Kay-Steph Group has urged Nigerian youths to explore entrepreneurship, make productive use of technology and pay greater attention to their mental wellbeing as they seek to build sustainable careers.

The real estate company made the call during the second edition of the Kay-Steph Youth Network Workshop, an initiative aimed at exposing young Nigerians to practical skills and opportunities that could improve their economic prospects.

The workshop brought together speakers from business, sales and mental health backgrounds to discuss entrepreneurship, technology, resilience and strategies for navigating the challenges facing young people in Nigeria.

Speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Officer of Kay-Steph Group, Dr Kolawole Emmanuel Omolayo, said the initiative was part of the company’s efforts to keep young people engaged in productive activities while addressing the challenges associated with unemployment.

He encouraged youths to consider income-generating activities while pursuing their preferred careers, pointing to affiliate marketing as one option that can be started with relatively limited capital.

Omolayo specifically highlighted real estate affiliate marketing, where individuals can connect prospective buyers with property sellers and earn commissions from completed transactions.

He said the income generated through such activities could eventually provide capital for young people seeking to establish their own businesses.

Omolayo also urged young Nigerians to view Nigeria’s large population as a potential market for businesses capable of solving everyday problems.

He argued that identifying a need and developing a product or service around it could provide a route into entrepreneurship.

“One of the fastest ways of becoming wealthy in life is meeting needs. If you go to where people are hungry and sell food, you will sell,” he said.

His comments centred on the idea that entrepreneurship does not always require a completely new invention. Businesses can also emerge by identifying existing needs and finding practical ways to meet them.

For young people facing a difficult employment market, the approach offers an alternative to waiting indefinitely for conventional salaried employment.

The workshop also addressed an issue that can receive less attention in discussions about youth employment and entrepreneurship: mental health.

Psychologist and mental health expert Bethuel Fiwuka urged participants to treat mental wellbeing as part of their personal and professional development.

Fiwuka said young people needed to develop healthy coping mechanisms and become more deliberate about protecting their emotional wellbeing while pursuing their goals.

She also encouraged those experiencing mental health difficulties to seek appropriate support rather than viewing professional help as a sign of weakness.

“There should be no shame in seeking help when you find yourself in a situation where you are unable to cope mentally. Help is not only for those people who are out there on the streets; it is for everyone,” she said.

According to her, emotional intelligence and resilience are important qualities for young people dealing with personal, academic, financial and career pressures.

She advised participants to recognise when they were struggling beyond what they could manage on their own and seek professional assistance where necessary.

Sales expert Joseph Archibong also challenged participants to rethink their understanding of sales.

He described sales as a skill that extends beyond formal sales jobs, noting that people negotiate, persuade and exchange value in different aspects of their daily lives.

“Whether you are into sales or not, you are originally a salesperson. You have to be mentally ready at any point in time to be able to sell anything at any time,” he said.

Archibong encouraged young people to develop consistency, maintain meaningful relationships and cultivate the mindset required to build sustainable careers.

He also focused on the role of smartphones in creating economic opportunities.

Rather than viewing mobile phones solely as communication or entertainment devices, he urged young people to consider how the technology could be used for work, business development, marketing, networking and skills acquisition.

“Don’t waste your youthfulness. The phone you have is an asset, not a liability. Start with what you have and use it to create opportunities for yourself,” Archibong said.

The workshop brought together entrepreneurship, mental health and technology as interconnected aspects of youth development.

The organisers said the broader objective was to equip participants with practical knowledge that could help them navigate unemployment and build productive careers.

For the participants, the discussions placed emphasis on taking practical steps with available resources while recognising that sustainable career development also requires resilience, emotional wellbeing and the ability to adapt to changing economic conditions.