Nigerite Limited, Nigeria’s premier building solutions provider, has explained that its partnership with Lagos State government on enterprise development is motivated by the need to encourage skill acquisition and capacity building.
The company believes that for the world to survive the level of unemployment among youths, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, those youths must be developed into entrepreneurs and business creators as against job seekers, adding that this was further reason for the partnership.
Toyin Gbede, the company’s marketing director who disclosed this at the second Lagos State Enterprise Day, recently said Nigerite got involved in this because it believed the future of Nigeria in a way could not be separated from the existence of the company.
“No nation can be considered developed without having a strong enterprise state and with the way the world is going, except youths develop strong entrepreneurial spirit, there will be no work for anybody,” he said.
He revealed that his company had contributed to skills acquisition under the Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB), recalling that the company also supported in the hosting of the second edition of the Enterprise Day.
He advised states and the federal government to create Entrepreneur Units in all ministries, pointing out that ministry of works could see to how bricklayers, carpenters and other artisans developed their skills into becoming entrepreneurs.
“Ministry of Commerce and Industry can see to how market women and the petty traders can harness what they have to become entrepreneurs. By that, we will be developing a society of entrepreneurs”, he posited.
In his speech at the event, the state governor, Babatunde Fashola, who was represented by his deputy, Adejoke-Orelope Adefulire, said “the occasion is yet another opportunity for the government to demonstrate its renewed commitment to revamping technical and vocational education in the state.
“This initiative has been properly articulated to foster enterprise education among technical college students, encourage them to embrace entrepreneurial activities and develop the right attitude towards entrepreneurship activities and self-employment”, the governor added.
The event with the theme, ‘Technical and Vocational Skills as a Gateway for Enterprise Development’ had in attendance students, representatives from various technical and vocational colleges in Lagos State, members of Lagos State Ministries of Education, Work, Commerce and Industry, and Agriculture.
Representatives of Osun and Ogun State governments and other distinguished entrepreneurs in international and local scenes also gave motivational, inspirational and enterprising speeches to encourage the students to work towards achieving their potential in life with their head, heart and hands.
A grant of N100, 000 each was given by FATE Foundation to five students, namely Fatai Aliu, Abdul-Malik Ololade, Emeka Agu, Uchenna Ezeanyin and Shoboyede Nurudeen for emerging winners during the technical colleges business plan writing competition organised by the Lagos State Government, while Access Bank augmented Uchenna Ezeanyin’s prize with N250, 000 for being the overall best winner.
CHUKA UROKO
