History was again made yesterday, December 13, 2022 in Abuja at the grand finale of the 2022 Ugwumba Enterprise Challenge as Senior Government Officials, Members of the Diplomatic Corps, Financial Institutions, Development experts, Philanthropists, Investors, etc gathered to witness the unveiling of great tech innovations from Nigeria.
The event marked the 5th edition of the Ugwumba Enterprise Challenge, which is an idea pitching and grant competition of the Ugwumba Leadership Center designed to create jobs for teeming unemployed youths in Africa.
Speaking at the event, His Excellency, Ugwumba Uche Nwosu, President of the Ugwumba Leadership Center said, he founded the Center in 2018 in line with his overall mission of taking youths out of the streets. He announced that since inception in 2018, the Center has supported the birth of over 5,000 SMEs across the country.
The event featured the final pitching competition by the 10 top finalists and Obanijesu Francis Yinka, Founder of Lightning Artz won the overall star prize of one million naira (N1 million) with a startup company that manufactures aquamax, a point-of-use SON certified water purification system that filters water from any source into 99.9% free of germs.
The second star prize of seven hundred thousand naira (N700K) went to Theophilus Venn, the CEO of Venn Biscuits while Umar Hassan, CEO of Early Child Tech Lab went home with the 3rd prize of five hundred thousand naira (N500K). Mr Eze Victor Chibuike, CEO of Wall Socket Power Bank and Bolarinwa Kemisola, Founder of Smart Bra went home with the 4th and 5th star prizes of three hundred thousand naira (N300K) and two hundred thousand naira (N200K), respectively.
Another high point of the event was the official unveiling of the Ugwumba Fund for Women, a microgrants program for women traders in the rural areas by Her Excellency, Dr. Kema Chikwe, the Former Nigerian Minister for Transport and Aviation.
Present at the event were: His Excellency, Amb. Sune Krogstrup, the Danish Ambassador in Nigeria; Hon. Dr. Paschal Obi, Member of the National Assembly; Arch. Sunday Echono, the Executive Secretary of TETFund; Prof. Philip Afaha, the Director of the University of Abuja Leadership Centre; Mallam Shehu Abdulkadir, the MD/CEO of Abuja Enterprise Agency; Hon. Okey Anyikwa, National Assembly; Mr. Edward Singhatey, Director of Innov8 Tech Hub; Chief Ezekiel Joseph, MD, Rick Rock Ltd; Amb. Osita Offor, the Ultimate Commander, Commonwealth Heavyweight Champion of the Champions; Victor Agih, a development consultant; Prince Oguike, MD/CEO of Godfather Productions Nig. Ltd; Prince Dr. Chibuike Echem, Founder, Princeton Leadership Forum; and Chidi Emmanuel Okonkwo, ex-Super Eagles player and Chairman of City FC Abuja.
Other dignitaries included: Mrs. Ebi Alaibe Elezianya, CEO of iTeach Africa; Mrs. Ekene Okolie of STEM Damsel Network; Aliyu Buhari, HOD, MSME at Jaiz Bank PLC; Mrs. Kenny Okorie, CEO Keto Couture; Aham Rochas; Amen Rochas; Amam Rochas; Chief Steve Ebo (Ajibo), veteran Nollywood star; Hon. Dominic Obi; Chief Don Ekesiobi; Mrs. Stella George, Sterling One Foundation Abuja; Tracy Okoro Emmanuel, CEO of Business Academy Africa, etc.
We give God praise for a successful event!
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