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Tag: Enactus

  • Enactus honours FCMB for youth-led social impact

    Enactus honours FCMB for youth-led social impact

    First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has been honoured with the Changemaker Collaboration Award by Enactus Nigeria for its support in helping young Nigerians grow as leaders, entrepreneurs, and change-makers.

    The award was presented in Lagos on July 3, 2025, at the 25th Anniversary Gala and Awards ceremony of Enactus Nigeria. The body empowers young leaders to drive social and economic change through innovative projects and is in over 30 tertiary institutions nationwide.

    Country Manager of Enactus Nigeria Michael Ajayi commended FCMB’s consistent support and corporate vision, saying:

    He said: “FCMB’s unwavering commitment to the Enactus movement has gone beyond sponsorship—it is a true collaboration rooted in shared values of innovation, inclusion, and youth empowerment. The bank’s belief in the potential of Nigerian students has helped us deliver measurable impact in dozens of communities. FCMB has shown what it means to be a changemaker, not just in word, but in action.”

    FCMB reaffirmed its commitment to capacity building, innovation, and sustainable development. , Head of CSR and Sustainability, Omoniyi Iyanda, who represented the bank, said:  

    Read Also: Enactus honours FCMB for youth-led social impact

     “We are honoured to receive this recognition from Enactus Nigeria, an organisation whose work aligns with FCMB’s purpose of fostering inclusive and sustainable growth. Our partnership with Enactus reflects our belief in young Nigerians as catalysts for economic transformation. By equipping them with skills, resources, and a platform to lead social change, we are building a future where innovation drives prosperity for all.”

    Over the years, FCMB has played a key role in helping Enactus Nigeria expand its impact across tertiary institutions by providing students with the tools, training, and support they need to develop innovative solutions to real community challenges. 

    Through the annual Enactus Challenge, the Bank has supported students in discovering their potential and turning their ideas into practical, visible projects that drive sustainable development. These projects span clean energy, agribusiness, financial literacy, and gender equality.

  • All hail the best

    All hail the best

    For deploying their innovative ideas in solving the challenges of Baggega community in Zamfara State, some students of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) in Zaria, Kaduna State, have won the first prize at the just-concluded ENACTUS National Competition. The team will represent Nigeria at the ENACTUS global challenge holding in London in September. WALE AJETUNMOBI reports.

    Feeling from the devastating effect of lead poisoning, which killed no fewer than 1,500 people in 2009, Baggega community, a village in Anka Local Government Area of Zamfara State, struggled to hold itself together after the environmental disaster. The means of livelihood in the community – farming – was destroyed, posing a great risk of food insecurity to the community and rendering many of the villagers impoverished because they could not go to farm.

    Access to potable water also became a challenge for members of the agrarian community with a population of 7,535, due to the contamination of the community stream.  These problems lingered until last year when succour came to the villagers through innovative ideas of a group of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) students, who moved to the village to help residents solve the challenge.

    To tackle the community’s water challenge, the students, who are members of the ABU chapter of Entrepreneurial Action In Us (ENACTUS), fabricated a bio-filter devices that can purify contaminated water for domestic consumption.

    The device is fitted with an overhead tank in which contaminated water is pumped, using mechanical pumps. The water is made to pass through filtration sand, which forms the bio-layer in the tank. The bio-layer removes pathogens and dissolved contaminants in the water. The device has gravel zone, which helps to hold the filtration sand in place and allows adsorption process to take place.

    Before the technology was commercialised, the students tested the efficiency of the device by passing a sample of contaminated water for a continuous flow in the system for 15 days. The lead concentration in the water was reduced from an alarming strength of 0.164mg/L to 0.0061mg/l, meeting up with the standards of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

    The students trained seven youths in the community on how to build the device at low cost of N1,450. The device sells for N2,500, yielding a profit of N1,050 per product and it can last for three years.

    To tackle the food insecurity facing the Baggega community, the ENACTUS team partnered with National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) and United for Climate Change to set up aqua-fresh integrated farm, which comprises a weather-friendly materials, and an aquaponics system, which grows vegetables and fish.

    The innovation allows ammonia solution to recycle from the fish tank to growing pods, where plants are grown using a pump and a piping system. The pods convert excess ammonia into useful nitrates by bacterial action. The nitrate solution is absorbed by coconut fibers, which comes in direct contact with the plant roots, giving the plants nutritional value. The recycled water flows back into the fish tank and the process repeats itself continuously.

