Enterprise Challenge: British Council, Virgin Atlantic Airways give young Nigerians platform to become entrepreneurs

 

From left - Adetomi Soyinka, Regional Manager, CSFP, British Council, Brian Wilson, Director Education, British Council and Rachel Coffey, Country Manager, Virgin Atlantic Airways.

By ADA DIKE

The British Council and Virgin Atlantic Airways have reiterated their commitments to promote the development of entrepreneurial skills in Nigerian youth.

This was disclosed at a press conference held last week Thursday at British Council’s office, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Speaking at the event, the Director of Education, British Council, Brian Wilson, said that the Enterprise Challenge organized by British Council in partnership with Virgin Atlantic Airways aimed to nurture young people on how they will become entrepreneurs and create opportunities for other young people.

Wilson, who has been working for the British Council in Nigeria for two years, also explained what the Enterprise Challenge was all about by saying that “It is an online competition which seeks to give young, brilliant entrepreneurial minds the opportunity to further develop their skills and bring their innovative ideas to the fore for possible future development.

“Nigeria, as a sub-Saharan Africa is growing and has a large population of employable age so we want to use our ties to the United Kingdom to bring out the creativity in the Nigerian youths,” Wilson said.

The competition which has commenced, according to him, is designed to test a range of consumerist skills, adding that the contestants are competing for the opportunity to win flight tickets to the UK on Virgin Atlantic Airways and an opportunity to meet and be mentored by one of UK’s foremost entrepreneurs and Chairman of the Virgin Group, Sir Richard Branson. “The competition is open to Nigerians currently domiciled in Nigeria and those studying in the UK who fall within the 18 to 35 year age bracket.”

He maintained that the competition is relevant in 21^st Century. We need to train the youth for tomorrow since the economy is changing rapidly to enable the youth adapt and become employable or self reliant.”

 In the same vein, the Regional Manager, Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships Plan (CSFP), Adetomi Soyinka, added that the 5-week period competition which is taking place in three cycles seeks to discover communication, innovation, creativity and how commercial viable the contestants creativity are.

“About 180 individuals have been shortlisted and they are going into the second phase. Participants are competing to win N1.5million grant, courtesy Zenith Bank plc, return tickets to the United Kingdom (UK) or Nigeria depending on the winner’s location is courtesy Virgin Atlantic. We approached Virgin Atlantic and they approached Zenith Bank plc which is offering a grant of N6 million,” said Adetomi.

She emphasised that the third and final task will be a board defense which will take place in Lagos on June 14, 2014.

Soyinka further said that they would monitor the winner to ensure that the money would be judiciously utilized.

Also speaking, the Country Manager, Virgin Atlantic Airways, Rachel Coffey, said the activity which aimed at Nigerians students who are important demography to the Virgin Atlantic Airways because they strive to ensure that they have investment education aid with Nigeria due to the fact that they recognize Nigeria as a growing nation.

“Virgin Atlantic Airways has a lot of Nigerians travelling to London, Abderdeen and Manchester, so we are really excited about this opportunity for Nigerian people to give them mental education. Richard Branson is a continual entrepreneur so we want young Nigerians to visit him and learn from him. It is a good link between our brand and Nigeria,” she said.