My experience at the SME Toolkit Nigeria Conference 2010.
The SME Toolkit Nigeria Conference 2010 was sponsored by IFC, SME Toolkit, IBM, Grofin and Enterprise Development Centre of the Pan-African University. It was held on the 24th of November, 2010 @ Terra Kulture, Plot 1376 Tiamiyu Savage Crescent, Victoria Island, Lagos.
[button]The theme of the SME Toolkit Nigeria Conference 2010 was Harvesting Innovation in Small Business Solutions.[/button]
The purpose of the was;
- To bring together Trainers, Users, Experts, Content and Service providers to redefine and set a new agenda on how the toolkit can impact even more on the SME sector in Nigeria.
- To discuss critical matters, gather ideas for the further improvement of the SME Toolkit using the conference to drive the process.
- To reflect and discuss on the localization, customization, delivery and quality assurance of Business Edge Training methodology.
Roll call of speakers at the Event;
- Peter Bamkole is the Director, Enterprise Development Centre
- Solomon Adegbie Quaynor is the Country Manager of IFC Nigeria
- Bosun Tijani is Project Manager, Social Entrepreneur, Development Consultant, and Principal Partner of InnCite Ltd.
- Sunday Ojuolape is the CEO of Life Entrepreneur Institute
- Moyowa Owolabi is a Serial Entrepreneur and technology opportunist.
- Hermann Cakpo is the founder and CEO H & C Technologies, a business development service provider based in Cotonou (Benin).
- Tolu Akindele currently works with Grofin Nigeria – a venture finance company.
- Chidinma Lawanson is the Proposition Head, Micro, Small & Medium (MSME) at Diamond Bank.
- Mario Gomes is an Operations Officer, working in the Advisor Service for SME’s Sub Saharan Dept. of the IFC
- Nneka Okekerau is the Centre Manager of Enterprise Development Centre.
- Lolo Masha is the Business Development Manager for English-Speaking West Africa at Google Inc
- Nuhu Danjuma is the Chief Project Officer in charge of training and research for Small and Medium enterprises at the Centre for Microenterprise Development.
- Kate Iketubosin is the Managing Director of Stern & Kay Consulting.
- Adeyemi Adewole is the Managing Director of Adcem Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
- Bolanle Adekunle is a Manager in one of the Healthplus Pharmaceuticals outlets in Lagos.
- Margaret Jackson is the Managing Partner of Rainbow Consult.
With this lineup of Speakers you can reach a conclusion if the conference was richly rewarding or not, all the speakers did a good job dishing out tips and tactics that will help SMEs perform better. Personally, I took particular interest in 3 of the speakers because they focused on areas that are business growth drivers in Nigeria, the Speakers are; Lolo Masha of Google Inc, Chidinma Lawson of Diamond Bank and Tolu Akindele of Grofin Nigeria. They spoke a lot about what there organisations are doing to help small businesses grow and I wholeheartedly say Kudos to them!
If you are Small Business Owner make sure you attend events like this, because your “Network determines your Networth.” Start a FATE Foundation or Enterprise Development Centre entrepreneurial course to help us understand how to manage your business better and build a network of like minds.