ONITSHA — Anambra will become the new SME hub in Nigeria if the state government provides an enabling environment and adopt policies that will be favorable to start ups in order to achieve this feat.

These were part of the submissions by various speakers who bared their minds at the just concluded UNDER45CEOS BUSINESS SUMMIT held on Saturday, 9th October, 2021, at the Presidential hall of Patterson Auditorium, All Saints cathedral, Onitsha.

The well attended business summit was powered by the Ultimate Destiny Uplifters Foundation (UDUF), a not for profit organization, which is committed to inspiring and helping young people attain their lives’ aspirations and fulfill their destinies by rising above mediocrity.

In his keynote, Professor Olusegun Sogbesan (the Director General, Onitsha Business School) while speaking on the theme, BUSINESS REPOSITIONING IN A NEW GLOBAL ECONOMY emphasized the need for startups to be innovative in their ventures and charged government at all levels to give adequate attention to SMEs based on the fact that they hold the key to the economic growth of any country. He further posited that the fluctuations that has become the bane of our currency today was as a result of the glaring neglect of this critical business sector and predicted that unless necessary measures were put in place to encourage Small and Medium enterprises, the economy will continue to nosedive and there is every tendency that the exchange rate of dollar to naira will continue to hit the roof.

Prof Segun charged young entrepreneurs to develop a global mindset, maintaining that though money was essential in any business venture, yet it should not take the place of bankable idea which is the real capital in business parlance, adding that any idea not acted upon will not see the light of the day. He advised entrepreneurs to be focused and honest and encouraged them to always skill up, seeking timely information in order to improve their businesses and explore ways they can interface with regulatory bodies and financial institutions to stay out of trouble and source for funds for their expansion.

In his welcome address, the founding president of UDUF, Dr. Chinedu Smart Ezuma stated that the UNDER45CEOS BUSINESS SUMMIT was packaged to bring together entrepreneurs at all levels including regulators and financial institutions to explore ways and identify practical models to take on challenges faced by these startups in this part of the country.

The summit was graced by entrepreneurs like Arinze Omenwa, CEO Naira Rice, Amara Okafor of Paint Divah, Destiny Wobuoma founder of DX photo studio and Mrs Ego Okonkwo of Victory model International School, who shared their success stories in business and in unison agreed that nothing can substitute for innovativeness in business and maintained that it has become a necessary ingredient which can take the entrepreneur far in life.

Various government agencies like NAFDAC, NIRSAL MICROFINANCE BANK, STANDARD ORGANISATION OF NIGERIA (SON) participated fully at the summit and outlined ways their various agencies could be of assistance to these young entrepreneurs in maximizing their potentials.

Highpoint of the summit were cultural dance and musical performance, product exhibition and presentation to speakers.

To be a volunteer and participate in the training, visit – http://www.udufvolunteerscourse.org/