    Given the impact made by these two innovative projects, the ABU students won the first prize at the three-day ENACTUS National Challenge held at Civic Centre on Victoria Island, Lagos. With the feat, the ABU team earned a ticket to represent Nigeria at the ENACTUS World Cup Challenge holding in London, the United Kingdom (UK) in September, where the students will present the projects before international business leaders.

    No fewer than 20 ENACTUS teams from various tertiary institutions participated in the three-round national competition. The students’ teams implemented various community-based projects which were targeted at addressing real developmental, social and economic problems. The objective of the projects is to equip young people with viable entrepreneurial skills to help them transform lives and solve developmental challenges facing communities around them.

    At the opening round, the teams’ projects were evaluated by a set of judges, comprising business leaders and industry professionals. Eight teams moved to the semi-final round, while four teams contested at the final round.

    Having assessed the teams’ projects in relation to the impact made in their communities, the ABU team was declared the first prize winner. Covenant University (CU) team came second with Tunse project – an online platform that connects blue-collar workers and artisans to customers of closest proximity. The University of Lagos (UNILAG) team came third.

    The event featured Youth Leadership Summit, where successful entrepreneurs and business leaders engaged the participants on value-driven leadership.

    The students were told to imbibe the virtue of integrity, selflessness, honesty, transparency, accountability, justice and compassion in their personal and official engagements.

    The summit was followed by panel of discussion, which hosted the Chief Executive Officer of Vertex Energy Limited Mr. Olusegun Olujobi, who spoke on Values-driven leadership as a tool for personal growth and national transformation. He highlighted the key values in leadership and how the values could help transform the nation.

    Other members of the panel included a leadership and management consultant, Mr Adetokunbo Obayan, CEO of Zolts Ltd, Mr. Chike Onyia, and Head of Corporate Development of Capital Alliance Nigeria Ltd, Mrs Uwa Osa-Oboh, among others.

    Highlight of the event included a cultural fair, during which participants adorned colorful attires to showcase the nation’s rich cultural diversity.

    The ENACTUS Country Director, Mr Michael Ajayi, said: “Beyond the competition, ENACTUS programmes provide the unique opportunity for capacity development for the students in the areas of leadership and entrepreneurship, while we encourage selflessness and promote volunteerism.”

    Guests at the event included the Deputy Head of Mission of the British High Commission in Nigeria, Mr Andrew Davidson, Managing Director of Cardinal Developer Trust Ltd and Chairperson, ENACTUS Nigeria, Mrs Bernadine Okeke, Principal of African Capital Alliance Foundation, Mr. Segun Adebanji, and Vice President of Lekoil Ltd, Mr. Hamilton Esi, among others.

  • ENACTUS business challenge begins Tuesday

    The yearly national business challenge of the Entrepreneurial Action In Us (ENACTUS), an global non-profit organisation, begins next Tuesday. The three-day event with the theme: Building a leadership pipeline, will hold at the Civic Centre on Victoria Island, Lagos.

    Students’ teams from no fewer than 35 tertiary institutions are expected to compete for the national championship, which would give the winning team an opportunity to represent Nigeria at the ENACTUS World Cup holding in London, England from September 26 to 28, 2017.

    Enactus is a global network of young entrepreneurs who are improving the quality of life of people around the world by teaching them the principles and values of free market economics and entrepreneurship.

    The mission of the organisation is to equip youths with leadership and business skills to help them create a better world through free enterprise.

    Students of the Federal Polytechnic, Kaduna (KADPOLY) represented the country at the last year’s ENACTUS World Cup held in Toronto, Canada, where they finished in fourth position. The event offered the KADPOLY students a platform to showcase their projects that placed them among the top four out of 45 countries that participated in the contest.

    It was the seventh time a Nigerian team would be ranked among the best four teams in 12 international appearances.

  • African Union celebrates ENACTUS power project

    The African Union Foundation has selected H-Power project of the ENACTUS Nigeria as one of Africa’s most innovative projects presented and showcased at the inaugural session of African Economic Platform organised by the Foundation.

    The three-day event held in Port Louis, Mauritius, started last Monday. It was attended by heads of government and business leaders.

    The African Economic Platform is a forum for engagement, which offers governments, business leaders and academics to discuss the future of the continent.

    The H-Power project designed by ENACTUS team of Babcock University (BABCOCK) in Ilisan Remo, Ogun State, emerged as one of the top five most innovative projects designed by ENACTUS teams in Africa. It was selected out of a pool of innovative projects picked in nine African countries, including South Africa, Egypt, Kenya and Zimbabwe, among others.

