NEF moves to deepen efforts toward advancing starts-up
The Nigeria Entrepreneurs Forum (NEF) says it will intensify efforts toward advancing starts-up business across the nation.
The NEF President, Dr Sidney Inegbedion, gave the promise in Abuja during certificate award/closing ceremony of a six-month training programme organised by NEF-GIZ/CIM for 110 participants.
The NEF-GIZ/CIM Programme is an intensive programme on “ Enterprise management and competency-based leadership training for entrepreneurs and NGOs as well as an exchange programme between Germany and Nigeria.
According to him, NEF will be more proactive in helping Nigerians interested in starts-up, to access the much needed resources from relevant institutions in public and private sector.
“NEF will develop programmes which focuses on improving entrepreneur finance management capacity while banks and other financial institutions provide more and better products and services to enterprises.
“ The forum will strengthen capacity of its standard or micro members to have better access to opportunities that exist in Microfinance Financial Institutions (MFIs) and other formal and semi-formal financial institutions.
“ Also, NEF will improve financial capability of entrepreneurs in priority areas like Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs and improvement in health. Among others, “he said.
The Programme Coordinator, NEF-GIZ/CIM, Dr Ignatius Adeh urged the participants to be proactive in making principle-based decisions, to avoid being acted upon by situations and circumstances.
“Principles do not die, fire or earthquake cannot destroy them, they are deep rooted fundamental and classic truths with generic common denominators that govern your business.
“Principles are often the sources of power, security, wisdom and guidance.
“ They do not change but our understanding of them may change and that enables you, as an entrepreneur, to see things differently, think differently and act differently.
“Begin each day with your set principles and values firmly in mind, “ he advised.
According to the coordinator, being proactive in any activity gave expression to what somebody wants to be and do in life.
Mr Samuel Dozie, Managing Director of Ijaga Ventures, who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries of the programme, thanked the organisers for making it free of charge.
According to him, the programme aims at harnessing barriers, establishing business-to -business contacts while strengthening existing relations between Nigeria and Germany.
“It exposed Nigerian business and policy makers to trade and investment incentives Germany could offer Africa and develop bilateral agribusiness and manufacturing sector.
“More so, it also an opportunity for trading avenues for Nigerian goods and services for the world market,“ he said. (NAN)
