Next Titan unveils season four of young entrepreneurs with N5million prize

The Next Titan, Nigeria’s biggest entrepreneurial reality TV show has unveiled 16 young entrepreneurs who made it to the academy through demonstration of their entrepreneurial skills.

Their skills were demonstrated with sustainable business ideas, commercial insight and business savvy, which would qualify them to win the star prize of N5 million and a brand new car to support their business.

Executive producer of the show, Mide Kunle-Akinlaja, said at the premiere of the finalists in Lagos that the objective of the reality show was to present entrepreneurship as a viable career option to young graduates through an entrepreneurial competition programme.

He said the show is also about demystifying entrepreneurship, stressing that young unemployed graduates should start leveraging on small businesses to build lasting wealth for themselves and contribute to the socio-economic development of the nation.

The 16 finalists will live together for 10 weeks in the Heritage Bank sponsored show, battle one another over 10 tough business tasks and they will be gradually eliminated until the last person.

“The contestants will have to show that they are real street smarts to make it through the challenges and prove their entrepreneurial acumen through various business-challenges in the 10-week show,” he stated.

Managing Director of Heritage Bank, Ifie Sekibo, advised the contestants on the needed qualities to stand out as great entrepreneurs, saying: “You need to fortify yourself with the knowledge of entrepreneurship in terms of discipline, tenacity, professionalism and resilience.”

Sekibo who was represented by one of the bank’s executive director added that they needed to think big with vast minds as entrepreneurship can increase the gross domestic product of the economy.

Also, founder of the Centre for Value and Leadership (CVL), Prof. Pat Utomi, proffered solutions to how government could tackle the high rate of unemployment in the country.

His words: “Everybody needs to focus on entrepreneuship. The idea is to make the young people know that there are possibilities within them. Give them the tools and inspire them to go out there to try and do those things.”

“More empowerment programmes need to be expanded to create that culture but universities are critical, while the polytechnics are very important in giving institutions opportunities to make bold venture.”