Stakeholders chart path to entrepreneurship, leadership development

Concerned entrepreneurship and leadership stakeholders have stressed the need for government to create enabling environment, easy access to capital and develop workable infrastructure for small businesses to thrive in the country.

The stakeholders disclosed this at the fourth Nigerian Entrepreneurs Summit and Honours (NESH), yearly conference in Lagos.

With the theme, ‘The state of entrepreneurship and leadership development in Nigeria’, the stakeholders opined that unless the country musters the political will to encourage private sector investments and partnerships, no amount of pontification can reverse the stunted growth.

They said entrepreneurs are the backbone of modern economies. It is their important contributions that help society grow as a whole, hence the need for government to create sustainable policies that will promote the spirit of entrepreneurship.

Founder, Centre of Values in Leadership (CVL), Prof Pat Utomi, said leadership is a key factor in driving the growth of entrepreneur in Nigeria.

Utomi highlighted the framework for growth of the country to include human capital, policy choice, institutions culture and entrepreneurial skills.

Chief Operating Officer, LEAP Africa, Femi Taiwo, said Nigeria needs an ecosystem leadership that involves private public partnership to drive entrepreneurship.

Taiwo said: “We need to bring all competencies together like a process of synergising thereby allowing entrepreneurs to access capital.”