BusinessDay CEO Apprentice deepens youth entrepreneurial skills

On August 7^th, forty-five young teenagers embarked on a journey that should put them on the right path to success: the second annual BusinessDay CEO Apprentice boot camp, which focused on equipping teenagers, aged between 13 and 20, with the skills required to set up a business. The camp was proudly sponsored by Microsoft Nigeria who offered their space to host it.

The training provided the young CEO apprentices with the skills of starting a business and taking an idea from concept to reality. They learned about:

presentation skills, the use of the latest technologies in training, including the use of a workbook, which becomes a functional business plan;
product testing and market validation, customer segmentation, competitor analysis and go to market strategies;
and also how to come up with a business idea, structure their company, price their products.

Developing business models, finding customers and creating marketing, advertising and branding plans including special sessions on Coding and Robotics were also topics that were taught at the camp.

This year’s field trip was memorable! The field trip took the forty-five young teenagers and BusinessDay staff to Ogun state to visit the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, where the children learned a lot about Nigerian history and culture, but most importantly, they were blessed to spend precious time with his Excellency, the former President Obasanjo. They even had the once in a lifetime opportunity to take souvenir pictures with him. For the teenagers and the staff it was an amazing opportunity to meet and actually spend quality time with the former president.

**Team “follow follow”, winner of the 2017 Pitching Competition**

The Pitching competition on Saturday August 12^th, 2017 marked the end of the boot camp. The CEO apprentices had the opportunity to pitch their business ideas to the carefully selected panel of judge sat Work Station Nigeria in Victoria Island.

After 7 groups presented their various business ideas, the judges deliberated and unanimously chose the team “follow follow” as the winner of the 2017 Pitching Competition. The price included 150,000 Naira, 6 months of mentor ship and free business registration.

The judges were composed of Frank Aigbogun, publisher of BusinessDay; Collins Onuegbu, CEO of Sasware; Afua Osei co-founder of ‘She Leads Africa’; Simeon Ononobi CEO of Simple Pay and MyAds; David Richard director of Lagos Angel Network.