Raheem Akingbolu
As part of its commitment to support the implementation of an inclusive and equitable entrepreneurship programme, the Enterprise Development Centre of the Pan-Atlantic University, in partnership with Mastercard Foundation, has launched a handbook to promote inclusive entrepreneurship in the country.
The book launch on inclusive and equitable entrepreneurship programming in Nigeria was held recently in Lagos.
Speaking at the event, the Vice-Chancellor of Pan-Atlantic University, Professor Enase Okonedo, said: “This handbook is supposed to be a guide for all those interested in developing and running programs for inclusive entrepreneurs and that is equitable. This handbook is one that was written by the Enterprise Development Centre of the Pan-Atlantic University with the support of the MasterCard Foundation.
“Building inclusive entrepreneurship in Nigeria requires collaboration across
sectors—individuals, communities, civil organisations, government, private institutions, and universities all play a role. To use entrepreneurship as a transformative tool, program developers must act intentionally to remove structural, financial, cultural, and gender-based barriers. But I think the first step is really recognising the barriers that exist and then looking
for ways by which you can overcome those barriers.”
The Country Director for Nigeria Programmes at the Mastercard Foundation, Rosy Fynn, said, “This handbook which is focused on inclusive and equitable programming in Nigeria, I think it is going to be a game changer. As you may know, we have been working with the Enterprise Development Centre for several years with a vision of creating entrepreneurs in Nigeria. Our learnings on programming for vulnerable groups—women, persons with disabilities, the
internally displaced, and youth—inspired this handbook. It serves as a practical blueprint for organizations to build inclusive entrepreneurship programs in Nigeria.”
On her part, the Director of the Enterprise Development Centre at Pan-Atlantic University, Dr. Nneka Okekearu, mentioned that in the last 21 years, EDC has engaged in a lot of programmes around entrepreneurship across the country and in sub-Saharan Africa. And we realised that there were lots of gaps when it came to inclusivity and making sure that it was equitable and that is why we came up with this handbook.
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