The Ogoni Entrepreneurship Summit opened with an address from the convener, Chief Lesi Maol, who set a clear vision for why the summit matters and what it seeks to achieve for Ogoniland. In the opening session, Chief Maol emphasized that the summit was a deliberate intervention aimed at repositioning entrepreneurship as a key driver of economic development, self-reliance, and long-term prosperity for Ogoni people.
In his address, the convener highlighted the urgent need to move beyond conversations about challenges and instead focus on building solutions through enterprise. He noted that struggle remains a major part of the business landscape, and entrepreneurs must look towards building resiliency for their businesses to stand the test of time. According to him, the summit was designed to bridge these gaps by creating a platform where knowledge, opportunity, and partnerships can converge.
The convener stressed that entrepreneurship remains one of the most sustainable pathways to job creation, youth empowerment, and community stability. He called on young people to embrace innovation, skill acquisition, and value creation rather than dependency, noting that the future of Ogoni’s economy lies in locally driven businesses that can scale beyond community boundaries. He also underscored the importance of starting small, noting that while he had started his business with just around 200,000 Naira, he is now giving out over 200 million Naira in funding.
Chief Lesi Maol further reaffirmed the summit’s commitment to inclusivity, particularly the active participation of all local governments in Ogoniland. He noted that the funding would be shared evenly among the four local governments.
Concluding his address, the convener expressed optimism that the conversations, connections, and insights generated at the summit would translate into tangible outcomes long after the event. He charged participants to take ownership of the knowledge gained, build strategic relationships, and remain committed to transforming ideas into impactful ventures.
