In commemoration of Global Entrepreneurship Week 2023
I remember, in the not-too-distant past, when the Nigerian dream was the desire to become an entrepreneur. Starting something new, buying and selling, creating value, providing products and services, being in charge of one’s destiny, and generally anticipating the forthcoming wealth. Not that the dream has changed, at least not for everyone, japa seems to have become the new dream but I digress.
Many Nigerians are entrepreneurially inclined, getting into all sorts of value-adding and income-generating activities no matter how little. There’s something that makes the average Nigerian enterprising. I am not sure whether it’s a natural-born trait or a result of the various struggles we experience but it’s there somewhere.
Passionately taking risks in identifying and solving problems, improving society in some way, whether in small communities or even across the country. Many have doggedly faced all of the challenges they have come across and often succeeded. Those who have become battle-tested, going from the test labs to the market and back again, repeating the cycle until they find that product-market fit, and all the while, becoming energised for the future. For people like these, a celebration of entrepreneurship is important and has thankfully, come to be.
The Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) is a week-long event celebrating entrepreneurship worldwide. This year’s edition holds from November 13–19, 2023. In every country where the week is observed, currently 165 countries, events and activities are held to celebrate and empower entrepreneurs. It is a great opportunity for entrepreneurs to meet with one another and all other stakeholders within their ecosystems whilst providing awareness about the benefits of entrepreneurship to inspire future entrepreneurs. Even though the GEW lasts for one week, its impact is still felt all year around.
In Nigeria, the GEW is championed by the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) Nigeria. The goal of GEN Nigeria is to build a network of entrepreneurial leaders through a commitment to continuous learning, process improvement, and business integrity. GEN Nigeria has been responsible for coordinating the activities of various partners across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, ensuring that the impact of the events is felt far and wide. GEN Nigeria works with volunteer partners across the nation in the planning, design, and implementation of various events and initiatives.
The GEW features events which inspire creativity and innovation, which ultimately leads to economic development. From seminars to workshops, business pitch competitions to games, media events to meetups, there are various options for anyone interested in entrepreneurship to participate in the celebrations. This year’s events began last weekend with a publicity walk held in twelve cities across Nigeria and since then, various locations around Nigeria have been hosting events.
Over the years, the GEW in Nigeria has focused on several aspects and sectors of entrepreneurship such as the creative economy, agribusiness, technology, women, youth, and social entrepreneurship to name a few. The aim is to bring the spotlight to various issues and opportunities surrounding entrepreneurship whilst creating awareness. This year, events such as the Youth Entrepreneurship Dialogue, Women’s Enterprise Day, and the Creative Economy Summit are being held as flagship events for all the other events organised by state partners.
Many startups, founders, and aspiring entrepreneurs have benefited from the exposure that the GEW brings to their businesses and ideas. For example, a few years ago, RedButton, a sustainability-minded fashion business won the Creative Business Cup organised during the GEW. From that small stage, the brand went on to represent Nigeria at the Global Creative Business Cup in Copenhagen, Denmark, winning the African prize. That singular event propelled RedButton onto the global stage with its designs being featured in Vogue magazine and at the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. Talk about a local business going global!
I have participated in the GEW for several years and it is always interesting to interact with the entrepreneurs. Everyone believes that they have the best idea since sliced bread so bringing such ideas to platforms such as the GEW offers an opportunity to test the waters. Is my idea as good as I believe it is? Have I covered all the bases? What have I missed? Is my potential product or service suited for the customer segment I am targeting? What needs do I have that others can meet? Exposing these ideas to other people can provide an avenue to see things in a different light. The possibilities for gaining new knowledge are simply endless.
One thing many entrepreneurs quickly realise is the need to belong to a community of like-minded people. The challenges and obstacles that exist on the path of entrepreneurs, especially in these parts, are not for the fainthearted. Having a group of people to bond with, no matter how small, can make the difference between putting in an extra day or giving up entirely. That’s why I love to see people participating during the GEW. They get to see other entrepreneurs just like themselves and realise that the problems they thought were theirs only, have most likely been experienced by others. Imagine finding a ready solution to a pesky business problem simply by interacting with other people at a GEW event.
The GEW also attracts industry stakeholders such as financiers (banks, venture capital firms, etc), capacity development providers, regulatory bodies, and all other members of the enterprise ecosystem. This offers people the chance to form the much-needed connections they need to access various needs. So, whether it’s access to funding issues, navigating regulatory hurdles, or finding relevant resources and programmes, you’re sure to connect with a key industry player who can assist.
One thing I would love to see for the GEW is a much greater level of awareness, not just during the week but all year around. There are still a lot of people who could benefit from being involved during the week but for one reason or the other, cannot. I would also love to see more engagement with and involvement from students at the secondary and tertiary levels, our future leaders. We need to prepare them and get them more involved for the future they are heading towards. More and more young people these days are harnessing the power of technology to do big things, they need to start on the right foot.
Cheers to all the entrepreneurs making things happen and doing great things despite all. Entrepreneurship is not for the fainthearted and every entrepreneur deserves their flowers. Things may not be the way you want them to be but you know that the journey begins with the first step and then each subsequent step. You will have every reason to celebrate.
There are still a few more days of GEW activities left and you can find them here www.genglobal.org/nigeria. Notwithstanding, make sure you find an opportunity to celebrate entrepreneurship every day. If you would like to walk that path someday, seek out a mentor who can guide you and if you’re already on that path, seek out a community for support, you need it, trust me on this. As always, this is the way I see things today.
