On Saturday, January 25, 2025, the Ominira Initiative for Economic Advancement, in collaboration with the Nigeria Entrepreneurship Youth Initiative (NEYI), hosted the Abeokuta Enterprise Dialogue in Abeokuta, Ogun State. This event was designed to empower youths and foster discussions among new and established entrepreneurs about the realities and challenges of Nigeria’s business environment.
The dialogue, which had in attendance 42 participants, including seasoned young entrepreneurs from various business enterprises, was supported by the Whetstone Freedom Fund and Success Business Academy.
During his keynote lecture on the theme “Navigating and Maximizing Profit in Nigeria’s Challenging Business Environment,” Hon. (Dr.) Kehinde Sogunle, the Chief Solutions Architect at Lead Resources, captivated the audience with his insightful analysis using digital applications to give their businesses visibility, manage their accounts and maximize their profits. He distinguished between entrepreneurs and artisans, emphasizing the unique approaches required for each to thrive.
Dr. Sogunle shared practical strategies for overcoming business challenges and maximizing income, particularly by leveraging digital applications to enhance operations, expand reach, and improve efficiency in today’s competitive business environment. His thought-provoking insights inspired participants to adapt and innovate within Nigeria’s complex business environment, towards ensuring sustainability in their various business ventures.
While speaking at the panel session, Omolara Sanni (Co-founder, Middleman), Samson Egbums (Co-founder, Profitspark.co and coursegate.co) and Opeyemi Adeyanju (Founder, GAIN Business Incubator); provided participants with a step-by-step guide on sustaining their businesses. Drawing from their wealth of experience, they shared practical insights on overcoming common entrepreneurial challenges, leveraging technology for growth, and building resilience in a competitive market.
The discussion was engaging and actionable, equipping attendees with the tools and strategies needed to navigate the complexities of running a successful business in Nigeria’s dynamic economy.
The dialogue featured a speech contest, three participants were randomly selected to provide actionable highlights from the presentation of the keynote speaker, using their business as a case study. A cash prize of twenty thousand naira (#20,000) was awarded to Omojevwe Ogheneruemuse, the winner of the contest.
Participants were encouraged to leverage on events like this to increase their social net worth and establish partnerships through productive and collaborative sessions that was observed during the networking session
Participants at the Enterprise Dialogue also had an opportunity to learn from the book, ‘An Introduction to Entrepreneurship’ by Eamonn Butler. While reviewing the book, our programs manager, Temiloluwa Oyeniyi mentioned that participants should utilize the ideas and knowledge presented in this insightful book to boost their knowledge and increase their chances of getting the best from their business enterprise.
All participants at the dialogue received copies of ‘An Introduction to Entrepreneurship’ and ‘Introduction to a Free Society’ both written by Eamonn Butler.
