A business reality television show in the United Kingdom and the United States is set to debut in Nigeria to empower Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (SMES) as well as Nigerian innovative entrepreneurs.
While the show is known as Dragons’ Den in the UK, it is called Shark Tank in the USA.
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The Lions’ Den will enable entrepreneurs to pitch their businesses or ideas, said Ultima Limited, the promoter and producer of ‘Who Wants To Be a Millionaire’ and ‘Project Fame West Africa’.
According to a statement the sponsors include Ecobank Nigeria, Chapel Hill Denham, Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) and the Bank of Industry (BoI) as well as a strategic partnership with Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS).
Budding entrepreneurs seeking investors for their businesses have been urged to register for the initial process of the project which closes in mid-February 2021.
In his remarks, the Managing Director, Ecobank, Mr. Patrick Akinwuntan said: “We have been supporting SMEs because we recognize them as the engine of growth of any economy.
“And we do know too that the COVID-19 pandemic has spurred growth in entrepreneurship in Nigeria, creating an even bigger market opportunity. This TV show will further create more entrepreneurs.”
On his part, the CEO of Chapel Hill Denham, Mr. Bolaji Balogun said, “It is an incredible opportunity to support businesses to upscale by providing access to capital, to mentorship and to networks.”
Also speaking, the Managing Director of DBN, Mr Tony Okpanachi said, “This is important to us because the show’s objectives align with the bank’s mandate of accelerating economic growth and equipping the MSMEs with the needed skills and channels to develop their capacity and productivity.”
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