IHS Nigeria Empowers African Entrepreneurs

Omolabake Fasogbon

Telecommunications firm, IHS Nigeria through an NGO, “WeForGood International” has empowered six startups with N3 million grant each to help implement ideas that centers on sustainability.

The grantees, selected across Africa pitched their ideas during the 2nd edition of the Sustainable Solutions Africa Project (SSAP), an initiative of the NGO aimed to drive skills development for youths on sustainability, from where six of ten contestants scaled and got their ideas funded.

Speaking at the grant presentation ceremony in Lagos, recently, CEO of WeForGood International, Temitayo Ade-Peters stated that the consequences of climate change and environmental degradation were becoming increasingly evident, adding that a viable solution can no longer be delayed, hence the SSAP platform.

She explained further that the idea of SSAP was in commemoration of World Youth Skills Day, observed every July 15, where the organisation also calls for entry on specified criteria. 

She said, “Young entrepreneurs across Africa are invited to pitch their innovative ideas or businesses before a well selected judges who go through the process till final selection.  

“For this cohort, the focus was on providing solutions that are environmentally-driven so we can have opportunities to solve environmental challenges while also looking at it from economic and social aspects.”

Ade-Peters also expressed gratitude to IHS Nigeria, being the major grant sponsor, noting that its presence in Nigeria’s telecoms space has brought significant improvements to the economy.

The grantees are identified as Chikere Onyinyechi, Muhammad Abdullahi, Olanya Richard, Zainab Ishaq, Yolo Smith, and Grace George.