The Lagos SME Bootcamp is one of Nigeria’s largest gathering of SMEs with the objective of enhancing their business management capabilities in order to reduce their risks of failure and better position them for strategic growth, given that 90% of MSMEs fail within the first five years of commencement.
The Bootcamp was founded in 2018 by Ayo Bankole Akintujoye and Seun Durojaiye to support SMEs who cannot afford the services of professional consultants and yet need those capabilities the most. MSMEs in Nigeria provide 96% of Businesses and 84% of employment and contribute a total of 49% to the country’s GDP in the last five years. Therefore, given the strategic importance of MSMEs to the economy, such initiative as the Lagos SME Bootcamp is important to ensure their growth and sustainability to the benefit of the Nigerian economy.
Unanticipated global forces are defining a ‘new normal’ for our economy in a rapidly changing global market for goods, services, labour, and capital. In this complex and challenging times, the biggest challenge facing businesses is how to adapt swiftly, be self-sustaining, and take advantage of a landscape in which the basis of competition is changing at an increasing speed. The goal of the Lagos SME Bootcamp is to reshape the way SME owners think along this borderline, discuss key issues, originate new ideas and help them better understand the respective markets they play, in a bid to push the frontiers of their business and keep it thriving sustainably.
It features intensive sessions on business management capabilities such as financial management, tax management and structuring, business planning, brand management, capital raising, technology for SMEs, regulatory compliance, people management, business modelling etc.
Previous editions of the Bootcamp have featured top business and thought leaders such as Akin Alabi, Founder of Naira Bet and Author of Small Business Big Money; Kate Henshaw, Entrepreneur and award winning actor; Lola Esan, Director People and Organization, EY West Africa; Funke Oladoke, Partner Deloitte West Africa; Andrew Nevin, Partner and Chief Economist PwC; Joshua Chibueze, Co-founder PiggyVest; Tosin Olaseinde, Founder Money Africa amongst many others.
The third edition of the Bootcamp also doubles as the first virtual edition and is scheduled to hold on Saturday, July 25, 2020, at 11:00 am. It promises to build on previous learnings by featuring industry leaders such as Mr Babatunde Irukera, CEO, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC); Nkiru Olumide-Ojo, Regional Head, Marketing & Communications Standard Bank Group & Founder, The Lighthouse Women Network; Yinka Ogunnubi, Leading Financial Advisor and Group Treasurer, CFAO; Nkechi Oguchi, CEO, Ventures Park; Tunde Omotoye, Co-Founder HumanSquad; Damilare Zaccheus, Founder, OGZ Foundation; Adesuwa Opedun, Regional Business Development Lead, Vertical Markets, SystemSpecs; and Oluwakitan Babalola, Engagement Coordinator, Convention on Business Integrity.
The event would host a gathering of Five hundred SME owners who share a common interest in learning how to build solid capabilities for moving their businesses forward by harnessing practical solutions for sustainable business growth.
The third edition is organized in partnership with Paylink.ng, Proshare, MSME Standards and OGZ Foundation. Participation at the Lagos SME Bootcamp is free, but requires attendees to register on the Lagos SME Bootcamp website at www.lagos-sme.com
– Proshare
