in power supply which has affected the output and the availability of the products in the market. With the current production rate, the industry is only able to serve 20 per cent  of the local market.”

    She said groundnut processing is a profitable business, as a good one tonne of groundnut seed will produce an average of 450 litres of oil and 400 kilogrammes(kg) of groundnut cake which is a major raw material for animal feed.  Her   groundnut cake is being supplied to feed mills for the production of animal feed while the sludge serves as a major raw material for reprocessing by local women. The activity serves as another source of business and livelihood. By stroke of providence, she  is  benefiting from opportunities that are often provided only to men. To boost her business, Confianza Global Resources boss   got a   $5000 grant . With the amount, she is been able to secure a power plant (50KVA Generator) and purchased raw materials for the first three cycles of production. This, in return, will increase the number of youths employed to six and increase the availability of the products in the market and raw materials for the community women. But  she faces a lot of  challenges. Her words:  “A major challenge of the business is the periodical stoppage in production due to the seasonal nature of the raw material (groundnut). During the lean season, there is scarcity of raw material and my inability to stock-pile at harvest because of low capital often affects my production.”

    Her most satisfying accomplishment in business is creating job opportunities for youths, providing market for groundnut farmers, and providing solution to the customers yearning for genuine products of groundnut processing.  She added: “Good and properly refined groundnut oil and cake is highly nutritious both for human and animal consumption.”

    She advised young entrepreneurs: “They should always believe in their capacity to succeed and should not be discouraged in the small things they are doing because they don’t know where it will take them.” In the next 10 years, Mercy wants to be one of the key players in groundnut oil production, expand her business, and explore the value chains of groundnut enterprises. “I will like to experiment with backward integration such that I can develop the capacity to also produce my raw materials directly from my farm, and possibly also establish livestock production units that can utilise the groundnut cake from my mills as feedstuff. I will then be in a position to employ more youths, not only from the host community but youths all over Nigeria and Africa at large.” But it’s not just hard work that paved the road to success. It was combined with an equal degree of unscrupulousness.

    Meanwhile, using improved varieties of groundnut for processing that offer at least twice the potential quantities of oil for extraction in comparison to local varieties is helping to economically empower women in Nigeria. Women Farmers Advancement Network (WOFAN) and International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropic(ICRISAT) are working to promote improved groundnut production technologies for the Yadakwari community in GarunMallam Local Government Area (LGA), Kano State.

    The Yadakwari Women’s Community Service Centre is now using these improved varieties to produce more groundnut oil (up to 350 liters per week) in addition to kuli-kuli (a popular local groundnut-based snack; see box). The demand for locally pressed groundnut oil and kuli-kuli is so high that they are being immediately sold in the local markets.

    “Improved varieties of groundnut from ICRISAT have brought happiness to many farm-families in northern Nigeria. Husbands grow groundnut, while WOFAN supports their wives to buy the grains produced for use in small-scale oil extraction. Several other families in Kano state go to our office because they can buy unadulterated groundnut oil from women’s groups being mentored by WOFAN,” said, Executive Director, WOFAN, Mrs Hadja Salamatu Garba.

     

  • Fostering entrepreneurship in yam production

    Fostering entrepreneurship in yam production

    Young entrepreneurs, Olisaeloka Peter Okocha and Samson Ogbole and Co- founders, PSNutrac are pushing a technology to enable Nigerians produce more yams for export. They shared their thoughts at a forum at Guiding Light Assembly, Parkview Estate, Ikoyi,Lagos. Daniel Essiet was there.

    Nigerian entrepneurs have incredible potential to make agro business a  sector that fills a growing market niche and engages the youth. Olisaeloka  Peter Okocha and Samson Ogbole are prime examples. Their  determination and love of  agro innovations  have   led them to become  rising stars  selling  technologies  that  can  change  lives of food  processors. The two young entrepreneurs have established, PS Nutrac , a food technology  business, to  push an initiative   that  enables Nigerians  produce more than 1000 yams within a small space  for exports known as   aeroponics.

    The technology enables farmers to plant yam in the air without the use of soil. The other advantage is that one can multipy,clean seed yam tubers in large quantities. They demonstrated the technology at Guiding Light Assembly, Parkview Estate ,Lagos.

    As part of an effort to improve the production of high quality yam seeds, Okocha said the  company introduced aeroponics system ,the process of growing plants in air or mist-environment without the use of soil or an aggregate medium to help more Nigeria making money from growing food using simple technology with their homes, plots  and  few acres  of land.

    He  said his  ultimate objective is to  help  entrepreneurs  acquire  simple  technologies to produce  food within their homes, reduce post harvest losses, create  jobs, increase smallholder incomes, food safety and nutrition while  contributing to the Gross Domestic Product( GDP) through export earnings.

    Okocha and his partner, Ogbole share a common goal in enabling entrepreneurs to grow their business and get connected to the market. Ogbole is a critical part of the vision to using  aeroponics to  boost agro entrepreneurs  to start  their  food production businesses.

    Besides, observed the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan Oyo State under YamImprovement for Income and Food Security in West Africa (YIIFSWA) project.

    During  his  service, he worked in tissue culture laboratory and aeroponics system.  After his service year, he was made a research supervisor as he took charge of the aeroponics  system.

    He further established the system in Biocrops Centre, Abuja  and National Root Crops Research Institute(NRCRI), Umudike, Abia State. He also trained both private and public institute staff for aeroponics technology.

