By Stephen Ubanna
The much talked about United Bank For African, UBA, world class entrepreneural fair tagged the UBA market place fair, scheduled to Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, will kick start on July 26 and 27, 2019.
As a prelude for the take off of the event ,regarded as the biggest gathering of Entrepreneurs, the African Continent, the Bank and officials of Tony Elumelu Foundation, TEF, had set up the organising Committee saddled with the responsibility of preparing the programme and making all the necessary arrangement for the entrepreneurial fair tagged the UBA Market place in Abuja.
the Committee which include Dupe Olusola, Head , Marketing and Ramon Nasir Olarewaju, the Bank General Manager, External Relation, were said to have moved into action. When it was confirmed that Hilton Hotel, had been secured for programme, the Committee did not hesitate in preparing the programme and reaching out to the dignitaries had been selected to participate in the all important African entrepreneurs event . At the last count, the Bank and TEF, had estimated to host over 20,000 visitors ,100 Small and Medium Scale Enterprises, SME, including leading private and public sector players cross the Continent during the two days events. The conviction that the turnout of visitors and participant would be that much was based on enquiries on the Bank and TEF website about the fair by participants across the Continent who were asking for reservation of space to showcase their products at the fair and win new Customers.
The rush for the UBA market place fair may have been informed because of by the initial Statement by the Bank that three P African Presidents: Paul Kagame, Rwanda, Mackay Sall, Senegal and Felix Tshikedi, regarded as progressives in political circles in Africa would be at the fair. The entrepreneurs , financial analysts believe , may want to use the opportunity provided by UBA and TEF, to interact with the African leaders and how they can be encouraged to invest in their respective countries.
Many of the African entrepreneurs , according to sources, have been looking for opportunity to expand their business to these countries but no luck. it was not surprising that when UBA and TEF, created the opportunity for them in Abuja, Nigeria, they did not hesitate in grabbing it to have a one -on- interactions with the African Progressive Presidents.
There are indications that the Bank and TEF, market place fair, will host ”businesses owners in various industries including food and beverages, fashion, beauty, home /interior and gadgets. Moreso, business, the Bank and the Foundation,, will host business owners who will have their ”businesses transformed and the dreams of their business come to fruition”.
The second day of the event, according to the
The event, according to a member of the Organising would not only concentrate on display of products on stands alone for visistors to feed thir eyes and negotiate business deals but will offer plenary sessions and discussions on the SMEs, sectors and the relevance of financing. Going by the programme prepare for the two day event, the plenary sessions will highlight entertainment from the music industries. This is in addition to fashion show with the designs of the leading African labels, which business analysts, believe would be a big cultural and revenue generation source for the Continent.
The African entrepreneurs would have opportunity of networking and get solutions to some of the challenges faced in running their businesses during the master -class sessions. The good news was that beneficiaries of the Tony Elumelu Foundation will presented a platform at the fair to pitch their business with a ”grand prize of a grant” which was said to have been made possible by UBA.
Kennedy Uzoka, the Bank Group Managing Director, who has been at the forefront of entrepreneurship development across the Continent , by undertaking may projects aimed at contributing to Africa’s economic growth and integration, was said to have made the provision of the business platform possible.
An elated Uzoka said , ” the birth of the UBA marketplace and the entrepreneurial fair was a testament to the Bank’s Commitment to African SMEs. According to him the fair major objective is to ”touch base with small business owners while positively influencing the lives of the entreneurs doing in its countries of operations and beyond”.
The UBA Group, Managing Director, who could not hide his feelings said the major reason why the Bank has involved itself over the years with the marketplace event of this magnitude was basically to ”encourage entrepreneurship and the youths”.
The Bank may have made all the necessary arrangements for participants to feel at home as the Bank’s RedTV, GOT the Contract to light up the redzone at the market place with entertainment featuring Africa’s star boy Wiz kid DJ Cuppy and several others.
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1.UBA Headquarters
2.Kennedy Uzoka: UBA, Group MD.
