‘Entrepreneurs need to think out of the box’

In the face of current economic challenges facing Nigeria, entrepreneurs have been urged to think out of the box in order to survive the heat.

“Thinking out of the box means identifying needs, being able to solve them and, most importantly, making money out of it,” said Johnson Abbaly, president, Lightfield House International, during the French Week organised by Franco-Nigerian Chamber of Commerce & Industry in Lagos.

Speaking on the theme, ‘Entrepreneurship in Nigeria: Let’s face the fact’, Abbaly said entrepreneurs needed to put more pressure on the government to show good faith.

“It is time for the government to begin to localise the public sector spending. If the money remains here in Nigeria, it will do great work to the economy at large, improving growth and development and the economic situation as well as giving entrepreneurs headway,” Abbaly said.

It was an opportunity to promote small and medium businesses (SMEs) in Nigeria and improve trade relations between French and Nigerian entrepreneurs. The event afforded 100 SMEs an opportunity to get digital marketing training. There were also exhibitions of upcoming entrepreneurs alongside cash award and gift items to the best displays.

Jean Raoul Tauzin, vice chairman of the Franco-Nigerian Chamber of Commerce & Industry and general manager of AirFrance, said partnership between French and Nigerians was meant to promote and improve trade between French and Nigerian entrepreneurs.

“Seeing that SMEs are key factors for any country’s growth and development, and that the major wealth of a country comes from SMEs, it is very necessary that every country should strengthen this mechanism, which would in turn bring huge turnover. That is why we have entered into partnerships to ensure that this becomes a huge success,” said Tauzin.

Entrepreneurs had the opportunity to display their various works.  There were pitch competition and awards, as well as diverse entrepreneurial sessions on taxation, digital marketing, and networking, among others.

The Union Bank, the premium sponsor, gave out cash awards of N50,000, N70,000, and N100,000. “These winners had great ideas for Nigeria’s future and for the economy at large,” said one of the judges.

CHINYERE OKEKE