Top-rated Nigerian entrepreneurs from nascent firms L & L Foods, Accounteer, and MyPadi.ng are set to receive free technology advisory and business grooming services from renowned multinational professional services company, Accenture. This valuable support was confirmed by the Managing Director of Accenture Nigeria, Mr. Niyi Yusuf, during a recent interview in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja.
The decision to offer complimentary services stems from these startups’ outstanding recognition at the recent Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) conference. This annual convention fosters productive discussions relating to Nigeria’s economic development, facilitating collaboration between the public and private sectors. Emerging victorious in this revered business platform, L & L Foods, a peanut distribution startup, secured a $15,000 prize. Accounteer, a business-management company, received a $10,000 prize, while MyPadi.ng, an online accommodation booking platform, won a $5,000 prize.
Mr. Yusuf’s interview with Punch revealed Accenture’s noble intentions behind this generous initiative. The undertaking not only exemplifies corporate social responsibility but also aims to empower future business leaders. Mr. Yusuf stated: “At Accenture, we normally work with large companies, but this initiative is our contribution to national development. We’ve been an integral part of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group for the last 24 years. Our role in the promotion of globally competitive, indigenous entrepreneurs is to provide free advisory services on refining their business models.”
Aligning with Accenture’s conviction, this initiative is designed to equip the entrepreneurs with essential skills necessary to establish their companies in the imminent future. The goal is to foster national development by nurturing competent entrepreneurs. Accenture intends to mentor the entrepreneurs for a period spanning three to six months towards redefining their business models to attract potential investors.
According to Mr. Yusuf, the expectation is that after working with Accenture, these entrepreneurs will be well-placed to attract necessary investment. As he quipped, “Money is the lifeline of business.”
In addition to financial support, Mr. Yusuf emphasized the importance of a skilled and passionate team to the success of any business venture. He warned against solo entrepreneurship, highlighting the need for a cohesive, efficient team in order to be competitive and maintain relevancy. Given this, it can be inferred that he was subtly advising the award-winning businesses to focus on team building, since investors are more inclined to invest in companies that are run by collaborative teams. Such teams, he noted, foster cross-pollination of ideas and ensure the longevity of businesses.
With Accenture’s generous offering, there’s a heightened optimism that these budding Nigerian startups will grow into the nation’s next big businesses.
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