    It is to his credit that the process  increased seed yam systems and developed best nutrient composition for seed yam production.

    Speaking on investment opportunity, Ogbole said with N250,000 investment in yam production using aeroponics, one can  make N1,200,000 annually.

    The PS Nutrac boss  revelaed  that   soilless yam propagation system increase the productivity of seed and reduce diseases.

    According to him: “ People don’t plant yams with the vines, so we realised that we can do that and actually increase the multiplication ratio and now what we are doing is aeroponics. One plant can yield about 1,000 seeds’’, he added

    Ogbole said a wide range of products centred on yam ‘are going to open up new markets  for entrepreneurs.

    With the technology, he said it will be possible for individuals and businesses  to produce  thousands of yams within a small place.

    He  said : “You can start  with  a 20 liters paint bucket and a small pump. Fertilizer can be organic or inorganic, and even when inorganic; you will need a 25kilo gramm bag to feed 2000 plants for five years before it is exhausted.”

    He said there are opportunities for entrepreneurs to explore  yam production for income.  According to him, his organisation aims to train people on how to build and maintain systems where plants can be grown in the air. This means that everything from lettuce and tomatoes can be grown without soil and this can even be done indoors.

    General Overseer, Guiding Light Assembly, Pastor Wale Adefarasin, said his church supports every initiative to promote job creation and youth entrepreneurship.

  • ‘Living from my art is my greatest success’

    ‘Living from my art is my greatest success’

    Chief Executive, Livon, Azuka Daco unleashes artistic passion by designing own’s line of clothing. The Fine Arts graduate says he simply needed to be free to pursue his true calling, DANIEL ESSIET reports.

    Chief Executive Officer, Livon, Azuka Daco studied Fine Art at  Yaba College of  Technology(YABATECH), Lagos, but his  real passion is  fashion designing.

    With a knowledge of the industry, he has risen from being an accomplished fashion designer to a service provider in the industry  as advisor, trainer and  motivational speaker. The desire to start something on his own manifested while in YABATCH  as a student. He was making money selling his products.

    He  says this experience triggered his business mind because he believed he could develop his own enterprise. Indeed, Daco started  with  just  a sewing machine and turned to simple contracts that involved designing clothes for people.

    While his experience widened, he  started bidding for  bigger jobs. Today, his office is spread  on the top floor of a building along Opebi.

    He might have started as a small business in a little space, but today in his Salvation Road Headquarters, Ikeja, he has several hands  working for him and reaping so much in sales.

    The entrepreneur started designing dresses he believed would appeal to young, urban customers like him. Unlike the popular adage that you need to have money to make money, Daco believes a fashion entrepreneur needs a sewing  machine  and passion for creativity. He also attributes his success to innovations, saying he encourages unique designs for every client. For him, deadlines are important. From the runway to the room, he is stamping his stylish visions as he moves beyond haute couture and into the realm of interior design.

    On his source of inspiration , he responded that he is constantly inspired by his  clients. His designed outfits have been worn time and again by celebrities. From the look of things, it has been a fast rise for him since his first business in 2008, knitting and tailoring clothing.

    His clients commend him that he has done himself  a great service by creating a very strong business model from the very beginning. His accomplishment has not been without challenges as jobs were scarce and for the few jobs, clients did not pay on time he revealed. As a fashion entrepreneur that supports new and emerging talent as well as weaver groups, he trusts his ability to smell fresh and exhibit talent to provide the support team to a budding designer.

    He is providing apparel entrepreneurs with the resources and training to turn their vision into a profitable reality.

    Daco has been working on many projects. A plan is underway for a permanent training centre that will equip students with hands-on skills. Already, he is drawing a growing student population, having  established  himself  as a designer for simple lines, enhanced by his artful use of colour, great tailoring and quality of fabrics.

    He said with the establishment of the institute, the graduates from there would be able to compete favourably with other fashion designers across the globe.

    He said it will also lead to job creation. With the venture, he aims to provide relevant practical training and in-depth industry knowledge to fashion aspirants across the country.He is proving that the days of fashion schools training glorified seamstresses are over.

  • Council, others empower over 200 women

    NO fewer than 200 women have benefited from an entrepreneurial/empowerment training held by Ejigbo Local Council Development Area (LCDA).

    The four-day event, which held at the council’s premises, was held in partnership with The Progressive Women Advocacy Organisation and Inexhaustible Ocean Multipurpose Cooperative Society (Agbonmagbe).

    The council’s Sole Administrator, Mr Ibrahim Adigun, said the  programme was aimed at ensuring that women in the LCDA were independent and resourceful, adding that when they are empowered, they would be able to meet their needs. He thanked the partners for their commitment, noting that a similar event was held last year.

    Head of Administration of the council Mrs Iyabo Ogunyemi harped on women empowerment as a panacea to nation building. She charged the participants of good conduct during their stay.

    The Progressive Women Advocacy Organisation President, Mrs Vivian Obi, said the objective of the group was to enrich their knowledge, keep women busy and be useful citizens, adding that an idle mind is the devil’s workshop. She urged the participants to avail themselves of the opportunity being provided by the council. “Whatever you will learn will be practical-oriented,’’ she said.

    Managing Director Inexhaustible Ocean Multipurpose Cooperative Society Pastor Richardson Allen said at the end of the training, the trainees would get soft loans without collateral. He urged them to repay the loans which were coming from the Bank of Industry (BoI), adding that those who repaid would get double the amount next time. He recalled how he started the programme from his earnings until support came.