BE A PART OF CREATING A GENERATION OF LIFE CHANGING BUSINESSES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN AFRICA. START YOUR OWN BUSINESS.

By Nnabugwu Chizoba

Value-addition to raw materials, increased opportunity for export earnings, creation of strong linkages and job creation, are some of the many benefits that accrue to any economy for embracing entrepreneurship.

In this discourse, entrepreneurship is considered an economic activity that takes place when enterprising individuals convert challenges and difficulties into lucrative opportunities for sustainable living. Permit me, therefore to say that, economic destitution has historically propelled people to greatness.

In Africa and Nigeria of today, there is a desperate situation to do as much as possible with as little as possible. This is in terms of developing ideas and processes that have tremendous power to foster businesses and provide value-chain opportunities for gainful employment of the unemployed and the entire populace. In this regard, personal intervention, ingenuity, dexterity and commitment in all ramifications are expected from all and sundry.

In the globe, the economies that have shown disproportionate vulnerability, with regard to Africa, such as the BRICS Bloc have done so because their governments and citizens realized early the need to explore the opportunities that abound in the private sector through entrepreneurship activities and self-employment. The success stories from these countries have proven without any reasonable doubt that conceptualizing and owning a development pattern is one of the most important keys to real time development.

No amount of desire by African citizens and/or efforts by various national governments, in the continent, will yield any meaningful results, if efforts at ensuring economic recovery, job creation and gainful employment are focused on securing white collar jobs, in government ministries, departments and agencies.

Africans, especially, the youths, must embrace the opportunities that abound in the private sector through self-employment. They must look inwards and rise up to face the challenges that come with making their future economic empowerment a reality.

The situation where unemployed youths from the rural areas migrate to the cities, to contribute to urban congestion, in search of unavailable and elusive employment opportunities live much to be desired. This is noteworthy.

The rate of urban growth and rural migration is alarming. The growth of urban population is already a contributory factor to the cases of national insecurity. Most Urban communities, have exceeded their capacity to accommodate and provide for the migrants. The influx as presently witnessed, reveals a very disturbing fact, which is that most of the migrants are headed straight for the worst kind of urban slum, where they live in environments filled with foul squatters and settlements plagued by open sewers, harmful cooking fumes and piles of fermenting garbage.

There is tremendous pressure already on the existing limited, over stretched and decaying infrastructures at the city centers. Limited opportunities, weak and almost collapsed administrative structures, have exposed the cities, with a large number of the unemployed sub-population, who in their attempt to survive, have become great challenge to peace and harmonious existence. There are also health related issues, just to mention a few. What can be done to stop the worrisome development is not clear nor do governments have the resources to provide gainful employment or improve infrastructure.

Against the backdrop of global economic meltdown and chronic disorders in economic systems, it has become quite obvious that it is only those who are able to brace up and engage in business initiatives at the highest level that stand a chance to live a more robust, productive and fulfilling life.

Intellectual property development and competent skills bolstering remain the only solution to human survival, self-actualization and shared growth in the emerging world. Skills development, have remained a global currency of the contemporary economies. Success, in general entails objectivity, vision, value judgment and choice. It is a function of a broad-based understanding of the tempo and challenges of the moment. Skills development in entrepreneurship and business dealings have become major sources of unprecedented level of interest, locally and internationally.

My charge to Africans, youths in particular, is to acquire industry specific skills, quality principles of sustainable living, self-empowerment, economic growth, and business relations, and in doing so, embrace the language of quality practice, tested and proven survival techniques. A comprehensive response plan, and clear understanding of the tools, processes, techniques, products/services suitable to meet consumer needs are basic necessity.

Let me conclude by saying: Earn money by realizing your dreams and trading your abilities in an enterprise that gives you the greatest appeal, passion wise. One way of making life meaningful and rewarding and being proud of who you are, is to make manifest what lies inside of you. Catch a dream, deploy your skills, develop the passion to own a business, strive to be the best. With God on your side, the world will celebrate you. Good luck.