Once again, reality TV show lovers across the country are set to glue their eyes on their TV screens as The Next Titan, a youth empowerment reality show infused with fun, returns for Season Four.
The show will bring the reality of pains and gains of entrepreneurial journey into the living rooms of millions of Nigerians, and viewers will be given opportunity to vote for which they believe has the composite of a successful entrepreneur.
The Next Titan features thousands of ambitious young entrepreneurs who battle one another for a prize of N5 million to start their dream business. The process starts by allowing the contestants pitch their business ideas through auditions at different zones in Nigeria, before then, Top 16 contestants with brightest ideas are shortlisted to live together, and to compete by carrying out weekly business tasks and challenges around the city of Lagos for 10 weeks on television, and with weekly evictions in the boardroom by the judges.
The show scouts for young talented people who have entrepreneurial acumens, grooming them through a rigorous task and boardroom process and eventually funding a winner’s idea, leading to an opportunity to create jobs for themselves and others. While it is a veritable empowerment platform for aspiring entrepreneurs, the show is also a vehicle for the producers and sponsors to contribute to the socio-economic development of Nigeria.
So far, seasons one, two and three were highly intriguing with 10 weeks of wits, nerves, education, suspense and fun by some dogged young aspiring-entrepreneurs in Nigeria. Season One was won by Iroghama Ogbeifun from Port-Harcourt Zone, a graduate of University of Boston; with Masters in Public Health from Brunnel University, London. She went home with N5 million, a brand new Ford Focus Car plus mentorship from some of Nigeria’s business leaders. Today, Ogbeifun is the CEO of Hairven Ltd (a multi hair care products company) in Lagos and Port Harcourt, and has created jobs for over 15 people. Davies Okeowo, the winner of Season Two, holds Bsc in Accounting and is the founder/CEO, Enterprise HILLS, a business consulting firm that provides business development services and support to Micro, Small, and Medium scale Enterprises (MSMEs).
As well, with a crazy business idea of turning trashes into furniture and furnishings, Marvis Marshal Idio won the Season Three of the show. She is a graduate of Architecture from University of Uyo, and with Master’s Degree in Interior Designs from Florence Designs Academy, Italy.
Explaining the rationale behind the show in his remarks at a media parley held recently at Protea Hotel, Ikeja GRA, to announce auditions for Season Four, Mide Kunle-Akinlaja, executive producer, The Next Titan, said, “Igniting the entrepreneurial spirit of young people is vital in addressing the growing numbers of young unemployed graduates, and this is a clear step that companies, businesses, and other organisations can take by helping young people getting started in business through enabling platforms such as The Next Titans”.
Speaking further he said that The Next Titan is designed to sharpen and ignite the entrepreneurial spirit in young Nigerians, and it represents opportunity, inspiration and more importantly recognizes ordinary Nigerians that have determination, gusto and a ‘can-do’ attitude with some of the best business ideas.
Offering details of the new season, the executive producer said that it promises to be more exciting as auditions start on August 22, 2017 in Abuja, before moving to Port Harcourt; and then Lagos with a lot of exciting pre-show activities such as Top 50 Boot Camp holding in Lagos, Premiere Show Gala Evening and many others.
An additional offering of the new season, which has already received thousands of entries, is the expansion of audition to the South East, which will hold in the city of Enugu, courtesy Hero Lager.
Just like the three previous seasons, each week, tasks will incorporate various aspects of business: sales, marketing, promotions, charities, advertising pitches and others. The contestants will also experience the importance of philanthropy and community service by initiating such campaigns on the show, Kunle-Akinlaja said.
Top Nigerian business leaders are returning as judges of the show including; Kyari Bukar, chairman, Nigerian Economic Summit Group; Tonye Cole, CEO, Sahara Group; and other captains of industries. They will take advantage of their positions as judges to mentor the contestants and viewers. The mentorship aspect entails visiting of other young successful entrepreneurs to the house of the contestants on weekly basis.
Heritage Bank is headlining the new season as the Lead Sponsor, Sifax Group as associate sponsor, while Ford Motors, Coscharis Motors, HERO Lager, Aero Contactors Airline, Courteville Business Solutions Plc, Nikky Taurus Limited, Hygeia HMO, Afromedia Plc and others are official supporting sponsors.
Representatives of Heritage Bank, Aero Contractors, Hero Larger among other sponsors present at the media parley all commended the show for aligning with their brands and also assured of continued support as part of their contribution to socio-economic development of the country.
Obum Okoli, marketing manager, Hero Lager beer, noted that the brand, which is barely seven years in the market, believes in the ideals of The Next Titan in changing stereotypes and offering young talents opportunity to excel against all odds.
Davies Okeowo and Marvis Marshal Idio, winners of the previous seasons of show, who were present at the event, charged aspiring contestants to come prepared with raw and investible ideas. They also recounted how the platform has lifted their businesses today.
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