Entrepreneurs advocate synergy for economic development

Entrepreneurs have called for synergy among government and investors with a view to developing the Nigerian economy.

This call was made at the AIESEC Alumni Africa Regional Congress held in Lagos, at the gathering, Entrepreneurs opined that there should be collaborative atmosphere, policies and support from the government to entrepreneurs to enable development and growth in the country.

They opined that entrepreneurs are crucial in every economy as they contribute to its growth and development, adding that 80 percent of the American economy is built on small businesses and government places important roles in the development of these sectors.
Speaking during a panel session on the theme: Transforming Nigeria’s Economy by Leveraging on Technology, Innovation and Global Entrepreneurship, the panelists emphasized on the need for creating policies and framework to enable small business thrive in the country.

Adeyinka Tekenah of Happy Coffee, said there have been little support from the government to entrepreneurs, which have affected the growth of the country, adding that for the country to improve, there should be political framework to support small businesses.

In her words, “We need to have basic framework on how an economy should work. There are not enough policies to support entrepreneurs, though, some states are giving out loans to small businesses, there must be some level of political and economic framework on how to build the economy”.

Also speaking, the founder Keex footwear, JideIpaye stressed the need for the country to build an open system where people will collaborate and drive the economy forward to meet international standards.

“We need to build open systems where people will collaborate and synergize. Collaboration calls for leveraging on other people’s resources, but we look at what we want to gain form it, when we try to create economic synergies, it has to be mutual, both sides and that will come form openness, dialogue and positively looking for those opportunities both in Nigeria and beyond,” he stressed.

In another dimension, the Technology Assistant, Industry, Trade and Investment, office of the Vice President, AyokunnuOjeniyi urged entrepreneurs to leverage on the resources made available in the country to build and sustain the economy.

In his address, the President Executive Board, AIESEC Alumni, Senegal, Kumar Sylla, said the body is determined to use tools of thought leadership to groom youth leaders for creating a better Africa, where manpower and mineral resources are harnessed optimally for the good of citizenry, as well as implementing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals from grassroots to the top.