Nestlé Nigeria has reiterated the critical role of entrepreneurship in addressing youth unemployment and accelerating Nigeria's economic growth, urging young people to embrace innovation, resilience and value-driven enterprise as pathways to long-term success.
The company made this known during the National Youth Entrepreneurship and Empowerment Summit (YEEP) 2026, held in Abuja and organised by the Activate Success International Foundation. The event, themed "Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Courage and Impact," brought together policymakers, business leaders, development partners and aspiring entrepreneurs to explore practical strategies for empowering Nigeria's growing youth population.
Speaking at the summit, the Head of Corporate Communications, Public Affairs and Sustainability at Nestlé Nigeria, Victoria Uwadoka, reaffirmed the company's commitment to creating opportunities that enable young Nigerians to build sustainable businesses and contribute meaningfully to national development.
She noted that with young people making up more than 70 per cent of Nigeria's population, investing in entrepreneurship remains one of the most effective ways to unlock economic opportunities, stimulate innovation and reduce unemployment.
According to Uwadoka, entrepreneurship goes beyond starting a business, describing it as the ability to identify opportunities, create value and provide solutions to pressing societal needs. She added that innovation requires the courage to challenge existing ways of thinking, while lasting impact is measured by sustainable achievements rather than short-term success.
"It is a great pleasure to be a part of the YEEP 2026 Summit, a platform that is dedicated to empowering young people to transform their ideas into opportunities and their talents into enterprise. Your ideas are only ideas until you bring them to life.
"This year's theme is very, very important. It's speaking about entrepreneurship. It's speaking about innovation. It's speaking about courage. And it's speaking about impact. And I don't know any other example that will be more beautiful than the idea that has brought us together here today.
"Money, support, and finances flow to solutions. If you have an idea today that meets needs and that improves lives, that is an idea that is worth investing in. As corporate leaders, we want to reiterate our responsibility to create enabling environments where entrepreneurship can continue to flourish, not just for this generation, but for generations to come."
Uwadoka encouraged participants to remain committed to continuous learning, hard work and resilience, assuring them that corporate organisations, development institutions and private sector partners are increasingly willing to support innovative entrepreneurs with viable business ideas.
She also highlighted Nestlé Nigeria's long-standing partnership with the Activate Success International Foundation, describing it as a strategic collaboration that has continued to strengthen youth enterprise development across the country.
For the past eight years, both organisations have worked together to provide mentorship, entrepreneurial training, business development support and networking opportunities for thousands of young Nigerians. The partnership has also created platforms that connect aspiring entrepreneurs with industry experts, investors and business mentors, helping many transform innovative ideas into viable enterprises.
Commending the foundation's consistency, Uwadoka praised its sustained commitment to youth empowerment over the last 11 years and congratulated the organisers for successfully hosting the YEEP conference for the ninth consecutive year.
She equally acknowledged the support of development partners, government institutions and private sector organisations, including Flutterwave, for contributing to programmes that promote innovation, entrepreneurship and economic inclusion among Nigerian youths.
Congratulating the founder of the Activate Success International Foundation, Mrs Love Idoko-Uloko, alongside participants at the summit, Uwadoka expressed confidence in the capacity of Nigerian youths to drive national transformation.
"God bring us to the dream that we all have. And God give us the young people and the talent that will continue to drive Nigeria forward. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria," she prayed.
Over the years, the Youth Entrepreneurship and Empowerment Summit has evolved into one of Nigeria's leading platforms for youth enterprise development, bringing together government officials, business executives, innovators and aspiring entrepreneurs to discuss practical solutions to unemployment and economic inclusion.
The annual conference continues to equip young Nigerians with the knowledge, skills, mentorship and networks required to build sustainable businesses while strengthening collaboration between the public and private sectors in support of inclusive national economic development.