The Consul General of the U.S. in Lagos, Claire Pierangelo, says entrepreneurship is a key driver of economic growth and success.
The consul general made the assertion on Thursday at a media briefing on the flag-off of a partnership between the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos and the Tony Elumelu Foundation.
According to her, the partnership defines the mutual commitment to promoting entrepreneurship as the key driver of job growth, economic prosperity and political stability in Nigeria.
She said that through a public diplomacy grant of 105, 000 dollars (about N38 million), the U.S. Consulate would support the training of a cohort of entrepreneurs from southern Nigeria, under the 2019 Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme.
“Under this partnership, we selected 20 `U.S. Consulate/TEF Fellows’ to receive additional entrepreneurship training through a day-long programme at the U.S. Consulate General.
“This programme utilises some of the resources of the Young African Leaders Initiative, including alumni of the Mandela Washington Fellowship.
“The 20 Fellows were selected from the Consular District with a priority being placed on five key sectors which include energy, technology, transportation, agriculture and health,’’ Pierangelo said.
She also said that the programme was intended to give the fellows insight to innovative U.S. business models that would help them manage their businesses, market their products or services, seek capital and develop partnerships.
Pierangelo also said that the U.S. government had demonstrated a sincere commitment to Nigeria’s economic development, through the power of entrepreneurship.
“Our partnership with the Tony Elumelu Foundation promotes our ongoing efforts to advance entrepreneurship in Nigeria
“It is an example of our long-standing commitment to supporting Nigeria as it strives to diversify its economy,’’ she said.
The two of the selected fellows, Funlola Kehinde and Adebowale Daniel, were present at the event to shed more light on their participation in the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme.
