Activator HQ, a market intelligence and capacity development platform focusing on Africa’s top 100 business opportunities, recently provided financial empowerment to aspiring entrepreneurs in collaboration with Merriflux Nigeria Ltd and VOP 90.3 FM, Lagos.
The empowerment initiative stemmed from the “3X start-up prize” contest, which attracted over 300 entrepreneurs submitting their business ideas. A panel selected 10 finalists, who then pitched their ideas on the radio station for listeners to vote on the final three winners.
The winners received cash prizes of N500,000.00, N300,000.00, and N200,000.00, respectively, to kickstart their ventures.
Founder of ActivatorHQ, John Paul Iwuoha, expressed the platform’s commitment to encouraging and promoting entrepreneurship in Nigeria and Africa. He highlighted their focus on providing not just financial assistance but also insights, training, and guidance to budding entrepreneurs.
Since 2013, ActivatorHQ has supported numerous entrepreneurs in starting, growing, and turning around businesses across Africa, offering services such as market intelligence reports, bespoke business plans, training, management consulting, and coaching.
Iwuoha expressed confidence that the winners would make significant strides in their entrepreneurial journey and contribute to the nation’s economic growth by becoming employers of labor within the next three years.
He commended the CEO of Merriflux and the management of VOP 90.3 FM Lagos for their support in making the empowerment program successful.
Merry Onaefe-Edebi, CEO of Merriflux Nigeria Ltd, praised ActivatorHQ’s initiative and emphasized the importance of insight, training, and guidance in preventing business failures in Nigeria. She anticipated a surge in big businesses across the country due to ActivatorHQ’s role in the entrepreneurial sector.
Segun Adeniji, General Manager of VOP 90.3, reiterated the radio station’s commitment to entrepreneurship development and commended the collaboration with ActivatorHQ and Merriflux. He pledged continuous support for innovative ideas from Nigerians.
The winners, Ozioma Chioma Alagba, Erioluwa Odewunmi, and Uche Uzumma Elekima, expressed gratitude to the organizers and vowed to utilize the funds judiciously to grow their businesses
