In preparation for 2020, brand experts and captains of industries have called for national reset which includes the resetting the educational system to ensure economic growth and development. They also urged entrepreneurs to take advantages of opportunities in the country to grow their business remarkably.
They equally pointed that the country needs borrow a leaf from the training and retraining that most corporate organisations embark on, which also include the deployment of technology for efficiency.
They made the disclosure at the 2019 Christopher Kolade lecture organised by the Cadbury Nigeria Alumni Association (CNAA) in Lagos with the theme, “2020: Opportunities and Threats in the Nigerian Economy.”
Lampe Omoyele, CNAA President and MD of Nitro 121 said the lecture is aimed at discussing national issues and proffering solutions to them while also celebrating the first Nigerian Managing Director of Cadbury Nigeria who later became Chairman of the Board, Dr Christopher Kolade.
Omoyele said in 2020 individuals, corporate organisations and the government need to do things differently in order to ensure prosperity for the nation.
Others experts emphasised that some of the threats facing the country like growing population for instance is an opportunity for the country if well utilized can help aid economic growth in 2020 and beyond.
Mrs. Ibukun Awosika, Chairman, Board of Directors, First Bank of Nigeria Ltd and Member, Board of Directors, Cadbury Nigeria PLC, who was the keynote speaker, wondered why most businesses don’t outlive their founders. She said they have to be a strategic thinking and business remodeling that aligns with current realities for any organisation to continue to remain relevant.
She added that the country’s population is both an asset and liability while for it to be an asset, it has to serve as a catalyst for growth like the way China for example are utilizing its mass population for growth, adding that Nigeria’s diversity is an opportunity that should be fully utilized. Therefore, she urged brands to go national to take advantage of the mass market rather than staying regional.
She stated further that there is a disconnect between the educational system and the current reality in the labour force, adding that entrepreneurial skills should be thought in higher institutions irrespective of course a student is studying, in order to churn out students with entrepreneurial spirit. In addition, she pointed that increasing manufacturing capacity in different sectors will create more jobs and to actualise this government and private sectors have a role to play.
During the panel session, Amb. Ayo Olukanni, Director General (DG) NACCIMA stated that the country needs to take advantage of foreign inventors coming into the country and also take advantage of the mining sector to help grow the economy.
Dr. Ayo Teriba, a renowned economist ;Mrs. Ibukun Awosika, Chairman, Board of Directors, First Bank of Nigeria Ltd and Member, Board of Directors, Cadbury Nigeria PLC; Amb. Ayo Olukanni, Director General (DG) NACCIMA; and Olufemi Awoyemi, FCA, Chairman Proshare Nigeria Limited.
Dr. Ayo Teriba, a renowned economist, on his own part said political issues kill conversation about investment; he said the country can earn lot of revenue from Diaspora fund like other developed worlds are doing.
Meanwhile, Christopher Kolade said CNAA is not a creation of Cadbury Nigeria but created by like-minds and he urged all to play their role in building the nation despite the challenges they might be facing.
CNAA was established in 2015 and comprises of former staff of Cadbury Nigeria drawn together by memories of the great times spent in an oasis of excellence, and seeking to relive and rekindle the values and ethos of those times.
Over time, the vision crystallized and the mission became clearer, culminating in the formal registration of the CNAA, a group of ex-employees with the shared mission of the pursuit of excellence in every sphere of endeavour.