Get Guardian on GoogleAspire Coronation Trust (ACT) Foundation has urged government, businesses, financiers and social sector organisations to commit to specific, measurable actions that will help young African enterprises overcome barriers to growth.
The foundation said each stakeholder should make at least one commitment backed by a responsible person, a timeline and a measurable outcome, under its 2026 Opportunity Compact initiative.
Its Chief Executive Officer, Osayi Alile, made the call at its Breakfast Dialogue in Lagos, warning that gaps between skills development, access to finance and market opportunities were limiting the growth of young enterprises.
“Programmes rarely fail at the activity. They fail at the handoff,” Alile said, arguing that training initiatives often produce limited results when participants lack access to funding, markets and other support needed to turn their skills into viable businesses.
The event, themed “From Skills to Scale”, attracted more than 500 participants, including business executives, public sector officials, impact investors and civil society organisations. Discussions centred on the need to move beyond standalone training programmes towards coordinated support systems that enable enterprises to grow.
The foundation’s Board Chairman, Tunde Folawiyo, said Africa’s challenge was not a shortage of talent but the absence of systems that connect skills, resources and market opportunities.
Similarly, leadership expert Fela Durotoye, who delivered the keynote address, urged leaders and entrepreneurs to pursue clear goals and adopt collective approaches to solving development challenges.
Sahel Capital’s Managing Partner, Mezuo Nwuneli, and the Director-General of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dr Chinyere Almona, participated in fireside discussions on enterprise development.
