Akwa Ibom government has urged entrepreneurs to adopt innovation and creativity in improving their clusters to help in addressing economic challenges including job creation and solving other problems in society.
This is in addition to seeking the development of tourism-art enterprises as part of a deliberate effort to fast-track wealth creation and scaling up economic activities.
Meflyn Anwana, an aide to Governor Udom Emmanuel on entrepreneurship who stated this during a virtual meeting attended by start-ups, innovators, and entrepreneurs to mark this year’s World Entrepreneurs’ Day said entrepreneurs engaged in agriculture were already applying innovations to boost farm production in the state.
“Agro business operators in Akwa Ibom are currently exploring new ways that will yield great returns in precision farming in agriculture by building and deploying aerial robotics and sensor drones to help interpret” farm data,’’ she said.
According to her, “our economy and the future depend on many factors including the ability of entrepreneurs and innovators to develop ideas and ensure right practices that can transform our lives and economy’’ she said.
READ ALSO: COVID-19: FG tasks youths on skills acquisition to tackle unemployment
Describing Akwa Ibom State as an incubator for innovations and entrepreneurship, she commended Governor Udom Emmanuel for “beaming the light and igniting the spirit of enterprising while also creating the environment for entrepreneurs to thrive” and expressed the determination of the state government to help in finding solutions economic challenges in the state.
In his remarks, Imeh Uwah, Senior Special Assistant to the governor on marketing and brand management expressed delight over the contributions of entrepreneurs to the economic development of the state while urging them to continuously” keep their eyes on the ball” as a lot is expected of them.
Uwah who identified sustainable livelihood as one of the challenges facing entrepreneurs urged them to take advantage of the social services being provided by the state government to enable them to break even adding that they should separate the source of their livelihood from entrepreneurship to be able to stay afloat.
In his presentation, on how African entrepreneurs can become change agents, Farouk Khailam, Chief Executive Officer of Premium Africa holdings said Africa presents the best opportunities for innovators in various sectors while Ayodele Ajila, managing partner of leading companies that provide business development and strategy advisory explained the benefits of financial literacy and urged them to be financially literate.
According to Ajila, being innovative does not happen overnight adding that as entrepreneurs what was needed is planning and understanding the business cycle and the need to ensure that businesses outlive their founders.
He said financial literacy would ensure appropriate pricing of goods and services, knowing the value of the products and helping separate personal funds from the company’s money and understanding how to raise capital and what lenders lookout for which he said include capacity and character.
While making her presentations, Ima Usip, an Afrika Kommit fellow urged entrepreneurs to make use of the digital environment to expand their products and services while getting involved in the right network and work to ensure a global mindset through personal education.
The World Entrepreneurs Day 2020 was organized by the Directorate of Marketing and Brand Management of the Governor’s office and also featured an exhibition of crafts and other tourism-related products.
