The Ugwumba Enterprise Challenge is our idea pitching and grant competition designed to empower young people in Africa turn their ideas, skills and passions into scalable business ventures or social enterprises.
We adopted this pitching competition model because it challenges the creativity and the audacity of our young people to survive as entrepreneurs.
All applicants pass through a compulsory Boot Camp and Pitching Competitions and those with best business ideas receive both financial and technical supports from us.
Between 2018 and 2022, we have supported the birth of over 5,000 SMEs and startups in Nigeria during the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th editions of the Ugwumba Enterprise Challenge. This year, which is the 6th edition, we hope to empower additional 2,000 young and women entrepreneurs across the country.
Ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of our President, His Excellency, Ugwumba Uche Nwosu and the Ugwumba General Council, I hereby announce in no special order,
The Ugwumba Center for Leadership Development in Africa extends a cordial invitation to the general public for the grand finale of the 2023 Ugwumba Enterprise
We are thrilled to announce the kick-off of the 1st Preliminary Pitching Competition as part of the ongoing 2023 Ugwumba Enterprise Challenge! This marks a
@Abuja Continental Hotels (former Sheraton)
Please, before you start your application, kindly go through this important Questions and Answers Section
We are here to help you at any time. You can call on 24/7 To Answer Your Question.
You are eligible to apply for this Challenge if you are a Nigerian (living in Nigeria), either male or female between 18 and 40 years of age and have an idea that can be turned into a business or social enterprise.
As a non-political, non-religious and non-profit making development organization, the Challenge is open to every eligible citizen of Nigeria, despite their ethnic, religious, social statues as well as political affiliations.
We do not have preference for any sector of the economy, since all the sectors are important in the growth and development of the country.
Whether you are operating in agriculture, food technology, renewal energy, information technology, health technology, telecommunications, etc, you are free to apply for the competition.
We are interested in early startups and those whose businesses are still at the ideation stage.
The reason is because, we want to serve as angel investors to such persons whose ideas would have died with them if they do not participate in an impact investment program like the Ugwumba Enterprise Challenge
If you have gone through the FAQs above and you are qualified, please, click HERE to apply
Yes, you can apply. All the activities shall be implemented virtually, except the Grand finale, which shall hold in Abuja.
For the grand finale in Abuja, only the top 5 finalists who were selected after the preliminary pitching competitions shall be invited to Abuja.
The Activity Schedule is as follows:
NB: Other details shall be communicated to all the participants as the need arises.
As usual, the Board and Management of the Ugwumba Leadership Center shall not interfere in the decisions of our unbiased panel of judges.
From the start of the Online Boot Camp to the Preliminary Pitching, Online Voting and Final Pitching Competitions, all assessments of your performances shall be done by our Facilitators and Panel of Judges.
We introduced the Online Preliminary Pitching and Online Voting from the general public to enable us compare the assessments of your ideas from our online audience with those of our Facilitators and Panel of Judges.
This is in line with the fair play and transparency we are promoting at the Center.
NB: There is no payment for the voting.
All the pitch decks received from the participants shall be uploaded on our YouTube channel at www.bit.ly/ugwumbachannel to enable the general public make comments about your ideas.
We introduced the Online Preliminary Pitching and Online Voting from the general public to enable us compare the assessments of your ideas from our online audience with those of our Facilitators and Panel of Judges.
This is in line with the fair play and transparency we are promoting at the Center.
NB: There is no payment for the voting.
All the pitch decks received from the participants shall be uploaded on our YouTube channel at www.bit.ly/ugwumbachannel to enable the general public make comments about your ideas.
