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Zenith Bank, Virgin Group support young entrepreneurs

By on July 16, 2014

Two Nigeria’s young entrepreneurs, Miss Eseoghene Odiete and Mr. Nasir Yammama recently had a business master class from the  Founder and Chairman of  Virgin Group,  Sir Richard Branson, after winning a competition organised by British Council and Virgin Atlantic in partnership with Zenith Bank.

The online competition called the Enterprise Challenge, was organised for Nigerians entrepreneurs aged 18-35 and living in Nigeria or studying in the United Kingdom to help them develop their entrepreneurial skills.  The competition attracted over 1000 young Nigerian entrepreneurs.

The organisers said in a statement that the apprentice-style competition took place over three rounds, during which candidates wrote an essay on their entrepreneurial journeys, created a video pitch for their businesses or business plans, and had their ideas scrutinised by a panel of experts in Nigeria and the UK.

Odiete, who  runs Hesey Designs, an online store selling African-inspired accessories, which also helps to empower and mentor other young African women and  Yammama, a postgraduate student at Middlesex University in London,  with a business plan for a mobile phone app called Verdant to help crop farmers, emerged winners.

As a result, a mentoring session between the two winners of the enterprise challenge competition and Sir Richard Branson took place on  July 1, in London.

Branson was quoted to have said “Virgin Atlantic is delighted to have supported the Enterprise Challenge programme dedicated to supporting young Nigerian entrepreneurs and fostering new ideas. Innovation has been an important part of Virgin’s heritage and I was pleased to see so many young Nigerians keen to embrace new ideas through the competition.”

In her comments, Odiete said: “It was an awesome experience meeting and learning from Richard Branson, one that will change my life and business and take it to a whole new level. I am super grateful for the opportunity.”

Speaking in the same vein, Yammama said: “The Enterprise Challenge has been a remarkable competition which I thoroughly enjoyed. I believe it has not only developed my skills but exposed me to a whole new way of looking things from writing to pitching and presentation.

Also, the calibre of people I have been able to interact and network with is the absolute thing every aspiring entrepreneur and innovator wishes to associate with. Meeting Sir Richard Branson was a priceless opportunity that I will continue to value immensely. I have been able to acquire so much wisdom and inspiration that I feel ready and bound to exceed all expectation.”

 

[This Day]