The session is designed to explore Nigeria’s unfolding entrepreneurial ecosystem, the role of innovation in shaping policy making as well as public/private participation in entrepreneurship and a look into what lies ahead for Africa’s biggest economy. Innovation, driven by changing consumer preferences, technology and globalization is re-inventing the way we create, add and capture value in enterprises around the world. The emerging markets have not been left out in this rapid transformation. Nigeria – the Giant of Africa, leveraging her combined strengths of deep mobile & internet penetration, a high youth population with a penchant resilience for success and a 200 million people immediate market potential, has become a leading hub for investment within the continent.
Consider transforming cultural heritages into global marketplaces, birthing 3 unicorns and attracting over $700million in VC funding (2019), the adoption of technological advances in addition to institutional agility has morphed a mono-product economy into the global brand “Niaja” impacting virtually all industrial sectors.
Relator: Anita Umoh Amorighoye and Stella Nnedinma Ayika
Ayzer, Centre for Entrepreneurship, Nigeria
Anita Umoh Amorighoye is the Co-founder and Chief Executive Ayzer Center for Entrepreneurship, Nigeria. An Enterprise Development institute that focuses on early-stage start-ups, Ayzer provides capacity, mentorship, access to finance and linkages to support business development. Anita comes with an extensive background in Banking, having developed commercial relationships and structured people programs through public- private partnerships. Anita holds an MBA (Chartered Banking) and a Master’s degree in Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
Stella Nnedinma Ayika teaches, mentors, and inspires young people to choose the world of entrepreneurship through project-based activities of starting their own businesses. she supports SMEs through joint training and research. Stella has gained experience from collaborative work in establishing innovation hubs in TVET institutions 2019 and the African Roundtable on Sustainable Consumption and Production since 2011. Value is created in education when teachers continuously hone their skills, practice what they teach and constantly research. Stella holds a Bachelor of Agricultural Technology, postgraduate diploma in education and Master of Science in Business administration (entrepreneurship option). While engaging over 900 learners yearly, Stella is passionate about harnessing a system that drives learners, SMEs and the society to understand gaps and create sustainable solutions.
