…Grooms young entrepreneurs to the next level
The Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (PHCCIMA) has embarked on an initiative aimed at building future generations of young and aspiring entrepreneurs in Rivers State.
The initiative, tagged ‘From Classroom to Boardroom,’ seeks to strengthen the state’s economic development through nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit in aspiring youths.
Chinyere Nwoga, President of PHCCIMA, at a one-day program to mark the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on October 17, 2025, said the initiative seeks to “inspire students to turn classroom knowledge into business ideas.
“We want our young people to see that learning goes beyond the classroom. Every skill they acquire can open a door to leadership and economic growth,” she said.
Nwoga noted that the initiative, ‘From Boardroom to Classroom,’ which exposed students from over 14 schools in the state to capacity building on financial literacy, was targeted at shifting mindsets and planning for the future.
“The goal is to create a bunch of entrepreneurial opportunities for our young people who will lead us tomorrow.
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“So today, we encourage the young people to kindle their interest in entrepreneurial skills beyond making money. Entrepreneurship comes with a beautiful sense of self-reliance and a great sense of purpose.
We want to help raise a generation of independent minds and game changers,” she said.
Edughom Hanson, Treasurer, PHCCIMA, in her lecture on ‘Financial Literacy,’ educated the participating students on smart saving strategies, realistic goal setting, and avoiding money mistakes.
“Ability to understand and manage money effectively,” she said. “Banks are being proactive by engaging students because financial knowledge at an early age gives a lifelong advantage,” she said.
On budgeting and savings, Hanson advised that, “For proper money management, 50 per cent should go to essentials, 30 per cent to non-essentials, and 20 per cent to savings or debt repayment.”
Jack Daboikiabo, Chairman, PHCCIMA’s SMEs and NGOs Trade Group, noted that “more than 100 million people live in extreme poverty and emphasised the need for credibility, integrity, and character in financial success.
Daboikiabo, speaking on the five levels of money, as expounded in a motivational video by Cosmas Maduka, Nigerian businessman, stressed that, “If you have credibility, credible relationship, accessibility, integrity, and competence, you can get cash, i.e. funding.”
Pacqueens Irabor, Regional Manager, South-South and South East, Bank of Industry (BOI), explained that poverty is not mainly a lack of money but a lack of sufficient will, discipline and consistency to what is right.
“Money buys time, but what you build with time lasts,” he said. “Those who increase in learning increase in earning.”
Lawrence Nwosu, a member of the PHCCIMA trade group on Education, dwelt on the ‘Boardroom’ aspect of the theme, while encouraging the students to learn digital skills and practical knowledge.
“The classroom is the frontline in the war against poverty. “Every citizen should become a mentor, adopt fair hearing tactics, and find a vocational apprenticeship,” he said.
Ernest Elochukwu, PHCCIMA member, stressed the positive impact the chamber has made in the state, as he urged participants to take advantage of opportunities available to intending members.
“The Chamber brings businesses together and connects members to industrial and international opportunities,” he said, while urging the students to remain focused and build entrepreneurial mindsets.