    The BABCOCK team represented Nigeria to make the presentation and showcase the H-Power project before participants at the African Union Foundation meeting.

    The H-Power technology was designed to separate water molecules into its basic components of hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen molecules are collected and stored in a cylindrical container and used to power a generator that produces sufficient electricity to power a community motorised borehole. The innovation solved the challenge of water shortage faced by community residents whose pastime is cassava farming and processing.

    In a statement, the ENACTUS Nigeria described the development as “good news” and “another milestone” in its drive to improve people’s livelihood through sustainable youth innovation.

    Michael Ajayi, ENACTUS Country Director, said the non-profit organisation would continue to appreciate its partners whose support encouraged the youth to make difference in local communities.

    He said: “Enactus Nigeria remains committed towards providing a platform that encourages innovation, entrepreneurship and leadership amongst the youth, while we also support national development through sustainable innovation.”

  • ENACTUS promotes value-driven leadership at forum

    Students from 32 tertiary institutions converged on the Covenant University (CU) in Ota, Ogun State, for a leadership conference organised by Entrepreneurial Action In Us (ENACTUS), an international non-profit organisation promoting free enterprise.

    The event, whose theme was: Energising the next generation of value-driven leaders, was a platform for students to engage high-profile speakers in discussion on leadership and its values.

    There were participants from Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) in Ondo State; Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Kaduna State; Babcock University (BABCOCK), Ilisan Remo, Ogun State; Bayero University, Kano (BUK); Ekiti State University (EKSU); Federal Polytechnic, Idah (IDAH POLY), Kogi State; Federal Polytechnic, Offa (OFFA POLY); Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), Imo State; Federal Polytechnic, Kaduna (KADPOLY) and Niger Delta University (NDU). Others were Bayelsa State University; Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo (RUGIPO), Ondo State; University of Ibadan (UI); University of Lagos (UNILAG); University of Calabar (UNICAL), University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU),  Ile-Ife, Osun State, among others.

    The session was opened by ENACTUS Country Director Mr Michael Ajayi, who inspired participants with his definition of value-driven leadership as one that “empowers people and develops society”.

    He urged the youth to imbibe virtues that would develop their leadership skills.

    On ENACTUS activities, Ajayi said the organisation remained dedicated to inspiring students to improve their immediate society through their entrepreneurial action.

    He said: “ENACTUS provides a platform for students’ teams in tertiary institutions to create community development projects that will explore their ingenuity and talents towards improving livelihoods in the society.”

    He said the teams were guided by educators and business leaders as they used entrepreneurial approach to empower people and be part of their success.

    “The activities of the teams transform both the lives of the people we serve and the lives of our students as they develop more effective, values-driven leadership,” he said.

    Mr Lanre Olusola, a life coach, energised the participants with his motivational speech. He listed steps to follow in becoming an extraordinary leader.

    Another speaker, Mr Daberechi Okedurum, took the participants on building problem-solving skills. He harped on mind development, saying the youngsters would become problem solvers if they feed their minds with positive thoughts.

    Other speakers included two senior programme officers with ENACTUS, Mr Deji Ojo and Mr Raphael Anagbe, their counterpart in Finance and Administration, Mr Emmanuel Udo, and Mr Lanre Ogungbe, Information Technology manager with ENACTUS.

    Oluwakorede Sanni, Higher National Diploma (HND) 1 Computer Science student of RUGIPO, said the conference inspired him to create values that would help him motivate his team members in their activities.

    Mirabelle Ogochukwu, a 300-Level Literary Studies student UNICAL, said: “I have learnt that a good leader doesn’t transfer blames to others. Taking responsibility for every action, whether good or bad, is a virtue in value-driven leadership. I also learnt that listening to opinions of team members is a good trait of a leader.”

    Yusuf Usman Umar, a 300-Level student of  Federal University Dutse, in Jigawa State, said the conference did not only teach him what was needed to be a leader, but also to have heart of patriotism to help and boost the livelihoods of his community through entrepreneurial action.

    Oyekanmi Kolo, the team leader of OFFA POLY chapter of ENACTUS, said: “The leadership conference has enriched my knowledge about team work. I have been encouraged, motivated and inspired to be an exceptional leader.”

  • KADPOLY wins Enactus national contest

    It was a crossfire of innovative ideas at the Entrepreneurial Action In Us (ENACTUS) competition held last week at the Civic Centre on Victoria Island, Lagos. Students from about 25 tertiary institutions presented their entrepreneurship projects to compete for the first prize at the four-day contest.

