The Handbook, which was launched at Four Points by Sheraton in Lagos on Monday, November 11, 2024, is a rich resource designed to support the implementation of inclusive and equitable entrepreneurship programmes, with specific emphasis on helping in navigating the challenges and opportunities within the entrepreneurship ecosystem.
Speaking at the launch, Director, Enterprise Development Centre, Pan-Atlantic University, Dr. Nneka Okekearu said, “In today’s rapidly evolving landscape, having access to reliable and practical information is more important than ever, and this handbook aims to provide just that.”
“The content of the book has been carefully curated and developed by a team of experts, whose collective knowledge and experience are reflected in each chapter. Their dedication to producing a resource that is not only informative but also accessible and actionable has resulted in a handbook that will serve as a valuable tool for organizations and individuals who daily strive to promote entrepreneurship in an inclusive and equitable way,” she said.
According to her, In the last 21 years, EDC, Pan-Atlantic University have done a lot of programs around entrepreneurship across the country and sub-Saharan Africa, and we realized that there are a lot of gaps when it comes to inclusivity and making sure it is equitable. That is why we came up with this handbook specifically, the work we have done in the last 5 years with the Mastercard Foundation on transforming the youth of Nigerian lives through capacity building and changing their mind set also brought this to light.”
Speaking on the drive for inclusivity and equality in Nigeria, Prof. Enase Okonedo, Vice Chancellor, Pan-Atlantic University, said “I think one has to drive it because it is not a role that we can limit to only one sector either private sector or public sector. It has to be the entire ecosystem because a lot of actors are involved. They are individuals, they are communities, they are civil society organisations and there is government, the ones who formulate the policies and there are private sector institutions, universities and various many entrepreneurship development centers. Everyone must be involved but we need to know that entrepreneurship all over the world is seen as a vehicle and tools for transformation”
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| L-R: Director, Programs and Partnership at Enterprise Development Centre, Pan-Atlantic University, Dr. Olawale Anifowose, Country Director, Mastercard Foundation, Rosy Fynn, Vice Chancellor, Pan-Atlantic University, Prof. Enase Okonedo, Director, Enterprise Development Centre, Pan-Atlantic University, Dr. Nneka Okekearu, and Executive Director, MTN Nigeria Foundation, Odunayo Sanya during the launch of a handbook on Inclusive and Equitable Entrepreneurship programming in Nigeria by Enterprise Development Centre, Pan-Atlantic University at Four Points By Sheraton in Lagos |
The keynote speaker, Rosy Fynn, Country Director, Mastercard Foundation who spoke on the topic; ‘Inclusive and Equitable Entrepreneurship Programming’ said, “Inclusive and equitable entrepreneurship is about ensuring that women, young people, people living with disabilities, internally displaced persons and other vulnerable groups have equal opportunities to start, sustain, and grow businesses.”
“We are excited because this Handbook includes a lot of equitable programs in Nigeria. It is going to be a game changer because we have been working with EDC for a number of years with the vision of creating entrepreneurs in Nigeria particularly, with all of the learning and understanding of how to really program for vulnerable groups such as women and persons with disabilities, internally displaced people and young people. The learnings we have got gave birth to this Handbook, which would be a blueprint to a practical guide for how organisations can build entrepreneurs with a very focused mind on inclusivity. I think it will really help to ensure that we create the right type of programs in Nigeria”.
Dr. Okekearu summed it up by saying that “This Handbook is intended to be a practical guide, offering insights, strategies, and best practices that can be readily applied in real-world scenarios. Whether you are a programme implementer, a funder, a gatekeeper, an influencer, a new educator looking for guidance, a seasoned professional seeking to refine your skills, a student aiming to deepen your understanding, an evaluator seeking to ensure accountability, a development expert or you are in policy and advocacy, academia, this resource is designed to meet you where you are and support your journey forward.”