Business leaders and experts recently came together to discuss ways to guarantee resilient and profitable businesses across Nigeria, at the Entrepreneurship Development and Growth Excellence (EDGE) conference, organized by Junior Chamber International, JCI Lekki Royale.
The 2-day virtual and physical conference attracted more than 400 attendees and over 700 virtual participants. Themed “Building Resilient & Profitable Businesses: From Startup to Scale,” the event featured 5 high-impact sessions that concentrated on key topics like leadership, finance, marketing, and digital transformation.
Speaking at the event, JCI Lekki Royale President Hassan Ismail said that the gathering emphasised the commitment of business-oriented Nigerians to transforming entrepreneurial mindsets.
He noted that empowering young Nigerians with the appropriate tools and knowledge can go a long way towards building Nigerian businesses that will stand the test of time.
“EDGE is not just a conference—it’s a commitment to transforming entrepreneurial mindsets. We believe that young people, when empowered with the right tools and knowledge, can build businesses that not only survive, but thrive,” he said.
CEO of Common Sense Group. Dr. Olumide Emmanuel also highlighted the importance of financial literacy and value-based leadership to building sustainable businesses.
He appealed to entrepreneurs to work on personal discipline and long-term thinking qualities to aid their growth as business people.
“You don’t build a sustainable business by chasing trends—you build it by applying principles that work across generations,” Olumide said.
Also speaking at the event, JCI Senator Adetola Akinola advised Nigerians against building businesses around themselves, urging them to focus on putting structures in place instead.
The EDGE 2025 program was also a platform for a business pitch competition that saw 3 entrepreneurs receive EDGE Business Seed Grants after competing among 10 finalists.
The finalists presented bright ideas across industries, including technology, fashion, food, and sustainability, with winners picked based on impact potential, feasibility, and clarity of idea.