    A panel of judges comprising business leaders and industry professionals evaluated the students’ projects, which were aimed at solving challenges facing rural communities and improving the lives of people in an environmentally sustainable way.

    The event with the theme: Redefining the future, started on Monday with a cultural fair, where the participants showcased their cultures.  This was followed by the opening round on Tuesday. The participating schools were divided into four groups, with each having four to five contesting teams.

    The opening round was greeted with pulsating moments, as students slugged it out to move to the next stage. At the end, 12 teams progressed to the semi-final stage, including the 2015 champion – Federal Polytechnic, Kaduna (KADPOLY) – and a new entrant, Covenant University (CU).

    Other teams that moved to the semi-final included Ekiti State University (EKSU), Federal Polytechnic, Idah (IDAH POLY), University of Uyo (UNIUYO), University of Port-Harcourt (UNIPORT), University of Lagos (UNILAG), Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Niger Delta University (NDU), Kogi State University (KSU), Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED) and Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.

    An innovation summit with the theme: The impact of entrepreneurship on the development and sustenance of an emerging market, was held as part of side events marking the contest. It was sponsored by Sahara Group. The summit was designed to promote entrepreneurship as a tool for economic empowerment and national development.

    Managing Director of Sahara Group, Mr Tonye Cole, gave business insights from his personal life and business experience to inspire the students. He told them nothing was impossible for them to achieve if they possessed entrepreneurial skills.

    During the interactive session that followed the keynote speech, which was moderated by the Vice President of First Bank of Nigeria PLC, Bernadine Okeke, students learned from panelists comprising industry professionals, including the Managing Director of Bank of Industry, Waheed Olagunju, Executive Director, Enterprise Development Centre, Peter Bamkole, Founder, Mobility Arena, Mr Yemi Adegboye, and Mrs. Ayodeji Megbope of No Leftovers Limited.

    The final round was held on Thursday, starting with a keynote lecture delivered by the lawmaker representing Bayelsa East in the National Assembly, Senator Ben Bruce.

    At the end of the contest, KADPOLY clinched the first prize. It was the second time the polytechnic won the national contest. ABU became the first runner up, while Covenant University was announced the second runner up.

    For clinching the first prize, KADPOLY will represent Nigeria at the ENACTUS World Cup Challenge coming up in Ontario, Canada in September.

  • ENACTUS Nigeria challenge begins

    The national entrepreneurship challenge of the Entrepreneurship Action In Us (ENACTUS) Nigeria starts on Monday, with the theme: Redefining the future. The four-day contest will host students from over 40 tertiary institutions, who will showcase their life-changing projects they carried out in rural communities in the last one year.

    The contest highlights the innovative and business solutions, which ENACTUS students are deploring through community-based educational projects to address real problems people are facing. Contestants will explain how their interventions have impacted businesses and wellbeing of the communities they carried out the projects.

    Apart from shaping the entrepreneurship skills of the contestants, the challenge also has objectives to develop thought-pattern of participating students and prepare them for leadership positions in corporate sector.

    Through the programme, students imbibe business values, such as discipline, integrity, accountability, selflessness and volunteering. The event also helps them to develop management, leadership and communication skills to engender a new breed of value-driving youths whose ideas are geared towards transforming the nation.

    During the competition, students will present their individual innovative projects and the quality of impact they are making before a panel of judges, comprising over 60 business leaders and industry professionals. The contest will run through three stages, with the best team that presents the most sustainable project becoming the overall winner. The best team will represent Nigeria at the ENACTUS World Cup holding in Toronto, Canada in September.

    The contest will also feature Lek Oil Agricultural Competition, which is organised in partnership with LEK Oil to inspire students to explore the opportunities in the value chain of agriculture, while they create innovative solutions to the perennial challenges in the agricultural sector using the bottom-up approach.

    There will also be ENACTUS Nigeria Innovation Summit with the theme: The impact of entrepreneurship in the development and sustenance of an emerging economy. The summit will host Acting Managing Director of Bank of Industries (BOI), Mr Waheed Olagunju, Director, Enterprise Development Center (EDC), Mr Peter Bamkole, and Chief Executive Officer of No Left Over Catering Services, Mrs Ayodeji Megbope.

    Other non-competitive activities to be held during the event include Woman Empowering Woman Discussion Forum, a mentorship and leadership development programme created in partnership with the United States (U.S.) Consulate to empower young women, who have demonstrated good leadership trait in their various communities.

    ENACTUS is an international non-profit organisation that brings together student, academic and business leaders who are committed to using the power of entrepreneurial action to improve the quality of life and standard of living for people in need.

