Photos : #YEC2017 – AKIN ALABI EMPOWERED 50 YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

The Founder and CEO of NairaBet.com, who was also the host of this year’s  Youth Enterprise Conference (YEC)  empowered 50 young entrepreneurs with great business ideas during this year’s YEC  on March 30th 2017 at Eko Hotel.

It was indeed a gathering of 7 heavyweight entrepreneurs in the Nigerian IT and Creative industry as Pheelz Mr Producer, Andrew Airelobhegbe, Jason Njoku, Mark Essien, Japhet Omojuwa, Funke ‘Jenifa’ Akindele and Convener, Akin Alabi all gathered at the Eko Hotel and Suites to inspire young entrepreneurs across the Nigerian entrepreneurship landscape at the #yeco2017

The 50 beneficiaries  were picked among the attendees of the conference got empowered by the Akin Alabi Foundation, with N100, 000 each to fuel their business ideas.

 

The “Youth Enterprise Conference” is an annual conference where “Akin Alabi invites some of the most successful young business people to tell Nigerian youths how they started their business and also teach them how they can do the same.”

The theme: “Small Business, Big Money”, featured seven successful business owners, who told the story of how they started their businesses, how they broke into the market despite the challenges and how the upcoming young entrepreneurs can do the same.

The seven speakers included: Jason Njoku, (Founder, iROKO), Mark Essien, (CEO, Hotels.ng),  Andrew Airelobhegbe, (CEO, OgaVenue), Japheth J Omojuwa, (CEO, Alpha Reach), Pheelz, Mr Producer, (Founder, Lyricash), Olufunke Akindele Bello, (Founder, Jenifa’s Diary) and Akin Alabi, (Founder, NairaBET).

The conference was free and opened to all Nigerian youths who were inspired.

if u have money, invest in things that’ll bring returns,if you don’t, invest in urself by getting knowledge @markessien

Stop forming accent and be original, so that you won’t miss those that are suppose to assist you in succeeding @funkeakindele

You deserve to know what’s in @akinalabi head to have come from having N3500 to owning @NairaBET that employs over 1000 @Omojuwa

A big thank you to Akin Alabi Foundation.A promised made and kept. Icon Electric received her grant today as promised #Sograteful – @davidking0007

When people look at JJ Omojuwa, they see the finesse and panache beyond that surface is mad hard work,persistence and sacrifice – @BabajideFadoju

@akinalabi thanks for bringing hope to entrepreneurs in Nigeria. – @officialhondan

Thanks @Omojuwa and @markessien for making the trip to attend #YECO2017 worth it. Also, God bless @akinalabi for organizing. – @The_AyeniPaul

Thank you so much for sharing your stories today, God bless you both. So inspiring! @Omojuwa & @funkeakindele– Mosopefoluwa Odeseye‏ 

What is the essence of success when you’re not making positive impact with it @Omojuwa

Don’t try to run a one man show, seek counsel always, you don’t know it all. @funkeakindele

Put all your efforts into your dreams.. don’t let anyone do it for you”  @funkeakindele

Attend workshops, trainings, acquire more knowledge, you are not too big to learn- @funkeakindele

It was an honour to speak at the Youth enterprise conference 2017 – pheelzonthebeat

Don’t do the same thing that is leading you nowhere. Nothing special about successful people. – @akinalabi

If you want to travel where you haven’t been before ask from people who are there already

According to Akin Alabi, he  started his business in 2003 with just N3,500 creating and selling information products like Ebooks, Cds, audio tapes and manuals. From there, he  proceeded to launching a seminar and training company specializing in teaching and consulting for other young people starting their own small businesses. He later  ventured into the publishing business but failed. He  then decided to try his hands on other businesses,which he succeeded doing so. The most popular is Nigeria’s first sports betting website, NairaBET.com

Founder, IROKOTV: Jason had 10 failed ideas before he moved back home to live with his mom. It was during this transition process that he noticed his family’s love for movies. While in the middle of this, he discovered a solution to the bottlenecks associated with sourcing for local movies abroad that he came about his 11th idea – IrokoTV:  an online movie streaming platform. Iroko TV was formed from Iroko Partners, a business enterprise that has raised over 30 million dollars of investment.

 

Mark Essien: While working as an home care nurse in Germany and also an app developer for the iPhone, a business which provided the funds to start Hotels.ng in Nigeria, Mark Essien, CEO Hotels.ng has never looked back. Hotels.ng has grown to become the biggest hotel service in Nigeria and has raised a total of 1 billion naira as investment.

Andrew, 23 is the CEO Oga Venue, one of Nigeria’s biggest events venue booking portal in Nigeria. Andrew told his story of his failed poultry business before he rose up to the challenge of being an entrepreneur by determination and persistence. Andrew expatiated on how after many failed attempts at poultry, he found his breakthrough eventually, made millions of naira to start the Oga Venue portal. A project that has generated about 45,000 dollars investment from investors.

Omojuwa: A socio political influencer, columnist on popular Nigerian dailies and international platform. Japhet has grown from being a regular controversial figure to being a world class speaker through sheer determination and consistency. Channeling his controversial status to become a sought after thought leader across all cadres of life and businesses. His brain child OmojuwaTV is currently generating a lot of traction online and will soon be one of the biggest Vlogging platforms on social issues in Nigeria.

Funke Akindele Bello: An embodiment of sheer hardwork and creativity from the days of the television series ‘I need to know’ to ‘The Movie – Jenifa‘ and now Jenifa’s Diary, the multiple award winner actress has been soaring from strength to strength. She stated in her speech at the #YECO2017 that all she had done was a product of hardwork and sheer determination. She is not just a writer, Funke is also a producer and entrepreneur.

Naijalife Magazine  tweeted the event live. here are photos from the event.