Next Titan Unveils Season 3 Top 16 Contestants

Peter Uzoho

The season 3 of the Next Titan, an entrepreneurial TV reality show has entered another defining moment as top 16 contestants were finally unveiled which ushers them into the Next Titan Academy where they will be jostling among themselves to grab the covetous five million naira cash price and a brand new car.

Sixty young Nigerian entrepreneurs made it to the Premiere Night after the audition challenges at different locations-Abuja, Port Harcourt and Lagos, but only 16 were fortunate to progress to the next stage of the show.

Delivering his welcome address, at the Premiere Night held last weekend in Lagos, where the 16 top contestants emerged, Executive Producer, Next Titan, Mr. MideKunle-Akinlaja, said the importance of the show laid in igniting entrepreneurial spirit, and showcasing the potentials of entrepreneurship in transforming lives, with just an idea that can be scaled to greatness with a market, and with Nigeria’s population.

Akinlaja noted that the show, by scouting for young talented people who have entrepreneurial acumen, grooming them through a rigorous task and boardroom process, and eventually funding the winner’s idea, leading to an opportunity to create jobs for themselves and others, is indeed, a big contributor to the socio-economic development of Nigeria.

“The Next Titan is designed to sharpen and ignite the entrepreneurial spirit in young Nigerians, and it represents opportunity, inspiration, and more importantly recognises ordinary Nigerians that have determination and a ‘can-do’ attitude with some of the best business ideas.

“Sixteen top contestants that will be unveiled this evening will have very real street smarts in order to make it through the challenges, and the contestants will prove their entrepreneurial flair through various business challenges in the course of 10 weeks, but the effects of educating and involving Nigeria’s budding entrepreneurs who are watching the show will hopefully be far reaching.

“The show will bring the reality of pains and gains of entrepreneurial journey into the living rooms of millions of Nigerians, and viewers will be given opportunity to vote for which they believe has the composite of a successful entrepreneur.

“Just like the two previous seasons, each week, tasks will incorporate various aspects of business: sales, marketing, promotions, charities, advertising pitches and others. The contestants will also experience the importance of philanthropy and community service by initiating such campaigns on the show,” he added.

Also speaking, Executive Director, Heritage Bank Plc, Mrs. Mary Akpobome, said Nigeria needs more of such motivational initiatives which are directed to contributing effectively to the empowerment of the growing youth in the country.

“At Heritage, we’re committed to supporting this sort of programme as long as it’s targeted at igniting the youth of this country. And so, we confirm our commitment to be a generational bank by excellent service we give to our customers to create, to preserve and to transfer wealth across generations. That’s actually what we set up Heritage Bank to do.

“I wish to affirm our partnership with this programme which seeks to empower young men and women poised to drive economic growth and potential, and cease to be dependent on the imported goods in Nigeria.”

She urged the organisers of the Next Titan to expand the show beyond one winner, saying “we need to be able to showcase the 60 youth that you have already profiled, even if the funding that they require is not coming out of your primary sponsors, it will be important that you can showcase them, because I believe there are a few very well-meaning Nigerians that would like to put capital in each of their businesses.”