Rise Network lifts SME competition winners with cash prize 

Rise Network in collaboration with Lagos State Government has presented cash rewards of N50,000 each each to 100 winners of her local government’s Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) competition.

The business pitch contest, which is part of activities held in commemoration of the UN International Youth Day 2018, attracted over 100,000 applicants between the ages of 14 and 40 that included students, young professionals, young artisans, young traders, graduates of tertiary institutions and young entrepreneurs.

The young Lagosians were selected across the five administrative divisions covering Ikeja, Badagry, Ikorodu, Lagos Island, Epe, and the 20 local government areas of Lagos State.

Founder of Rise Networks and Social Entrepreneur in Youth Development, Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji, said the programme was aimed at driving economic growth through the empowerment of small businesses at the grassroots levels.

According to her, the choice of youths is because 65 percent of the nation’s population is youths below the age of 25, yet tamed by the lingering problems of bad leadership visible in the level of unemployment, poverty and insecurity.She noted that if properly harnessed potentials in the SME are capable of solving most economic problems besetting the sector saying it has the potential of employing over 100 million small entrepreneurs in the country.

Akerele-Ogunsiji, added that the event which kick-starts the sustainable development of SME in Lagos by the State government will be change life of youths who have business ideas or are into businesses but are having problems with funding.

In his lecture entitled ‘Your decision makes the difference’, Career consultant and Founder of Inspiro consultants, Jimi Tewe, urged the beneficiaries to invest the money in their businesses.

Some of the beneficiaries, who spoke to The Guardian, expressed satisfaction with the event, while they also thanked the Lagos State Government on the gesture.

Mr Oniban Oudus, who is into art and printing for three years, said the money, will help him get a pressing machine, which has stunted progress in his business over the years.