By Uche Kalu :
Technology has a big role to play in our social life, business, economy as well as security. The maiden edition of The Pivot Conference which was held in Awka has ended with a call for students, businessmen, stakeholders as well as investors to leverage on technology and explore many opportunities that abound in Southeast, Nigeria.
The event, which was held at Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU), Secretariat, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka with the theme: “From Challenges to Opportunities: Unveiling the Potentials in South-East Nigeria through Social Innovation, featured experts from different fields, students, government officials, journalists, others.
Speaking at the conference, the Special Adviser to the Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo on Security Matters, Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Ben Chiobi advised youths to resist the ‘japa syndrome’ and explore opportunities in the country.
AVM Chiobi who noted that there are many opportunities of making money in Nigeria, particularly in the Southeast more than what is obtained in Western countries, advised youths to avail themselves of opportunities for mentoring, emphasising that the only way to succeed in the ICT generation was to be creative and not be a copycat.
Speaking on the topic,”Fostering Youth-led Impact Entrepreneurship As A Catalyst For Growth,” the Regional Coordinator, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Chito Onuzulike said SMEs are crucial components of the economy.
Mrs Chito who is an Engr, emphasized that mindset, action, and process are the three ingredients of entrepreneurship that are crucial to doing business in the country, noting that by collaborating with partners, businesses can leverage shared resources, infrastructure, and capabilities, leading to optimized processes and increased productivity in the land.
The Managing Director of Anambra State Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Agency, Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata explained that many opportunities abound in the ICT sector.
Mr Agbata , a technology expert noted that without innovative spirit, teamwork, and partnership, one may find it hard to succeed in the business.
Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer, Sealcore Global Ltd, Precious Obimdi, explained that the system in Nigeria is designed to strangle younger entrepreneurs and stop them from thriving in their businesses, stressing that partnerships with governments, agencies, and bigger establishments are ways of staying afloat and making impacts on human lives.
Mr. Obimdi who spoke on “Impact Driven Entrepreneurship: Turning Local Solutions into Globally Scalable Businesses,” shared insights on how to harness the power of innovation and passion to create businesses that not only thrive locally but have the potential to make a global impact.
He further said that doing business in the southeast is challenging due to insecurity and other challenges but maintained that one can explore, discover what is not working, and turn same into a thriving global venture.
A Banking expert, Tochukwu Nwokediuko, noted that in Nigeria, over 65 per cent of businesses do not survive the first three years after set up due to poor access to funding and credit facilities, lack of planning and poor financial literacy on the part of some business owners in the country.
Mr Nwokediuko emphasized the powers of partnership and collaboration, noting that the ability to understand and factor in them will define successful businesses in times to come.
The Regional Pastor of Dominion City, Awka, Jude Obiekwe said the challenges are money in the making. “For every problem in the southeast, there is a direct opposite opportunity. The more the problem, the more the opportunity to create wealth; the easier the lesser. Adversity is the cultivator of innovation. You cannot be a champion except you fight battles,” he explained.
Earlier, the Executive Director of the Pivot, Barr. Ifedi Eze, expressed dismay that the past half-decade has been a period bedeviled with socio-economic problems that have impacted negatively on the economic indices of the Eastern region.
He,therefore, urged the citizenry to leverage technology and reap the inexhaustible opportunities it holds and how tech can help solve most of the problems in the society today. (Ministry of Information)
The officer reports from UNIZIK, Awka