  • Enactus entrepreneurship contest begins

    This year’s edition of Enactus National Entrepreneurship Challenge will start on Tuesday.

    The contest, which will hold at Civic Centre on Victoria Island, Lagos, will be attended by hundreds of students from higher institutions across the country.

    The event with the theme: Enabling progress, will afford participants to showcase their innovative ideas and solutions to many challenges in business, community-based and educational projects.

    The students are expected to tackle real problems that will have positive impact on people, business and society.

    In preparation for the contest, the participants visited cities and rural communities across the country to initiate projects that would impact and improve the quality of life and standard of living. The projects were nominated for the contest and students are expected to defend the feasibility of their work.

    Teams from over 40 tertiary institutions will present their individual projects before a panel of more than 60 business leaders, who will evaluate the projects’ feasibility and opportunities. The contestants will go through two preliminary stages and teams with best projects will proceed to the grand finale, where winner will emerge.

    The team that wins first position will get the chance to represent Nigeria at the Enactus World Cup holding in Johannesburg, South Africa between October 14 and 16.

    The event will feature a special competition for prizes in the second edition of Sahara Light Up Nigeria Challenge. The contest, sponsored by Sahara Group, is structured to stretch the creativity and ingenuity of the Enactus teams in developing energy projects that can generate electricity and conserve power for the future use.

    There will also be a Future Women in Leadership Forum, where women leaders in each Enactus team will be engaged in mentorship to develop their leadership skills and achieve their full potentials. The objective of forum is to provide answers to key questions on leadership, using practical life examples.

    Enactus is an international non-profit organisation that brings together students, academics and business leaders who are committed to using the power of entrepreneurial action to improve the quality of life and standard of living of the people.

     

     

  • Enactus empowers poly students

    The team of Entrepreneurship In Us (Enactus) at the Federal Polytechnic, Offa (OFFA POLY) has organised an empowerment seminar for the student. More than 50 students attended the event held at Olatinwo Hall. They were trained on how to produce detergents and allied products, as well as strategies to market the product.

    The participants were also trained in the production of liquid soap, disinfectants, toilet wash and bleach, among others.

    On the objective of the seminar, Tosin Kolawole, a HND II Electrical Electronics student and the team leader, said: “We discovered many students have passion that can inspire others to act. We discovered innovations that will make people live a healthier life, which can also be a source of income if properly harnessed. We discovered a challenge in the institution and we act to provide solution to it.”

    The team, he said, believed the best way to empower their colleagues was to train them on what would help them generate income and independent after school.

    The team Adviser, Mr Jacob Olaniyi, said: “Considering the relevant economic, social and environmental factors, the seminar is bound to improve the quality and standard of living of the participants. The Enactus team has duty to effectively empower students in need by applying business and economic knowledge and entrepreneurial approach to improve their lives.”

     

  • Enactus challenge begins

    Barring last minute cancellation, students from several higher institutions, who are members of Enactus Nigeria, a non-profit organisation promoting entrepreneurship on campuses, will converged on the Eko Hotel, in Victoria Island, Lagos next Tuesday for the opening of ceremony of the organisation’s annual national contest.

    The four-day event with the theme: See possibilities, will feature an innovation summit, in which the topic of the discourse will be role of innovation in driving entrepreneurial success and how it will engender positive change.

    After the first round of the contest on Tuesday, the semi-final and final contest will come on Thursday and Friday respectively, where students will display their dexterity in entrepreneurship and problem-solving.

    At the competition, students will showcase innovative impact they have been making in communities across the country and how they are impacting lives through life-changing projects. Also to feature at the event is the “Light up Nigeria” power challenge and the “My Cashless Campus Challenge” projects.

    The “Light up Nigeria” power challenge was developed to inspire Enactus teams to explore the opportunities in the value chain of providing sustainable solution to power challenge in the country.

    Students used their innovation to design projects that address electrical power shortage being experienced in rural communities, leveraging on wind and solar energy sources and the creative use of water plants to generate electricity for rural communities.

    “My Cashless Campus Challenge” is an on-campus competition that inspires Enactus teams to develop and implement strategies that will transform their campuses into cashless communities using debit card.

    This year, about 36 higher institutions, including universities and polytechnics are expected to compete for the opportunity to represent Nigeria at the Enactus World Cup Challenge in Beijing, China in October.

    A statement from the Enactus Country Director, Mrs Adesuwa Ifedi, welcomed the participants to the contest and urged them to be decorous in conduct in the duration of the event.