Esther Onyegbula
The Ondo state government has indeed raised the bar for entrepreneurship and MSME growth in Nigeria with the governor’s intentional approach and holistic framework for the State’s development.
Launching his Vision with both his JMPPR and the REDEEMED agenda, Governor Akeredolu developed a comprehensive blueprint for the revitalisation and growth of Ondo State’s economy. It encompasses a wide range of initiatives aimed at enhancing various sectors, with a special emphasis on job creation, entrepreneurship, and SME development.
At the heart of this agenda is the belief that by empowering local businesses, the state can create a resilient and prosperous economic landscape.
One of the crowning jewels of his second term Redeemed agenda is the Ondo State Entrepreneurship Agency ONDEA. ONDEA is the first entrepreneurship development agency in Nigeria. The creation of this agency was an intentional move by the governor to build an economically vibrant state through entrepreneurship development.
He was also very deliberate in appointing leadership for the agency in his decision to engage Dr Summy Smart Francis who is a renowned entrepreneurship advocate with an amazing track record across Africa as the CEO of the agency and his Special Adviser on Entrepreneurship Development in Ondo State. Dr. Summy Smart Francis is also the founder of Africa’s Young Entrepreneurs A.Y.E. the largest Entrepreneurship organization in Africa with footprints across 20 African countries.
After the creation of ONDEA, the agency swung into action with several initiatives that covered areas of training, capacity development, business support, and empowerment of entrepreneurs, SMEs, MSMEs, artisans, and aspiring business owners in Ondo State. Initiatives such as “Street To Skills”, “Cyber Money”, “Business Diagnostics and Advisory Centre”, Entrepreneurship Development Training”, entrepreneurship internships, ondomarketplace.com, and many others.
Among such transformational initiatives is the ONDEA My Idea business pitch competition. This platform serves as a catalyst for innovation that invites aspiring entrepreneurs to showcase their groundbreaking ideas. What sets this competition apart is not just the recognition it bestows on winners, but the comprehensive support it offers to nurture and elevate their concepts or business ideas.
This competition saw the emergence of 10 indigenous Entrepreneurs in Ondo State who became beneficiaries of Grants, mentorship, Business Support, international business trips, and many other benefits.
A beneficiary Olatunde Oladimeji Babafemi in his testimonial said “Our Governor Arakurin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has raised the bar for entrepreneurship development in Nigeria. He has done things differently among other governors and he has changed the narrative of Ondo state.”
Source: Vanguard Media Limited, Nigeria
Original content:
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/08/akeredolu-raises-bar-for-entrepreneurship-msme-growth/
