Online shopping community Kaymu.com.ng has
identified the need for the development of the SME sector in Nigeria. This was
disclosed at the Entrepreneurs’ Club, a quarterly seminar for entrepreneurs organised by the company
in partnership with the Lagos State Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) on
Friday September 4th 2015.
The seminar themed “Empowering The New Generation
SME”, had over 200 entrepreneurs in attendance and featured speakers from
various works of life including, Muyiwa Afolabi, renowned life and business
coach, Dele Alimi, Director Membership and Trade LCCI, Ezekiel Bamigboye,
Senior Manager SME Mtn Nigeria, Ademola Adewusi Managing Director Talent and
Dexterity, and Chioma Agha YALI fellow and Managing Director Swish Ideas
amongst others.
According to Managing Director of Kaymu, Sefik
Bagdadioglu, the Entrepreneurs’ Club emerged out of the need to empower SMEs
with tools to enhance their productivity.
“SMEs are the backbone of every economy. In a
country like Nigeria where entrepreneurs hold major stakes in the GDP of the
country, it becomes imperative to equip them with knowledge and skills to
enable them survive and thrive in the evolving Nigerian market. This is one of
the main pillars of Kaymu’s business model- to grow with SMEs and
entrepreneurs”, he added.
Nigeria is Africa’s leading economy, having
overtaken South Africa to become the continent’s largest nation in terms of
GDP. The increasing demand for consumer
products has created a large market for small and medium enterprises in the
country. The vast majority of companies in Nigeria are SMEs which account for
the livelihood of most of the country’s population.
Speaking at the event, the Director Membership and
Trade Promotions LCCI, Dele Alimi, emphasized on the need for SMEs to leverage
not-for-profit organisations to grow their businesses. “Business membership
organisations like the LCCI provide SMEs with additional capacity, financial
support, networking, business intelligence and industrial backing to enable
them succeed in the Nigerian economy”, he said.
2015 Young African Leadership Initiative (YALI)
Fellow and a Kaymu entrepreneur, Chioma Agha shared key business lessons
learned at the Barack Obama initiative with the entrepreneurs who were excited
at the opportunity to network with industry leaders and learn valuable business
lessons.
Charles Okanlawon, a participant at the event
stated, “the partnership between Kaymu and LCCI to launch the Entrepreneurs
Club in Nigeria is a commendable one. I have been empowered with managerial
skills, sales and customer service tips as well as the technological know-how
to drive my business and I am keen on implementing these lessons learned in my
business endeavor”.
Over the years, SMEs have played a vital role
in Nigeria’s economic development; their
strength has been the foundation for the growth and development of the business
sector and entrepreneurial driven initiatives like the Entrepreneurs Club are
necessary for advancement of the nation as a whole. The Entrepreneurs Club is a
quarterly event that seeks to empower entrepreneurs and start-ups with business
know-how to enhance their operations and sales.
Check more pictures from the event below.
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